Services · Business consulting
ERP, CRM and MRP selection
We help you choose the right ERP, CRM or MRP with an unbiased method: requirements, RFP, scripted demos, weighted scoring and negotiation. By choice, we are not a partner of any ERP vendor.
ERP, CRM and MRP selection is the process of choosing, with measurable criteria, the platform that best fits an organization's processes, budget and growth plans. At AVILA®, a technology and business consulting firm based in Monterrey, Mexico, we have run selections with an unbiased method since 2004: by choice, we never become a partner of any ERP vendor, so our recommendation follows your requirements.
Why run a formal selection?
An ERP or CRM stays with your organization for many years, and replacing it is costly in money, time and team morale. Even so, many decisions are made on the strength of a good demo, a friend's recommendation or the first quote that comes in. The most common problems we see are:
Requirements nobody wrote down that surface halfway through implementation as change orders.
Demos that show what the vendor wants to show, not how your business actually runs.
Price comparisons that leave out implementation, customization, add-on licenses, support and growth.
Implementation partners with no experience in your industry or no capacity to support you near your operations.
Departments that weren't part of the decision and later don't adopt the system.
A formal selection, with an RFP and a written evaluation, reduces these risks and documents why one option was chosen over another.
Which platforms we evaluate
ERP: finance, purchasing, inventory, sales, production and other functions in one integrated system.
CRM: leads, opportunities, quotes, sales follow-up and customer service.
MRP: materials and production planning for manufacturing, as a standalone system or as an ERP module.
Specialized platforms: reservations, foreign trade data, maintenance, e-commerce and other industry-specific solutions.
We also check whether a tool you already have, such as Microsoft 365, covers part of the need, and whether a unique process justifies custom development instead of forcing a product to fit.
Why is our recommendation unbiased?
A consultant who earns a commission or a margin on the license you buy has an incentive to recommend that platform. That's why AVILA® made a deliberate decision: we never become a partner of any ERP vendor, so we can keep an impartial judgment.
What about Microsoft? We have been a Microsoft partner since 2007 for Microsoft 365, Copilot and Azure cloud licensing, but we don't work with Microsoft Dynamics, a very particular product. There's no conflict: if Dynamics turns out to be the best option for your organization, it's evaluated against the same criteria as any other platform.
How we work
Assessment and requirements. We start from your current and target processes. If they aren't documented, we begin with process mapping. Requirements are classified as must-have, nice-to-have and future.
Long list and short list. We identify the market options that fit your industry and size, and narrow them down with clear, agreed elimination criteria.
RFP (request for proposal). We write the document vendors receive: company background, scope, functional and technical requirements, integrations, data migration, training, support, commercial terms and a single response format so proposals can be compared.
Scripted demos. Each vendor demonstrates scenarios drawn from your operations, not their standard pitch. Your team scores each scenario on the spot.
Weighted scoring. A matrix with weights agreed before any proposal is opened: functional fit, technology, implementation partner, multi-year total cost of ownership, risks and references.
Recommendation and negotiation. A report with the recommended option, its risks and what must go into the contract: scope, deliverables, service levels and exit terms.
After the decision
Selection doesn't end at signing. We can support the implementation as your organization's counterpart: reviewing the partner's plan, checking that the configuration follows the agreed processes, tracking data migration and preparing adoption with change management. When no platform covers a process, we solve it with custom software integrated with the chosen system, and if the platform runs in Microsoft's cloud, we can also manage its Azure infrastructure.
Experience behind the service
Platform selection has been part of our consulting since our Business Consulting Unit was created in 2004. Between 2004 and 2011 we supported ERP selection and implementation at manufacturing companies, always starting with an assessment of their processes. In 2024 we wrote the RFP for a reservations system built on Shopify, and in 2025 we helped select a foreign trade data platform. See more projects in case studies.
Benefits
- A documented decision, with criteria and weights agreed by your own team.
- A recommendation driven by your requirements, because we are not a partner of any ERP vendor.
- Comparable proposals thanks to an RFP with a single response format.
- Total cost in plain sight: licenses, implementation, support and growth.
- Fewer surprises during implementation, because requirements were written first.
- A stronger position to negotiate scope, service levels and exit terms.
Frequently asked questions
What does an unbiased selection mean?
It means that, by choice, we are not a partner of any ERP vendor: our job is to represent your organization in front of the vendors. Criteria and their weights are agreed with your team before any proposal is opened, every demo is scored against the same script, and the result is documented. That way anyone can later review why an option was chosen.
If you're a Microsoft partner, will you recommend Microsoft Dynamics?
Not because we're a partner. We have been a Microsoft partner since 2007 for Microsoft 365, Copilot and Azure licensing, but we don't work with Microsoft Dynamics, a very particular product. So there's no conflict of interest: if Dynamics takes part in the selection, it's scored with the same script and weights as every other option.
What is an RFP and why does it matter?
An RFP (request for proposal) is the document that tells vendors what your organization needs and how they should respond. It covers background, scope, requirements, integrations, commercial terms and a response format. It ensures every proposal can be compared on equal terms and that commitments are put in writing from the start.
How much does it cost to implement an ERP?
It depends on the platform, the number of users and modules, the integrations and how much needs to be adapted. License fees are only part of it: implementation, data migration, training, annual support and growth all count. That's why our evaluation compares multi-year total cost of ownership, not just the first quote.
Is a cloud ERP better than one installed on our own servers?
For most midsize companies, a cloud ERP removes the burden of maintaining servers, backups and upgrades. An on-premises installation can make sense when there are special requirements for control, connectivity or integration with plant equipment. We evaluate both against your security requirements, your connectivity and the total cost of each option.
How long does an ERP selection take?
It depends on how well documented your processes are, how many vendors take part and how available your team is for demos. If your processes are already mapped, the work moves faster. The schedule for each stage goes in the proposal; what we don't recommend is skipping requirements to decide sooner.
Can you help us choose a CRM for our sales team?
Yes. The method is the same: understand your sales process (prospecting, quoting, follow-up and closing), write the requirements, evaluate options with real scenarios and check how the CRM integrates with your ERP, email and the tools your team already uses. Sales team adoption matters as much as features.
What if we already bought an ERP and it isn't working?
We start with an assessment to separate the causes: undefined processes, incomplete configuration, lack of training, poor data quality or a platform that truly doesn't fit. In many cases the system can be rescued without replacing it. If not, the new selection builds on what was learned. Reach out through our contact page.
Case studies with this service
Manufacturing · 2011
Mapping value chain processes before an SAP implementation at a manufacturer
A manufacturing company mapped its value chain processes before implementing SAP, so it could reach the ERP configuration with clear, agreed-upon processes.
Entertainment and restaurants · 2024
An RFP for a Shopify reservations system for a family entertainment chain
A family entertainment and restaurant chain asked AVILA® to prepare the request for proposals (RFP) for a reservations system on Shopify, with clear requirements and criteria to compare vendors on equal terms.
Manufacturing · 2011
Assessment, selection, and implementation of an ERP for manufacturing companies
Several manufacturing companies chose and implemented their ERP with AVILA®'s support, starting from a prior assessment of their processes and technology.
Distribution · 2025
Selecting a foreign trade information platform
A company with foreign trade operations chose its foreign trade information platform through an unbiased selection process led by AVILA®.