“We've only just upgraded our ERP”
CFO · ERP and finance software
A CFO who finished an ERP upgrade two years ago remembers how hard it was, and isn't going through it again. Don't suggest another big change. Ask what the upgrade didn't fix: which processes still run in spreadsheets outside the ERP.
Practise it before the real call
Free to start. No credit card.
What the buyer says
We only finished our ERP upgrade two years ago. I'm not going through that again.
How to handle it
Listen
Hear "I'm not going through that again". The objection is the memory of the upgrade: cost, disruption and risk. They haven't said everything works.
Acknowledge
Agree that an ERP upgrade is a major undertaking, and that nobody wants to repeat it soon.
Explore
Ask which processes still run in spreadsheets or other tools outside the ERP: forecasting, consolidation, close tasks, approvals. Ask how much time those take, and what the upgrade was supposed to fix but didn't.
Respond
Position your product as working alongside the ERP to close the gaps they named, with no change to the core system. Be specific about how it connects and what it asks of the finance team.
Say this
“That makes sense. An ERP upgrade isn't something anyone wants to repeat.”
Say this
“Which processes still run in spreadsheets outside the ERP?”
Say this
“What was the upgrade supposed to fix that it didn't?”
Variations
- Finance Director: “We've just gone live on the new ERP. No more change this year.”
- CIO: “The ERP programme took three years. The business needs a break.”
Questions people ask
How do you respond when a CFO has just upgraded their ERP?
Agree that another big change is the last thing they need. Ask which processes still run outside the ERP and what the upgrade didn't fix, then position your product as working alongside the ERP to close those gaps.
Can you sell finance software to a company that has just upgraded its ERP?
Often, yes, if it complements the ERP rather than replacing it. Upgrades usually leave processes running in spreadsheets, and those gaps are clearer once the new system is live.
More objections in ERP and finance software
- “Audit will never sign off a change”
- “Our systems integrator will say no”
- “Our month-end close works”
- “We can't risk disrupting operations”
Practise it before the real call
Free to start. No credit card.