Why RFPs “Suck” — And How To Use Them Without Getting Burned
Requests for Proposals (RFPs) are a staple of big technology decisions. They create structure, documentation, and a paper trail that legal and procurement teams appreciate. But they also create blind spots that can tank your transformation long after the bid is awarded. This is your guide to using RFPs as one data point—without letting them […]
The Dark Side of Cloud Computing: 5 Things Transformation Leaders Need to Know
The entire enterprise technology space is moving to the cloud. ERP, CRM, HCM, supply chain, and virtually every category of enterprise software now comes with a cloud-first mandate. But here’s the catch: the cloud isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Yes, there are advantages — scalability, automatic upgrades, and standardized processes. But cloud solutions […]
Cook County’s $250M IT Failures: What Every Transformation Leader Should Learn
When one of the largest counties in the United States sets out to modernize its technology, you’d expect time, budget, and resources to guarantee success. But as Cook County, Illinois shows us, big investments can still lead to massive failures — proving that money alone doesn’t guarantee better outcomes. Over the past decade, Cook County […]
Why SAP’s ROI Problem and AI’s Rise Signal the End of “Business as Usual” in Enterprise Tech
For decades, enterprise software vendors have dictated the rules of the game. They told you when to upgrade, what to pay, and how to align your business strategy with their product roadmap. But in 2025, that dynamic is shifting — and not in the vendors’ favor. Two themes stand out from today’s digital landscape: Let’s […]
Is AI Killing the Consulting Industry?
For decades, technology consulting has thrived on billable hours, big teams, and armies of consultants capturing meeting notes, documenting processes, and customizing software. But that model is breaking—and AI is leading the charge. I’ve spent my entire career in consulting. Now, I can say with certainty: AI is disrupting (if not outright killing) the consulting […]
The 10 Biggest Government IT Failures of All Time — And the Lessons They Teach
Government agencies have some of the most complex digital transformation challenges in the world. Between strict procurement rules, public accountability, entrenched processes, and sprawling stakeholder groups, the stakes are high — and so are the risks. Over the past few decades, we’ve seen a number of public-sector ERP and IT projects collapse under their own […]
From Value Creation to Value Destruction: The PE Digital Transformation Trap
Private equity firms don’t invest in companies for fun — they invest to create value. But what happens when your digital transformation strategy backfires? When instead of improving EBITDA, your tech initiative drains capital, disrupts operations, and adds risk to your exit timeline? That’s not a hypothetical. It’s what we see far too often in PE-backed companies […]
5 Shocking Whistleblower Claims About SAP S/4HANA!
At least five whistleblowers have come forward in recent months — and they all share one thing in common: frustration with how SAP S/4HANA implementations are being sold, scoped, and executed. At Third Stage Consulting, we’re often brought in after the fact — to rescue troubled projects, rebuild trust, and reset strategy. And in the […]
Cutting ERP Costs Without Cutting Corners
Most ERP projects don’t go over budget because of the software.They go over because of poor planning, bloated timelines, and the wrong people making the wrong decisions at the wrong time — all of which drive up ERP costs unnecessarily. The good news? It doesn’t have to be this way. At Third Stage Consulting, we’ve […]
Ripping Off the Band-Aid: The Truth About ERP Upgrades in the Cloud Era
Meta Description: The Upgrade Question: A Cloud-Era Reality Check When Chris on LinkedIn asked whether ERP providers would be pushing new platform versions that companies would be forced to adopt, it hit a nerve. Upgrades are one of the most anxiety-inducing aspects of ERP strategy. They’re time-consuming. They’re expensive. And they can disrupt your entire […]
Hiring the right ERP partner won’t save your transformation — but building the right internal team just might.
In most digital transformations, leaders tend to obsess over choosing the “right” technology or the “best” system integrator. But what often gets overlooked is the team sitting inside your own four walls — the internal team responsible for making or breaking your transformation. So how do you assemble the right team? We sat down with […]
AI in ERP: What Customers Want vs. What They Fear
Why adoption is lagging—and how to move forward with clarity and control. AI is no longer a futuristic concept in enterprise tech. It’s here. It’s embedded in your ERP, your analytics, your workflows. And just like cloud five years ago, AI is quickly becoming a non-negotiable. But while organizations recognize they must embrace AI, many […]