After some time I visited workshop of the ERP system M3. In past it was with company Lawson, even earlier with company Intentia, now with a new owner of the product – Infor. Quite funny to see, how the business world influences software (or other) product. From my first “meeting” with M3 (Movex – in those days) I have feeling of quite good product – strong stress on production companies and many ideas were taken by other system (SAP, Axapta, …) and usually in the first or second wave whenever there were new technology. But the marketing and support – disaster, I cannot use other word. The selling of Intentia to Lawson was really funny – especially in Czech republic only people from Intentia Czech new about that (and only head of company) – the technical people were “sold” to Czech company OR-Next as some goods. The reliability of the product (partner) were strongly damaged. For the ERP system I would say the quality of software is 40% (or less) of the total value – the rest is implementing or supporting company – their reliability, knowledge, ability to listen and solve problems. Well, it can happen, sell and buy companies, but always it should be done in way with smallest possible impact on customer. I hoped people around M3 will take a lesson and would avoid the same error in future. Two years ago – M3 was old to the Infor company. Many people say it’s very good chance for M3 as the Infor is large company with better possibilities and according to the yesterday workshop I agree with them. Never mind, the situation in Czech republic … same mistake as 7 years ago. Even worse – OR-Next in problems (I do not know how many new implementation were done in last 5 year, but on M3 user group I see the same faces and only some are disappearing) and one half of technical people (from M3 part) moved to other company implementing M3. So where is the reliability of such a partner? Where is the chance for them to get new implementation and increase revenue?

So the my final words: M3 has quite difficult position on Czech market even in situation of the really good product. But good product suffers the influence of marketing and ability of the companies (implementing) to sell and support and to show themselves as strong partner. And yesterday I again saw the confirmation – new technological thinks going (from my point of view) in the right direction: thin client … excellent and in right time, new CRM …excellent and in good time, shift to Microsoft world … well the world wants it so good step in time the MS technology is reliable and ready to support midle sized to large companies. But opposite – one company without power of technical people but with knowledge of Czech market and … second one with very strong technical background but quite poor knowledge of Czech market and waiting for something (maybe for miracle who knows?). And the Czech Inform looking at this situation and waiting for the result.

Everybody who does something, does mistakes too. Smart people are that ones who are able not to repeat same mistake again … Way of M3 in Czech republic is a way of blind alleys visited many times again to check whether the alley is really blind.