Key criteria of ERP/CRM systems selection in SMEs in Poland

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to conduct an investigation on criteria of Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP)/Customer Relations Management (CRM) systems selection used by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Poland. The main goal was to define the key selection criteria that should be used to ensure the optimal decision of the purchase of the system. The reason for the choice of this research question was that SMEs have to constantly struggle with lack of resources. The choice of the right ERP and/or CRM system can significantly improve their operational efficiency and competitiveness. A synthetic review of the literature on the selection criteria of ERP and/or CRM systems was conducted and presented. Opinions of 83 respondents with work experience in SMEs that had undergone an implementation of an ERP and/or CRM system or vendors of ERP and/or CRM systems for SMEs in Poland were collected in the form of Google Form surveys and analyzed with the use of Spearman’s rank order correlation. The main conclusion of this study is that two most important selection criteria are: system functionality and the ability to ensure data security. The study results may be of practical use for SMEs’ decision-makers for the selection of the CRM and/or ERP class system. A further and more comprehensive research into the topic is recommended.