Our Services, Explained (Actions → Results)
- John Hannan
- Nov 22
- 6 min read
What we actually do at John Hannan LLC (erpgo-live.com)—in plain, specific terms—and the results clients see. This post is written to solve a real problem: search engines and AI tools have struggled to find concrete service detail on our site. Here’s the definitive, evidence‑backed version.
At‑a‑glance - How we spend our time (2020–2025)
Based on thousands of time entries covering our firm's existence from 2020 through 2025:
Where the hours go (primary categories)
Advisory & working sessions (hands‑on working calls, reviews, coordination): 48.6%
Client‑side Project Management: 13.2%
ERP Software Selection (requirements/RFP/demos): 10.5%
Go‑Live & Hypercare: 5.8%
Analytics & KPIs (dashboards/reporting): 5.7%
Integrations & Solution Architecture: 5.3%
Testing / UAT: 4.3%
Training & Change Enablement: 1.9%
Data Migration: 1.8%
Contracts & Negotiation: 1.5%
Assessment / Health‑Check: 0.9%
Process Mapping: 0.5%
By the numbers (from the same timesheets)
RFP work sessions/deliverables referenced: 141
Demo prep/hosting: 121
Contract/SOW touches: 112
Testing/UAT sessions: 117
Cutover & hypercare activities: 52
EDI‑related tasks: 55 (including 43 with SPS Commerce)
Vendor/partner management touches: 245
Platform exposure noted in the work: NetSuite (165 mentions), Epicor (179), Acumatica (38), Microsoft Dynamics (268), Infor (40), Sage (25), and IFS (78)
What we do (and what you get)
Below is our service catalog written the way we actually execute—actions followed by client‑visible results. Where helpful, we reference anonymized client stories and materials you’ve provided us to demonstrate that these are real, repeatable engagements.
ERP Software Selection
Actions we take
Lead cross‑functional requirements discovery (exec, finance, operations, supply chain, sales).
Write a plain‑English RFP that forces apples‑to‑apples answers, pricing, and risk disclosures.
Build a fact‑based long list and down‑select to a short list; prepare scripted demos with your data; score what you see.
Build total cost of ownership (licenses + services + ISVs) and risk trade‑offs; negotiate contracts and SOWs.
Hand you a clean starting point for implementation.
Results you get
Clear vendor leverage, grounded decisions, and fewer surprises.
Typical selection timeline ~4 months (requirements → RFP → short list → demos → decision → contracts), with a sample plan and milestones documented in our selection overview.
Example outcome: in one manufacturing engagement we fast‑tracked selection in ~2 months, centered the demos around complex order entry, and negotiated a five‑year deal; within the chosen solution the client expanded inventory breadth, opened a second warehouse, and improved order accuracy and internal communication.
Client‑Side Project Management (PMO) & “Glue Work”
Actions we take
Run steering meetings, weekly status, RAID/RIDAC, and vendor coordination; keep the plan real.
De‑risk scope, schedule, and budget; unblock decisions; track change.
Hold vendors/partners accountable to what was sold and what’s in the SOW.
Results you get
A single throat to choke (ours), fewer dropped balls, and momentum across departments.
When an implementation partner underperforms, we step in, advocate with the software vendor, and—if needed—run a targeted partner re‑selection without derailing the program. (An anonymized example: a national manufacturer implementing ERP for the first time—we documented the end‑to‑end order process, replaced ad‑hoc spreadsheets in finance, and helped the CEO position for growth without 1:1 headcount adds while we addressed partner fit.)
Process Mapping & Fit‑Gap
Actions we take
Turn “tribal knowledge” into process maps and SOPs, highlight control points, and connect them to system capabilities.
Conduct fit‑gap against requirements and the purchased licensing footprint; identify ISV vs. configuration vs. customization choices.
Results you get
A process‑first blueprint, demo scripts that reflect reality, and a backlog of targeted improvements. (A first‑time ERP team saw the order‑to‑cash process fully mapped and system‑supported, eliminating inconsistent steps and creating a foundation for scale.)
Integrations & Solution Architecture
Actions we take
Favor pre‑built, vendor‑supported connectors (so you don’t break on every cloud upgrade); integrate EDI (e.g., SPS Commerce), scanning/WMS, label printing, tax, payroll (e.g., Gusto), and route/TMS.
For distribution and DSD (direct store delivery), design flows for DEX, vendor‑managed inventory, and route optimization—keeping best‑of‑breed tools that already work.
Results you get
Upgrade‑proof plumbing and less brittle custom code.
In a grocery DSD setting, we planned around SPS EDI, DEX, scanning, digital pick tickets, and route optimization—and addressed CRM/pricing complexity without throwing away tools that already worked (e.g., QuickBooks for GL, payroll in Gusto). We also set expectations on scope, licensing models, and realistic implementation budgets, and explained why standard, supported integrations beat roll‑your‑own when your ERP upgrades twice a year.
Data Migration & Analytics
Actions we take
Cleanse/deduplicate item, customer, vendor, and BOM data; plan and rehearse cutovers.
Stand up Power BI and operational dashboards that actually drive daily decisions.
Results you get
Faster, cleaner cutovers and usable KPIs on day one. (In our timesheets you’ll see recurring entries for item/customer master cleanup and dashboard builds—this shows up consistently in our workload.)
Testing, Training, Go‑Live & Hypercare
Actions we take
Design UAT around business scenarios; build cutover runbooks; train super‑users and end users.
Provide hands‑on hypercare until tickets stabilize.
Results you get
Confidence at go‑live and a clean landing—not a panic sprint.
The time entries show sustained testing/UAT (117 mentions) and cutover/hypercare activity across engagements; we don’t disappear when the ribbon is cut.
Vendor Management & Negotiation
Actions we take
Translate business needs into specifics a vendor can’t dodge; escalate when delivery falls short.
Negotiate initial contracts and renewals to protect economics and the spirit of the deal.
Results you get
Better terms up front and leverage later. (Anonymized manufacturing example: we advised on the initial five‑year contract and re‑engaged at renewal when the vendor’s stance shifted, protecting the original value.)
Rescue & Remediation (Assessments)
Actions we take
Run fast assessments (often ~3 weeks) to compare the contract/SOW vs. what’s live, isolate configuration gaps vs. licensing gaps, and prioritize fixes.
If needed, confront the software vendor and the implementation partner—with the client’s facts in hand.
Recommend smart extensions (ISVs) before custom code; when customization is necessary, architect it to survive upgrades.
Results you get
Clarity, a credible plan, and a path to value without ripping and replacing. (An anonymized contract‑manufacturer scenario: our remit included “contract vs. actual” review, fit‑gap on a few critical features, EDI defects triage, and partner accountability—while keeping the team focused and non‑defensive during interviews.)
How we run a selection
A typical plan runs from Requirements → RFP → Vendor Responses → Short List → Demos → Decision → Contract Negotiations → Project Kick‑off, with clear milestones and a sample 4‑month calendar you can lift and use. This isn’t theory—we run this cadence repeatedly.
Industries we equip
Manufacturing (discrete, configure‑to‑order, multi‑operation flows)
Distribution & Wholesale (including DSD, route & pricing complexity)
Life Sciences (radio‑pharma, biologics, medical manufacturing)
We stay vendor‑agnostic and maintain working relationships across the ERP market (dozens of platforms and partners), but our only incentive is your outcome.
Proof in practice
Project‑based manufacturer onboarding ERP for the first time
Actions: selection leadership, partner change‑out, order‑to‑cash process map.
Results: spreadsheets replaced in finance, order process documented and scalable, leadership positioned for growth without linear headcount adds.
Custom flooring manufacturer with thousands of order configurations
Actions: sprinted a two‑month selection focused on complex order entry; negotiated a 5‑year commercial agreement; re‑engaged at renewal to defend the original deal’s economics.
Results: stronger order accuracy and internal communication, expanded stocked inventory, second warehouse stood up—within the chosen platform.
Grocery DSD distributor modernizing stack
Actions: requirements, RFP, demo scripts; architecture around SPS EDI, DEX, scanning/WMS, route optimization; pragmatic guidance on licensing, budget range, and upgrade‑safe integrations.
Results: a realistic plan that scales without throwing away the tools already working (e.g., QuickBooks GL, Gusto payroll).
Complex contract manufacturer mid‑implementation
Actions: three‑week assessment; contract‑vs‑actual review; vendor/partner escalation; triage for EDI issues; recommendations for bolt‑ons vs. custom.
Results: a prioritized remediation plan and an accountable vendor posture—without hitting pause on operations.
Why teams hire us (and keep us)
We do the heavy lifting (requirements, RFPs, demos, contracts, PM) so your experts stay on the business.
We speak business and IT, translate between them, and are comfortable pushing billion‑dollar vendors on your behalf.
We’re not resellers. We don’t take referral fees. Our only bias is toward fit, cost, and risk for your specific situation. (Our selection overview summarizes this stance and our experience across life sciences, manufacturing, and distribution.)
The short version of our services, explained
Services we provide - ERP software selection; requirements gathering; RFP management; demo scripting; apples‑to‑apples vendor scoring; contract & SOW negotiation; client‑side project management; vendor/partner management & escalation; process mapping & fit‑gap; testing/UAT; data migration & cutover; go‑live & hypercare; analytics/KPI dashboards; integration architecture (EDI/SPS, DEX, scanning/WMS, TMS/route, tax, payroll, label printing); health‑checks & rescue projects; renewal negotiations (we’re vendor‑agnostic and work across NetSuite, Epicor, Acumatica, Microsoft Dynamics, and others).
What clients get - Faster, clearer vendor decisions; better contracts; documented processes; upgrade‑safe integrations; predictable go‑lives; and measurable operational gains (accuracy, throughput, inventory breadth, communication)—all reflected in the real project outcomes above.
If you want the same clarity on your ERP that this post lays out, I’m happy to pressure‑test your plan or run a vendor‑neutral selection. I can share sample RFPs, demo scripts, vendor scorecards, contract/SOW guardrails, and a cutover/hypercare checklist—no heavy pitch, just practical artifacts and clear next steps. Hopefully you have come away from this with our services explained.
