Deacom, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution developer, announced yesterday that its client Synalloy has decided to expand its Deacom ERP system to another division. Being a holding company, Synalloy operates five separate business units mainly related to the production of steel, alloys metal, plastic pipes manufacturing, and some specific chemical solutions. One of the business divisions has been a client of Deacom for years, and I would guess that the division has a great deal of experience both with the software and with the vendor.

So when Synalloy recently acquired a new company (it’s not named in Deacom’s press release, but all indications point to tank and vessel manufacturer Palmer of Texas), the issue of implementing a new ERP software was raised. The company decided to expand the familiar, existing solution.

This fact obviously speaks well of Deacom. All other things being equal, an established relationship with a software vendor and history of positive experience in dealing with a particular package make a big difference in the enterprise software selection process. Such factors are hard to quantify within any formal evaluation for comparison, but at the end of the day these can be crucial and determining criteria in making a final decision. The case of Synalloy and Deacom confirms it.