EXECUTIVE DISCOVERY PLAYBOOK Custom ERP Development | COOs – Manufacturing & Logistics ⸻ 1. THE STRATEGY Core Psychological Objective of the Discovery Call The primary objective is not to “gather requirements.” It is to reframe the COO’s operational reality from “complex but manageable” to “structurally constrained by systems misalignment.” For Manufacturing & Logistics COOs, ERP is rarely perceived as a technology problem—it is viewed as a necessary but risky transformation. Your role in discovery is to: • Establish operational credibility (peer-level, not vendor-level). • Surface economic and throughput leakage caused by system fragmentation. • Position custom ERP as a strategic control system, not an IT upgrade. • Anchor urgency to operational scalability, risk exposure, and decision latency. Desired outcome of discovery: The COO should conclude on their own that maintaining the current ERP landscape is riskier than changing it. ⸻ 2. DISCOVERY PHASES PHASE 1: OPENING – Executive Framing Elite Questions 1. “From your perspective, where does operational complexity most limit your ability to scale today?” 2. “Which parts of the operation currently demand the most manual intervention from leadership?” 3. “If you stepped away for 30 days, which processes would concern you the most?” 4. “What prompted you to explore ERP change now, as opposed to next year?” 5. “How do you personally define success for a transformation of this magnitude?” Hidden Intent • Establish executive relevance (not IT-level engagement). • Identify Champion potential (MEDDIC – C). • Test whether this initiative is reactive or strategic. • Anchor the conversation in operational risk and leadership exposure. ⸻ PHASE 2: CURRENT SITUATION – Operational Reality Mapping Elite Questions 1. “How many core systems currently influence production planning, inventory, and fulfillment?” 2. “Where do handoffs between systems slow decisions or introduce uncertainty?” 3. “What data do you not fully trust during peak operational pressure?” 4. “How often are workarounds required to meet customer or regulatory commitments?” 5. “Which operational KPIs require reconciliation across multiple sources?” Hidden Intent • Map system fragmentation without criticizing existing solutions. • Identify integration debt and data latency. • Surface Metrics used by leadership (MEDDIC – M). • Quantify decision friction at scale. ⸻ PHASE 3: PAIN POINTS – Economic & Strategic Impact Elite Questions 1. “What is the operational cost of delays caused by system misalignment?” 2. “Where does lack of real-time visibility impact customer commitments or margins?” 3. “Which processes break first during volume spikes or disruptions?” 4. “How much executive time is spent arbitrating between conflicting data?” 5. “If these issues persist for 24 months, what becomes strategically constrained?” Hidden Intent • Translate operational pain into economic impact. • Tie ERP limitations to margin erosion, throughput loss, and risk exposure. • Build Implication strength (MEDDIC – I). • Create a status quo cost narrative. ⸻ PHASE 4: DECISION PROCESS – Power & Influence Mapping Elite Questions 1. “Who ultimately owns the success or failure of this initiative?” 2. “Which functions will resist change most strongly—and why?” 3. “What criteria will define whether this is seen as a success by the board?” 4. “Have previous ERP initiatives failed or stalled here?” 5. “How do major capital decisions typically get approved?” Hidden Intent • Identify Economic Buyer (MEDDIC – E). • Understand political friction and organizational inertia. • Uncover historical scars from past ERP failures. • Gauge deal complexity and timeline risk. ⸻ PHASE 5: BUDGET & URGENCY – Commitment Testing Elite Questions 1. “What operational risks are you willing to tolerate if this is delayed?” 2. “How does this initiative compete against other capital priorities?” 3. “What is the cost of inaction over the next 12–18 months?” 4. “Is budget availability tied to fiscal cycles or operational milestones?” 5. “What event would force this decision to happen immediately?” Hidden Intent • Qualify Budget reality (MEDDIC – B). • Test Urgency vs. curiosity. • Identify trigger events. • Separate exploration from active transformation intent. ⸻ 3. RISK ASSESSMENT – INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC RED FLAGS 1. “IT-led, Operations-impacted” Ownership → High risk of misaligned priorities and delayed value realization. 2. No Clear Economic Owner → ERP becomes a cost center, not a strategic investment. 3. Over-Reliance on Off-the-Shelf Customization Promises → Signals underestimation of operational uniqueness and scale. ⸻ 4. OBJECTION DEFENSE – EXECUTIVE-LEVEL SCRIPTS Objection: “We’re just looking at options right now.” Response Script “That makes sense. At this stage, most organizations are not choosing a vendor—they’re validating whether the operational cost of doing nothing is still acceptable. What I’d propose is not a demo, but a focused session to quantify where your current systems constrain throughput and margin. If it doesn’t justify action, we stop there.” ⸻ Objection: “There’s no budget allocated right now.” Response Script “Understood. In our experience, budget typically follows clarity—not the other way around. The question we should answer first is whether the cost of inaction exceeds the investment required. If it doesn’t, then delaying is the right decision.” ⸻ 5. THE CLOSER – Securing the Next Step “Based on what you’ve shared, the next logical step is a structured operational deep-dive focused on your production, inventory, and fulfillment flows. The goal would be to identify where a custom ERP would materially improve control, speed, and margin—without committing to a full project. Would it make sense to schedule that with you and the key operational stakeholders?” ⸻ 6. FOLLOW-UP – EXECUTIVE THANK-YOU EMAIL Subject: Aligning ERP Strategy with Operational Control Email Body: Dear [Name], Thank you for the open and strategic discussion today. I appreciate your transparency around the operational challenges tied to system fragmentation, decision latency, and scalability risk. As discussed, the opportunity is not merely ERP replacement, but establishing a unified operational control layer that improves throughput, visibility, and executive confidence—particularly under peak load and disruption. The next step will be a focused session to map critical workflows and quantify the economic impact of current constraints. This will allow you to assess whether a custom ERP approach is strategically justified. I look forward to continuing the conversation. Best regards, [Your Name] Senior ERP Strategy Advisor