Big 5 Firms vs Smaller Firms: What’s better for your JD Edwards Project?

You’re embarking on a JD Edwards (JDE) project and you’re faced with a critical decision: Who will you bring in as your consulting firm? You need someone you can trust, who understands your needs and financial requirements, and what kind of results you expect.

You could go with a Big 5 consulting firm, known for their standardized procedures, or a smaller firm offering tailored solutions. Each choice has its merits and challenges, and your decision will have a significant impact on your project’s success.

At ERP Suites, though we’re a smaller firm, we are indeed mighty. We have over 500 years of collective team experience, meaning we’ve seen just about every JDE scenario out there. We help our customers succeed thanks to specialized attention and action plans. Whether or not you choose us for your JDE project, these are traits you want in a partner.

In this article, we’ll compare Big 5 firms and smaller firms in three main project execution categories:

• Expertise
• Project Management
• Cost

What Role Do Consulting Firms Play in JD Edwards Projects?

A consulting firm has expertise in a specific industry or several industries. They provide expert advice, solutions, and strategies to businesses and organizations. Within the JD Edwards context, there are two primary engagement models:

• Advisory: Providing recommendations and guidance without direct implementation
  If you want to bring new technologies like AI into your business practices, but want to handle the execution, an advisory team can help. 
• Implementation: The above as well as actively managing or executing projects
  If you’re looking at an upgrade for your existing JD Edwards system, or bringing a new acquisition on board JDE, you’d want an implementation team to handle it.

What Are Big 5 Firms?  

You may have heard of Big 4 or Big 5 firms. These are consulting industry giants, legacy firms with extensive resources and global reach. Deloitte, Accenture, PwC, KPMG, and EY are usually referenced under the Big 5 umbrella.

What Are Smaller Firms?

Smaller firms, by contrast, are leaner and often specialize in specific areas. Examples include ERP Suites, Denovo, Circular Edge, and Syntax. They’re known for their personalized approaches and adaptability, which can make them a better fit for companies with unique needs. You may want to choose a smaller firm that can directly target your specific ERP and circumstances.

What JD Edwards Expertise Do Big 5 Firms Offer vs. Smaller Firms?

Just like with any partner you bring on board for a JD Edwards project, you want a team of experts helping you make the best decisions for your business.

Big 5 Firms

Deloitte, PwC and EY, in particular, are known for their extensive expertise across multiple industries. Their consultants have a wealth of experience when it comes to complex ERP integrations, and a deep knowledge of JD Edwards.

By virtue of being so large, these firms have access to enterprise-wide resources. If you’re working on a large-scale, even global project that needs diverse technical and business skills, big firms can satisfy these requirements.

Smaller Firms

Smaller firms often specialize exclusively in one field. If you select a small firm that specializes in JD Edwards and JD Edwards projects, you’ll also get a team of consultants with a deep product knowledge.

These experts often have concentrations within specific industries. You could have a team with a JD Edwards manufacturing expert, or a JD Edwards security expert.

How Flexible Are Big 5 Firms vs. Smaller Firms on JD Edwards Project Management and Execution?

You know how you want your JD Edwards project to shake out. Picking a partner with the right approach can make all the difference.

Big 5 Firms

Big 5 firms follow prescriptive methodologies. These ensure consistency and reliability, project after project, across the board. While these processes are proven, they can feel inflexible.

Let’s take adapting to unexpected changes, for example. If a process is set in stone, quick pivots are tough. However, agility is often needed when undergoing JD Edwards projects, because circumstances can change. Maybe there’s a customer hiccup or timeline change. If the process doesn’t have some wiggle room for improvisation, you’ll experience some delays.

Additionally, if your company has specific workflows or unique requirements, adapting a Big 5 approach might be difficult. Their focus on standardization can sometimes clash with your business’s unique needs.

Conversely, many companies appreciate having boundaries and known parameters. These can lighten the mental load. Larger firms have access that smaller firms don’t to a wealth of resources for getting your project across the finish line.

Smaller Firms

Smaller firms, on the other hand, excel at customization. They work closely with clients to tailor their approach, ensuring it aligns with your goals and internal processes. Customers that select smaller firms often prioritize flexibility and collaboration.

Let’s say you’re ready to start your JD Edwards project. You prefer a phased rollout for a JDE project, so that no one component becomes too important or overtaxed.

Take a cloud migration, for example. A Big 5 firm might push for a "big bang" approach, in keeping with their broad-sweeping project approach. But a project like this could entail more than just migrating to the cloud – if you’re not on the appropriately compatible JDE Tools Release, you might need a bundled approach.

Having a partner who can expertly execute a multi-phase project without sacrificing detailed attention is invaluable.

What Does the Cost Structure for a JD Edwards Project Look Like with a Big 5 Firm vs. Smaller Firms?

Determining how much you want to spend on your JDE project consists of a variety of factors. From budget to resources to labor, whether you go big or small, every penny counts.

Big 5 Firms

With their global infrastructure and large teams, Big 5 firms often come with premium price tags. Their fees cover not just the consultants on your project, but also the overhead of running a massive organization. This can add up quickly.

Big 5 firms frequently use offshore teams to manage costs. While this saves money, it also introduces challenges like time zone differences, communication barriers, and varying levels of expertise. These factors complicate project management and impact timelines.

Let’s say you’re a machinery parts supplier. You need to do some upgrade work on your JD Edwards applications side. You’ve been burned in the past by a sketchy third-party firm, so you want to avoid that mistake. You know that hiring a Big 5 firm means working in established project management processes.

This saves you money in the long run, because you wouldn’t need to pay anyone to undo mistakes. Plus, if anything goes wrong, the Big 5 firm has earned good credit based on their brand reputation, so you’re likely to give them the benefit of the doubt if something were to go wrong.

Smaller Firms: Cost-Effective Solutions

Smaller firms operate with lower overhead, allowing them to offer competitive pricing. They focus on delivering value without unnecessary frills, making them a more budget-friendly option for many businesses. Their leaner teams can often complete projects more efficiently, saving both time and money.

Smaller firms may also use offshoring or nearshoring but tend to do so on a smaller scale. This often results in better team integration and fewer communication issues.

Let’s say you’re considering a technical upgrade, but the financial and time cost is giving you pause. Depending on where you are in your releases and updates, you might have a large chore ahead of you. A smaller firm can provide a more personal touch. That kind of finesse can soothe worries and justify costs.   

Making the Right Choice: Big 5 vs. Smaller Firms

When choosing between a Big 5 firm and a smaller firm for your JD Edwards project, consider your priorities.

If you value global resources, brand reputation, and standardized processes, a Big 5 firm might be the right fit.

However, if you’re looking for flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and a tailored approach, a smaller firm could be the better choice.

Don’t just take our word for it. Read about how our team’s expertise and nimble approach recently made cloud migration and JD Edwards upgrade a success for a construction customer.