Your preparation checklist for the itSHOWCASE

The itSHOWCASE is a focused Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP) discovery event that connects buyers with leading software vendors, supported by expert, independent advice for organisations actively exploring new ERP systems. It brings together finance, IT and operations professionals, alongside senior decision-makers such as CEOs, all seeking to understand what “right fit” really means for their business. As a solution-agnostic advisor, our role at the itSHOWCASE is to help delegates cut through the noise, clarify requirements and objectively evaluate ERP options. 

In this blog, we’ll explore how to get real value from attending the itSHOWCASE – from preparing before you arrive, to asking the right questions, to leaving with clarity rather than confusion. And even if you’re not attending the event, the principles shared here apply to anyone using conferences, showcases or supplier meetings as part of their wider ERP research and selection process. 

To truly unlock the value of the itSHOWCASE, your goal should be to leave your local event with insight, context and an actionable direction – not just a stack of pretty leaflets designed by marketing teams. Here’s how forward-thinking businesses and their teams make the most of the itSHOWCASE events. 

Step 1: Prepare for attending 

Attending your local itSHOWCASE can be a pivotal moment in your ERP decision-making journey – but only if you approach it with intent. Whether you’re exploring ERP for the first time or reassessing systems to support growth, the event should be more than a box-ticking exercise. Too often, teams leave with a bag of brochures and no clear direction, only to fall back on familiar systems because they didn’t get the answers they needed. 

That’s why, before booking your ticket, we’d advise that you pause and define your business challenges and aspirations. 

Are you struggling with manual reporting? Do you need better visibility into operations? Are growth pains exposing limitations in your current finance systems? These are common triggers for organisations considering a new ERP – and they’re some of the most frequent topics of question that people ask our consultants across the country at itSHOWCASE events. 

Sometimes it starts with a vague sense that “we need a new system”, rather than a structured list of requirements. To move beyond this, take time to articulate: 

• What’s not working across your systems currently? 

• What outcomes do you want to achieve in the next 12-36 months? 

• Where are your bottlenecks? 

• What do you want most out of a new business system? 

The right level of preparation will make every conversation you have at the itSHOWCASE sharper and more productive.  

Step 2: Map out your requirements 

One of the biggest challenges in ERP selection is deciding where to start – and how to decide between ERP options such as Sage 200, Sage Intacct, or SAP Business One. The event delegates that get the most out of the itSHOWCASE don’t rely on regular first impressions of an ERP provider; they use a structured approach that ensures decisions are repeatable and justified. 

For the delegates that we speak with, we often introduce them to our Amplify™ Framework to help – a guide designed to help you find the right technology for your growth. 

Our Amplify Framework is designed to help you unlock your potential. Developed over more than 30 years of working with SMEs, the framework guides you in three core ways: 

• We connect – we listen to understand your business context, pain points and key stakeholders. 

• We collaborate – we work together to map requirements against business outcomes. 

• We amplify – we deliver a solution that not only fits today but scales with your future goals. 

This isn’t a marketing slogan – it’s a methodology that drives deeper understanding before you commit to software or a partner. It’s this thorough, consultative and bespoke approach that makes us such a popular choice when it comes to selecting a business solutions provider.  

When you start to apply this framework at an itSHOWCASE, you maximise the value of every interaction. For example: 

• You don’t walk away thinking “Sage looks nicer than QuickBooks”. 

• But you do walk away knowing, “Based on our business objectives and defined features list, this solution aligns structurally with our growth plan.” 

It creates a conversation rooted in the strategy that you’ve mapped out earlier in the buying process. 

Step 3: maximise discussions with the experts 

itSHOWCASE is designed around focused conversations, not brochures. To avoid coming away with more paper than your local library, and no direction on where to start, you’ll need to play to the event’s format.  

This starts once you’ve registered, where you are matched with suppliers and allocated one-to-one discovery meetings with a vendor. 

This structure is gold if you use it right. Treat these meetings as mini-consulting sessions. Your objective isn’t to gather info on shiny features, it’s to validate your needs and understand potential paths forward – obtaining the right prescription to address issues with your current setup.  

You’ll need to take the planning that you’ve already done prior to registering and use it to develop some key questions that allow you to arrive at the desired answer that you’re looking for. If you’re unsure on where to start with these questions to develop your fact find, we sat down with our consultants to find out what the most common questions asked at the showcase were, and how the answers provided start to shape their decision-making. Even just the shortest tweaks to your questioning can make a huge difference.  

Instead of asking: 

“Does this system do X?” 

Try: 

“Given our goals and pains, what would be the most impactful next step – and why?” 

This shifts the discussion from transactional to strategic. If for whatever reason you’ve missed out on one of these discovery meetings at an event that’s been and gone, our expert team at Thinc run the sessions in the form of a ‘diagnosis session’, where we get to know your business and its unique challenges – before presenting an ERP solution that’s right for you.  

We carry out diagnosis sessions on the days of the event, and are more than happy to carry them out in the days that follow – we take great pride in suggesting a solution that’s tailor made to your requirements. 

Step 4: lean on real ERP selection insights 

During itSHOWCASE conversations, you’ll uncover common questions – and challenges – that many growing businesses face. From our daily work with SMEs, these include: 

• “We know we need a new system, but we don’t really know what we need.” Early-stage uncertainty is normal, so take time to define business goals and pain points before evaluating the solutions out there. 

• “Our reporting is awful and we waste time exporting to spreadsheets.” A new ERP should resolve these inefficiencies, not just automate them. 

• “How long will implementation take?” The answer varies, but planning with internal teams and your prospective vendor sets realistic expectations –typically three to six months, with solutions such as Sage Intacct being as little as 12-14 weeks with a ‘Fast Start’ implementation. 

• “Should we roll out in phases or all at once?” The right approach depends on organisational complexity and risk appetite. 

• “How do we choose the right partner?” This is as pivotal as choosing the system. A partner should help you define needs, not just sell software. 

These questions are not edge cases – they are the core of what makes ERP decision making complex. By engaging with these topics proactively at itSHOWCASE, you advance from listening to evaluating, and we can help you to make that shift. 

Step 5: Planning for after the event 

Great interaction at itSHOWCASE is just the beginning. The real value is in turning this new insight into action. 

Before the day is over, do the following while it’s all fresh in your mind: 

• Summarise key takeaways from each conversation 

• Map those back to your business goals 

• Prioritise actions with clear ownership and timelines 

If you leave with clarity on next steps rather than a bag full of brochures, you’ve got what you needed to out of your attendance. 

Final thoughts: quality conversations are better than quantity of content 

A final reminder – itSHOWCASE isn’t about collecting a bag full of handouts, it’s an opportunity to accelerate clarity, refine requirements and validate your ERP path moving forward. With smart preparation based around frequently asked questions at the showcase and an intentional mindset, you can turn a busy event day into a strategic milestone for your business.  

If you wish to learn more about where to start with using itSHOWCASE to embark on your ERP project, or for support with your ERP project in general, speak with our experts today.