6 Ways ISVs Can Become the Obvious Fix for ERP Gaps

Customers don’t wake up thinking:

“I need an ISV!”

They wake up thinking:

• “Why is this approval taking so long?”

• “Why are we still using spreadsheets?”

• “Why is reporting so manual?”

• “Why can’t our ERP just do this?”

That frustration is the gap.
Your job is to position your solution as the most strategic, fastest, least painful way to close it.

Here’s how the top-performing ISVs in the ERP ecosystem do it.

1. Start by Naming the Gap Clearly

You can’t assume customers (or partners) know what the ERP can or can’t do.

Spell it out.

Example:

“Your ERP doesn't automate 2-way or 3-way match — that’s why AP is still manual.”

“Your ERP reports lack drill-down and real-time dashboards — that’s why you export to Excel.”

“Your ERP doesn't sync with Shopify — that’s why your orders are being retyped.”

Calling out the gap builds instant trust.

2. Show the Cost of Leaving the Gap Unfixed

The most persuasive ISVs show the ripple effect:

• Delays

• Errors

• Manual work

• Compliance risks

• Overpayments

• Lost revenue

• Employee burnout

The ERP gap isn’t just a missing feature.
It’s a business problem.

When you articulate this well, customers buy faster.

3. Highlight the Workaround They're Using Today

Every ERP gap has a workaround:

• Spreadsheets

• Email chains

• Manual approvals

• Silos

• Shadow systems

If you can describe a customer's workaround better than they can, they assume:

You must also know how to fix it.

This is how ISVs build authority instantly.

4. Show Why ISVs Are Better Than ERP Customizations

This is a critical positioning angle.

Customers often think:

“Can’t we just customize the ERP?”

Your message must reinforce:

❌ Customizations break during upgrades
❌ They cost more long-term
❌ They require IT resources
❌ They don’t scale
❌ They add risk
✔ ISVs are future-proof, supported solutions
✔ ISVs upgrade alongside the ERP
✔ ISVs integrate cleanly
✔ ISVs are built by experts

FAQ-style content works brilliantly here.

5. Use 15-Minute Demo Frameworks

The top-performing ISVs in your ecosystem use short, powerful demos that:

• Define the gap

• Show the before and after

• Show the integration

• Highlight 3–5 workflows

• Never go into settings or overload with features

Short demos convert because they focus on:

➡ The pain
➡ The relief
➡ The result

This is exactly why The ISV Society Demo Days work so well.

6. Make It Easy for Partners (VARs) to Position You

Partners want:

• One-sentence positioning

• A fast demo

• Clear customer fit

• A simple pricing explanation

Create partner-ready messaging like:

“We solve the AP automation gap in your ERP.”
“We fix the budgeting limitations.”
“We deliver reporting your ERP doesn’t natively support.”
“We automate what your ERP leaves manual.”

ISVs who make it easy for partners
→ get referred more
→ get invited to deals sooner
→ become the “default” category leader.

Final Takeaway for ISVs

You don’t win by talking about every feature.

You win by becoming: The clearest, smartest, simplest answer to the ERP gaps your customers already feel.

ISVs who position themselves around gaps will:

✔ Increase partner referrals
✔ Improve demo conversion
✔ Shorten their sales cycle
✔ Build lasting visibility in the ecosystem