Many companies that have attempted to implement some sort of enterprise management system so as to unite many of the processes that make their businesses processes run more smoothly are disappointed by the results. These companies simply do not feel that the system has lived to their expectations. New studies, however, now indicate that the matter isn't that the enterprise system was a failure, but that these sorts of systems require longer and follow-through than managers may have envisioned so as to achieve success. There are several sorts of business management systems currently used: ERP software and CRM software. An ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system focuses on automating key parts of the business process, and is comprehensive, while CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tools are a mixture of applications that assist businesses with serving their customers more efficiently. Despite all the reports to the contrary, both types can deliver significant benefits to companies that use them which are willing to plan carefully to form them work.

In addition to careful planning, businesses should also realize that unfair expectations about what their enterprise management system will do for them can sabotage their success. A 2003 poll found that but half the businesses that implemented one among these systems achieved the bulk of the advantages that had anticipated and slightly below 40% only received half their expected benefits. These numbers suggest that managers and owners expect an excessive amount of from the system, especially since many of the foremost common problems with enterprise management systems relates more to business practices and staff resistance than it does to the system itself.