They start with the ugly patterns Fluent sees again and again:

• Tool‑first, business‑second decisions. Leaders get dazzled by a demo or a peer recommendation, then build a thin requirements list around features instead of how the business really works.
• Letting vendors run the process. The only people mapping your future are also the ones paid to sell licenses or hours, so “neutral judgment” is rarely on the table.
• No real blueprint. Teams jump straight into configuration and customization without process models, data models, or architecture. The result? Cost overruns, awkward workarounds, and what Fluent calls “speeding up the mess” or “paving the cow path.”
• Fragile environments. Leaders underestimate all the integrations and edge cases quietly holding the current world together—and a new ERP or portal knocks them sideways.

Jeremy and Greg share real‑world stories, including a CRM implementation where the vendor “customized” it like the last ten clients, only to discover the sales team barely used it because it didn’t match how they actually sell.

Then they flip the script and describe a healthier way to choose systems:

• Start with an independent assessment of people, processes, and systems—done by someone who isn’t financially tied to a specific logo.
• Build a prioritized roadmap that clarifies what needs to change, in what order, and why.
• Translate that into clear, outcome‑based requirements, not a “top ten features” wish list.
• For complex builds, run a Design Studio: mapping workflows, user journeys, data models, and architecture so the blueprint drives vendor selection and implementation.

That independence is intentional. Fluent doesn’t resell software or take vendor commissions, which means they’re just as likely to recommend fixing three critical processes now as they are to replace an entire system.

The episode also arms CEOs, CIOs, and operations leaders with practical questions to ask:

• What other options did you consider for our use case?
• What financial incentives do you receive if we choose this solution?
• How will this system handle our real‑world edge cases and integrations?
• What does your discovery and design phase actually look like?

And they name red flags in demos and RFPs—hand‑waving around integrations, vague timelines and risks, “decision by demo,” and one‑size‑fits‑all success stories with no concrete metrics.

If you’re staring down a big CRM, ERP, or portal decision this quarter, this conversation will help you hit pause on shiny features, separate vendor bias from real fit, and insist on a blueprint you’d be proud to explain on a single page to your board.