Don't let vendors run projects

Eric Kimberling’s warning to companies buying big software is simple: do not let the vendor run the project. (youtube.com) In a recent short video, Kimberling said companies should keep “ownership” of technology implementations, put an internal project management office in place, and make sure someone inside the business represents the buyer’s interests. (youtube.com) Kimberling is the chief executive of Third Stage Consulting, a firm that describes itself as an independent, technology-agnostic adviser on enterprise resource planning and digital transformation projects. His firm says he has worked in the field for more than 20 years. (thirdstage-consulting.com) The point lands in a market where software vendors and systems integrators often sell the software, help choose the design, and then manage the rollout. Kimberling has argued in multiple videos and posts that this setup can push projects toward vendor priorities instead of business outcomes. (youtube.com) (thirdstage-consulting.com) A project management office is the team that sets deadlines, tracks risks, and decides who is accountable when work slips. Kimberling’s advice is that this function should answer to the customer, not to the company selling the software or consulting hours. (youtube.com) He has tied that argument to a broader critique of “vendor bias,” his term for decisions shaped by sales incentives, partner relationships, or narrow product expertise. In a December 4, 2025 blog post, he wrote that too many projects are steered by “hidden incentives” and viewpoints that put vendors first. (thirdstage-consulting.com) Kimberling’s audience is companies making large enterprise software bets, including enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, and human capital management systems. Those projects often touch finance, supply chain, human resources, and operations at the same time. (youtube.com) (thirdstage-consulting.com) The counterargument is that vendors and systems integrators bring product knowledge that in-house teams may not have, especially when a company is replacing old software for the first time in a decade. Kimberling’s position is not to exclude them, but to manage them closely and keep decision rights inside the company. (youtube.com 1) (youtube.com 2) His closing message is less anti-vendor than anti-dependence: use outside experts, but do not hand them the steering wheel. (youtube.com)