Dynamics Communities Biz Apps Partner Podcast

Biz Apps Partner Podcast: ERP Advisors' Paul Sanders on Being 'Customer Zero,' Staying Ahead of AI Innovation

Episode Summary

In this episode of the Biz Apps Partner Podcast, Joe Corigliano is joined by Paul Sanders, Microsoft Practice Lead, ERP Advisors. The two discuss the company's goals while attending the Biz Apps Partner Executive Summit, and how the company stays ahead of AI innovation by being their own "customer zero."

Episode Notes

• Expectations: Sanders explains that ERP Advisors is attending the Biz Apps Partner Executive Summit to deeply understand Microsoft’s FY26 priorities, including strategic focus areas and go-to-market approaches. The goal is to align and, if needed, adapt their operating model and tools to maximize customer value in partnership with Microsoft.
• Collaborating with Microsoft: ERP Advisors has grown organically and recently established global practices spanning Australia, the US, and Western Europe, with a focus on project-based service industries. Sanders notes that the company aims to collaborate with Microsoft and industry peers to share insights, refine operating models, and explore how AE is transforming customer value delivery, leveraging the presence of engineering, product, sales, and partner teams at the event.
• Use of AI: To stay ahead of innovation, ERP Advisors treats itself as “customer zero,” embedding AI agents across all teams — from sales to delivery — to work alongside humans, driving innovation and operational improvements while scaling globally through a dedicated AE and innovation division led by a CTO.
• Agent opportunities: There are clear opportunities to deploy AI agents in areas like Accounts Payable and account reconciliation to handle routine tasks, generate reports, and manage exceptions. Human oversight remains essential for reviewing outputs and addressing agent-generated queries, ensuring accountability while improving operational efficiency.
• The team is focused on supporting project-based service companies by deploying Project Operations—either standalone or integrated with Finance and Supply Chain Management (FCM/FSM) for larger organizations. They're eager to see how Project Operations evolves, especially its integration with finance platforms and the adoption of Copilot and AI capabilities, anticipating strong opportunities for customers as the platform expands.