The other day, I was flipping through the movie channels on TV when I stumbled across the American “Godzilla” remake from 1998. Now, I remembered the movie being pretty bad, but watching it again the other night I was transfixed by what a terrible film it actually is. Maybe the Japanese franchise worked because it didn’t take itself too seriously (that and the fact that the atomic bomb metaphor felt more culturally appropriate). The American version, though, was so dramatic and deadpan that I couldn’t help but feel that it was meant to be a comedy. I just had to keep watching it.
This got me thinking. As terrible as the film was, I would much rather spend an afternoon watching a radioactive lizard scorch the earth and destroy humanity than have to spend another day evaluating B2B gateway software. Here are four reasons why:
1. The “Godzilla” Movie Actually Has an Ending, Whereas Dealing With B2B Gateway Providers Doesn’t
Amid all of the absurd special effects and poor acting, there’s a small glimmer of hope: The film eventually ends. That might be a somewhat depressing silver lining, but it’s true. On the other hand, B2B gateway software evaluations seem to stretch on forever. You have to talk to dozens of vendors, watch product demos and make sure you’re aligned with your business colleagues all before coming to a final decision. It takes a notorious amount of time. At least with Godzilla, you get to see the final credits roll after a few hours of suffering.
2. Watching “Godzilla” Isn’t Nearly As Terrifying As Performing Back-End Integration
I would bet the survival of the Big Apple that my EDI Analyst would rather watch Godzilla on repeat than build another B2B data exchange. In order to integrate back-end systems to enable B2B data exchange between partners, my EDI analyst is going to need to change the format of all the information and recreate all the data maps. This remapping processing is a nightmare that far outweighs the destruction of cities by a fire-breathing reptile.
3. Godzilla Probably Cost Less To Make Than The Total Cost Of Ownership Of B2B Gateway Software
Godzilla’s production quality is so low that it should probably be a crime to charge anyone to watch it. But I’d probably spend less if I went and produced this Hollywood movie, with its low-quality CGI, than if I bought and implemented extraordinarily expensive B2B gateway software. Since B2B gateway software is a niche product, it costs an outrageous amount of money to install, integrate and operate. On top of this, vendors typically customize and create specific modifications for each client, which makes the software proprietary and the costs unbearably high.
4. At Least Godzilla Owns Up To Being A Monster, Whereas B2B Gateway Providers Disguise Their True Nature
Before Godzilla is even within missile range of Manhattan, there’s no question of his intent. He’s pretty clear about his desire to stomp on buildings and then mercilessly avenge the murder of his hatched eggs in Madison Square Garden. On the other hand, B2B Gateway providers have a tendency to exaggerate their claims and majorly undersell their integration timetables. High-quality professional service on the front-end somehow ends up turning into blown completion deadlines and skyrocketing expenses on the back-end. And then you don’t get much for what you pay, because all the custom coding required is understandable only by the person who custom-coded it. At least with Godzilla, what you see is what you get.
Should I be ashamed at admitting that I watched the whole movie? Maybe so, but it was more the experience of not being able to help watching a terrible accident unfold — you don’t want to watch it, but you just can’t seem to look away. This should tell you something about the experience of choosing and using B2B Gateway Software. It’s so bad, that it makes me want to shoot radioactive laser beams out of my eyes and scorch people with my fiery atomic breath.
To learn more, check out these articles:
How To Perform An EDI Integration With SAP In 2 Steps
Everything Is Going Fine With EDI Mapping And Then Along Comes Walmart