Is there one software solution that can transform your business? If you’re like most businesses, you’re looking for that magic solution that increases productivity.
About 85% of employees spend two to three hours each week looking for information. Lack of communication is another issue that hampers productivity.
Software can indeed help, but you have to choose the right software solution to fit your business needs. Plus, the tool is only as useful as the people using it. You need to have buy-in for it to work.
These potential pitfalls are costly, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try a new software solution. Keep reading to find out what software makes the biggest difference in your business and how to implement it.
An Introduction to ERP
If there’s one software solution that has a major impact on businesses, it’s ERP. ERP is Enterprise Resource Planning.
It helps businesses manage the sheer amount of data and reports that are within businesses. Teams of people tend to work in silos.
What often happens is that each team makes decisions based on what’s going on in its silo. This is what leads to inefficiency because teams get new information and then have to fix bad decisions.
ERP solutions store everything in one place. HR suddenly knows what accounting is doing, marketing and sales can finally work together.
ERPs allow you to manage supply chains as well. This is a huge reason why manufacturers trust ERPs from SAP and Kinetic.
What if your business isn’t an enterprise-level business? Can small businesses benefit from ERP?
Absolutely. ERP isn’t just for enterprises. Small ecommerce businesses benefit from vendor and inventory management.
ERP is also affordable for small businesses. You no longer have to invest thousands of dollars upfront for an ERP software solution.
There are cloud-based ERP solutions that are on a subscription. You pay a monthly fee according to the features and number of users.
It can be as low as $50 a month, depending on the solutions you choose.
How to Choose an ERP Software Solution
There are plenty of ERP solutions on the market. You need to be sure that you choose the right software solution that fits your needs.
Start by understanding what your business needs are. Some software solutions have many features that are useful but you might not need them.
You could work with a software consultant to start with. They’ll know which ERP solutions fit your business the best.
Budget
Budget is something else to keep in mind. ERP is more affordable for small businesses, but you want to make sure you know how much you can spend on the software.
When you look at the budget, you should also weigh the potential cost savings. You should see a reduction in operating expenses and IT costs. These cost savings could pay for the solution.
Integration or Migration
You have a decision to make with ERP. Do you migrate all of your data to ERP or do you connect your current systems to ERP?
You might find that it’s easier to integrate so your employees don’t have a huge learning curve. A full migration takes advantage of the features of ERP.
Automation and Messaging Features
ERP is supposed to make your business easier. How many times do send emails to customers to give them order updates? How would you like to automate those messages?
There are ERP solutions that allow you to automate emails to customers at certain points in the post-sale process.
You can send emails when an order gets received, when it ships, and when it’s delivered.
If you need to reach team members right away, look for an ERP solution that has
Other Software Solutions to Consider
If your business isn’t in manufacturing, or you don’t need to manage supply chains, you might not think that ERP is the right fit for your business.
The thing to remember is that ERP offers human resources data, CRM, workflow, and financial data.
These are critical components of your business that should be accessible in one platform. You can just rely on your CRM for customer relationship data if that’s all your business needs.
Ideally, your CRM will integrate with your financial management software. You could get by on these two solutions as an ERP alternative.
Software Implementation Process
ERP implementation is a complex process. You should get outside help from a software consultant to help you create and implement a deployment strategy.
As you select an ERP consulting company, you want to make sure that you ask the right questions before hiring them. This site has a list of questions to ask, and you can check it out here.
You’ll need to create a deployment strategy. You’ll create a timeline that includes preparing for the launch, installing the software, migrating or integrating, and testing.
At the end of the installation, you will have to train your employees on how to use ERP. It’s a huge adjustment for them, and you have to make sure they have the support that they need.
Otherwise, they won’t take advantage of the systems. Your business won’t see the cost savings.
Choose the Best Software Solution for Higher Productivity
Productivity is the biggest obstacle that holds a company back from reaching its goals. Software can help, but you have to have the right software solution to make a difference.
ERP is the software solution that makes the biggest difference in your business. All of your most important documents and data are in one place.
Communication is much better because your teams are working with the same data to make decisions. With this software solution, your business has the best chance to reach its potential.
For more business and tech insights, be sure to check out the other articles on this site today!
