All of the organizations we work with have one thing in common: they are looking for ways to impact and improve their business as quickly and effectively as possible. As our motto says, this can be accomplished through a combination of process improvement, optimization of people, and a transformation of technology. Concerning technology specifically, the implementation of a modern ERP can provide many benefits companies are looking for rapidly.
Here are 3 key impacts of a modernized ERP:
- Improved Planning and Reporting
- Improved Management
- Improved Customer Experience
Improved Planning and Reporting with an ERP
Planning and the use of data through reporting is key to the success of any organization, that’s not a secret. But the effectiveness of reporting and planning depends heavily on the reliability of your data and how you use it. Additionally, modern ERPs have the advantage of business intelligence built-in or inherent ability to interface with powerful BI tools to support more effective planning through advanced analytics and algorithms.
Furthermore, these data-based algorithms and analytics are often industry-based, further expanding the power of the tool. The result of all of these factors is empowering an organization with the ability to truly plan and operate proactively and not reactively.
Improved Management with an ERP
So you’ve improved your planning and data analytics, now how do you leverage your daily operations? The benefits of a modern ERP are applicable in day-to-day operations as well. Often, legacy systems require “bolt-on” or many different systems that connect via data exchange to complete a set of tasks. Take distribution for example. There may be one system for order entry, another for pricing application, another for route management, another for warehouse management and picking, and yet another for delivery management. WHEW! That’s a lot of data transfer!
Perhaps the greatest downside to the multiple systems model is the lack of real-time transparency across the organization. Sales don’t know when an order is on a truck and warehouse managers don’t have insight into when sales are finalized. As a result, teams are required to query for information, adjust planning frequently, and spend extra effort posting status’ to message boards. Modern ERPs solve this issue through 2 key functions: 1. real-time information available to users across functional areas and 2. end-to-end management of the process via a single technology.
Improved Customer Experience with an ERP
Planning and execution are great, but what is the real value add result? What is the real benefit for the organization that will help drive it forward? Advantageous planning and careful execution have a direct impact on many areas. Key amongst them is an improved customer experience. Planning allows you to tailor your efforts towards key groups of customers that will drive growth. Once onboard, these clients will also benefit from the transparency of information and the internet of things. A client no longer has to wonder where their shipment is, they can access a portal, view the status of their order, and submit requests or claims through a single point of entry.
So What?
There are many organizations currently operating on legacy systems. Are they surviving? Maybe. Are they excelling and maximizing their growth potential? Most likely not. These 3 advantages are just a few of the key impacts of a modern ERP. The bottom line is that an organization will benefit greatly from a single source of truth that improves decision-making, makes operations more efficient and improves the customer experience.
If your organization is considering a modern ERP selection, it’s important to make the right choice. Check out TSI’s service offering and how we can help with selecting the right solution, as well as the aspect of implementation management and organizational change management that are important to the success of any software project.
