Many organizations are extremely careful when it comes to investing in ERP software. And that is completely understandable. The investment is often significant, the impact on your whole business is enormous and the outcomes are very unpredictable. Perhaps the insights in this blog help you to understand the benefits you can gain from replacing your ERP system. There are numerous ways of how ERP software can move your business forward. For each point on this list, just ask yourself how your current situation is and how that is expected to improve with new ERP software.
1. New Technology: If you stay on top of technology solutions, you stay ahead of competition. You are of course constantly looking for ways to outrun the competition and technology is one way to do that.
2. Increase Productivity: ERP software helps you to be more productive. Outdated systems can slow you down and hinder you in many ways. Moving to a new ERP system, based on modern technology, can give you a productivity boost.
3. Integrate Information: Even with an ERP system in place already, the information in your organization can be fragmented. It can be stored in supporting systems, Excel sheets, on paper or in the heads of your people. A new ERP system can help you centralize and organize all information.
4. Get Real-time Information: It becomes increasingly important to have access to real-time information and new technologies make that easier. Real-time information gives you the ability to quickly intervene where necessary. Trends and developments can be spotted early, enabling you to act proactively.
5. Make Work more Fun: Although a new ERP system brings a new way of working and takes time for people to get used to, it can also make their job a lot more fun. A user-friendly, intuitive, fast and modern software solution is pleasant and fun to work with.
6. Improve Communication: New technologies enable you to communicate better, both with your co-workers and with the outside world. And improved communication brings many benefits. It can speed things up, save time, save costs, enhance productivity and improve customer satisfaction.
7. Improve Inventory: ERP can help you to reduce inventory costs and get more grip on your inventory, by enhancing planning and control.
8. Get Mobile Access: Outdated ERP systems often don’t allow for mobile access. Whilst many users become more productive and efficient with access to the system anywhere and anytime on a mobile device. For instance, your service department, sales people, or the rental and transportation department.
9. Improve Security: Your data needs to be accurate and up-to-date, but also secure. New systems meet the latest standards for data security. A new ERP system can help you minimize the risks of data loss and unauthorized access.
10. Be Flexible and Scalable: As your requirements to software change over time, you need flexibility and scalability. You need a system that is configurable to your specific needs and that allows you to easily add new modules, functionalities and users.
This is just a selection of the many ways of how new ERP software can bring return on investment. Whereas the costs and the features and functionalities of ERP software are important, for optimal decision-making you should also take the benefits into consideration. Only then, you can determine what the best decision is for your organization regarding ERP.
April Potts is responsible for Marketing & Sales at Dysel North America and combines experiences in marketing, at dealerships and with ERP software to help dealerships move their business forward.
