The ERP Selection Process Can Become a Maze. Here’s Your Map.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is critical to keep manufacturing and distribution businesses running smoothly, because it helps keep your back office and front office aligned and in sync. However, buying an ERP can be a worrying process the first time around. Luckily, our ERP experts are here to help. Read on for advice about choosing the right system to assist your company’s growth.
Why ERP Is Important
It’s no secret that ERP improves productivity and efficiency by providing better access and visibility into inventory and production. However, some of the benefits from ERP may surprise you, including:
- Determining pricing based on inventory levels
- Controlling workflows
- Maintaining multiple sales channels
Buyer’s Tip: Look for a customizable ERP. That way you don’t have to worry so much about the out-of-the-box features and how well they meet your needs. Of course, you’ll want to pick an ERP that’s a good fit for you, but you can tweak a customizable system to meet your exact needs.
How ERP Helps Grow Your Business
Today’s highly specific modern business landscape requires that companies integrate many systems together into one, all-in-one, fully syncing system. This is called “postmodern” ERP, and you’ll want to check with your vendor to ensure that your preferred systems have this ability. Depending on your business, you may want to consider sync capabilities with:
- eCommerce and web stores
- Shipping and barcoding systems
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems
Buyer’s Tip: An integrated ERP can help you grow your business by delivering delight to your customers, no matter what stage of their journey they’re in. This is because ERP brings separate business systems together, helping your team to deliver comprehensive customer service and follow-up.
Why the Right Partner Matters
Though many ERPs these days offer similar features and benefits, vendors do not all offer the same service and skill set. Purchasing an ERP is only the beginning of your long-term relationship with the vendor you choose. Make sure that you get the service, expertise, and attention you deserve by selecting a partner who:
- Has extensive experience using and customizing your preferred ERP
- Can provide references of happy, long-term clients in your industry
- Has a great service track record, and also has completed many successful implementations
Buyer’s Tip: Don’t let your vendor slide by on vague comments or promises. Have them provide exact descriptions of implementations, customizations, and service situations they’ve handled in your industry – and how each of those situations went. Also take the time to ask them about situations in which things went wrong. Their response to challenges should teach you a lot about how they’d respond when you have a challenge they need to remedy.
Get More Detailed Advice
Since you’re searching for an ERP system, you probably want more help than we could write in a single blog post.
Good news! Now you can download an in-depth white paper about choosing the right ERP system for your business, including information about the steps you need to take to prepare your business for a new ERP, as well as eCommerce integration tips that will help you.
The white paper will lead you from preparation, to discovery, to decision — helping you stay confident and organized during your entire ERP selection process.