Modern companies find Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) a helpful solution to improving efficiency across the organization. ERP solutions unite the back-office applications, business workflows, and processes into one platform.
Although the advantages of implementing an ERP system are many, you must find a perfect solution for your business. The ERP solution you select should fit your business model and goals, allowing a more intimate hand-holding experience. Read on to understand the power of working with an ERP where your firm matters.
Best Practices for Selecting an ERP Built for Your Industry
Not all widely recognized or highly reviewed ERP platforms provide the best functions for your business. It would help to find a solution optimized for your company and the existing technology. Here are steps you can follow to help find the perfect ERP partner:
Create an ERP Research Team
Having a team to help select the right ERP for your industry is an intelligent approach to consider. A team will achieve more when researching than one IT professional. It would also help build a comprehensive team with members from different departments using the tool. Including these individuals helps your team learn more about how the ERP program will affect their inefficiencies and the new platform’s essential requirements.
Audit the Existing Business Applications and Workflows
It would help you understand your current processes and applications before selecting an ERP solution. A network audit will help provide a holistic image of existing workflows and prevalent bottlenecks. IT specialists use the process to identify security issues, look for outdated legacy tools, and even detect obsolete programs.
Pivot Towards Data Quality Improvements
System shifts look to solve any data problems, inefficiencies, or errors in the previous system. It would help to focus on data quality improvements and avoid replicating the same issues. Invest in data quality tools like data cleansing to improve data relevance and accuracy before settling on an ERP solution. Doing this helps your team save money and time, providing a better understanding of where the data lives and its uses.
Prioritize ERP Modules Ideal for Your Business
What your business will need in an ERP is different from other organizations. You should consider your company’s most significant pain points and prioritize ERP modules that solve inefficiencies. Focus on your business applications and how the ERP can help improve performance.
Opting for mainstream ERP vendors is often a common solution, but one which many times results in a long onboarding time with generic solutions. Niche software vendors, like GoldFinch, tend to offer a more hands-on and personalized experience specific to your industry’s needs.
Prepare a Demo
A demo provides the perfect opportunity to confirm whether the ERP delivers what you need. Your team should reach out to a customer experience professional and set up a product demo to test the product. Preparing key questions to ensure the demo has all you need to know before purchasing would be wise.
What Elements to Observe when Appraising ERP Solutions
Reviewing ERP providers is as important as examining the systems themselves. Your team should evaluate the most business-friendly ERP solutions to identify the perfect partner. This section explains some factors to consider when reviewing ERP systems and their providers.
Experience
Before identifying the ideal platform, you must also consider the ERP provider’s experience in your industry. Find one that connects your team with an experienced team of professionals dealing with similar processes. To gauge their expertise, you can request them to describe their most successful implementation.
Implementation
The implementation process varies with different ERP platforms. It would be wise to find a partner with a sound implementation partner for seamless integration. Established ERP providers provide implementation plans tried and tested by many over the years.
Focus
It is common for companies to focus on irrelevant things when selecting ERP software. The ideal ERP partner should understand your business and provide an optimized solution with a clear handle on operations. Ensure you evaluate each partner by analyzing if their structure, planning, and employees are healthy for your team.
Reputation
You can also use reputation to evaluate the different ERP platforms despite it being intangible. Gain valuable insights by making reference calls to existing clients on the prospects to consider. Select the ERP provider with a record of successful projects or features that marry perfectly to your business. It would help to note that the big names in ERP might not be the best option for all businesses.
Conclusion
The ERP platform you select for your business will affect all key users, daily processes, and applications. It makes it essential that you find a solution ideal for your business. You can select the perfect ERP by researching the different modules available. This article touches upon the key points necessary to help you land the ideal ERP for your company. To dive deeper, contact us today!
