If you’re currently using disparate systems, basic accounting applications, or outmoded enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, it may be time for a big modernization.
You’re not alone! In fact, more than a third of manufacturing executives said in a recent survey that obsolete ERP systems were seriously hurting their ability to compete and grow. After all, legacy ERP systems have difficulties serving the manufacturing community today when it comes to a variety of things, leaving manufacturers challenged with:
- Decreased process efficiencies: Increasing competition continues to force manufacturers to reduce costs and respond to price pressures, respond faster to customer demands and speed turnaround times. These challenges are difficult to solve if you’re still relying on manual workflows and disparate systems to manage your processes. The good news is that today’s business management solutions streamline and accelerate manufacturing operations—from procurement and scheduling to shop floor, inventory, sales, and financials.
- Reduced agility to respond to rapidly changing industry conditions: How quickly are your employees able to respond to customer or vendor issues? Do they have all the information they need to make smart, timely decisions that affect your bottom line? Or are they mired in time-consuming workarounds? And will you be able to scale, expand, and choose your deployment options (on-premise or cloud) as you grow? A flexible business management solution provides functionality ready for use for manufacturers, and offers a full, customizable range of capabilities so it’s easy to adjust to your unique processes.
- Increased compliance and regulatory requirements: Regulations that affect the manufacturing industry change often. That means you need to ensure that your processes comply with those regulations, or else face often-hefty penalties. Modern business management solutions will automate and standardize those processes to ensure compliance, and they’ll also provide audit trails for documentation and reporting purposes.
Good news! A faster, simpler, more flexible business management solution can:
- Record all processes within one solution for easy monitoring.
- Provide decision makers with easy access to actionable data.
- Enable smarter, faster responsiveness across the company.
- Optimize your supply chain and facilitate communication with suppliers.
- Provide insight into inventory for better planning and demand forecasting.
- Allow for secure sharing of data with customers to improve lead times and service.
When it comes to implementing an ERP system, most companies require a business case demonstrating a positive ROI before corporate resources and funds are committed to an initiative – whether implementing a new ERP system for the first time, or updating or replacing a legacy ERP system. The scope and complexity of many ERP projects will demand a business case that addresses the concerns and needs of all project’s stakeholders. A business case that anticipates potential problems or objections can also be a powerful tool to sell the project in the organization. Involving key stakeholders in the development of a business plan can also be a strong way to build organizational support for the new system.
