When it comes to improving customer satisfaction and maintaining an efficient work environment, few actions are more useful than implementing ERP in supply chain management. By combining financial information, inventory management, and other data points into an easy-to-use software and then making that information available across many departments, your team can more easily achieve an integrated and efficient approach to working with suppliers and customers alike.
In order to achieve these valuable benefits, however, it is important that your ERP software utilizes a few key features. Here are a few that you should prioritize when trying to choose ERP software for your company.
Total Control: At the end of the day, ERP software is all about giving you more control over your business operations. The best ERP software doesn’t just limit itself to covering your finances and inventory. With a fully-integrated ERP platform, you can even use your data to provide additional customer insight to your sales team and manage partner-focused marketing processes. This software allows your entire team to see the big picture for more efficient decision-making.
Device Access: The modern business world is increasingly on-the-go, and quite often, your decision-makers need to access information when they’re away from their desk. Modern ERP software should give your team the ability to access the information they need, when they need it–regardless of whether they’re using a tablet or a desktop computer.
Real-Time KPI Analysis: Quality ERP software should provide your team with instant updates based on inventory levels, customer orders, and other key data points. This allows you to monitor important supply chain issues so you can make quick decisions when necessary. Even more importantly, when integrating ERP in supply chain management, your software should give you the ability to view these pieces of information in the context of your KPIs, allowing you to see where you stand in achieving your business goals. This allows you to identify opportunities and concerns so you can make adjustments to your processes and achieve better results.
Customization: The supply chain concerns of a manufacturing facility will undoubtedly be different than those of a retail company or distribution center. Your ERP software should allow you to customize features based on the unique needs of your business, so that your dashboards and data displays are relevant to the issues that matter most.
Automation and IT: One of the best things ERP software can do for your business is automate many of the mundane daily tasks that take up much of your employees’ time. By automating data input and other workflow activities, your team is able to work more efficiently and devote more of their attention to tasks that will improve business growth. Also of note is that your ERP software shouldn’t turn into an IT headache–quite the contrary. This easy-to-use and highly integrated software solution should lower your IT expenses by simplifying your software needs and reducing human error. Thanks to these benefits, ERP software should ultimately reduce your operating costs and help increase your profit margins.
Scalability: Every business plans on continually growing and finding new customers–is your ERP software up to the task? Top-notch ERP software is not only scalable for growth; it can also help you analyze trends so you can be prepared for increases in sales and other changes that could affect your business. With sales forecasting tools in hand, you can order more inventory, bring on additional sales staff, and take other steps that will help your company be fully equipped for future growth.
With the help of ERP in supply chain management, you’ll be better equipped to predict purchasing trends, manage your inventory, keep your customers happy, and scale your business for the future.
