The Future of Retail business is on the internet!

The next generation workforce or the ‘millennials’ are completely dependent on technology and devices. In order to be future ready Expand ERP is all set to take you through the newest trends in business automation softwares exclusively developed for the retail industry.

One of our patrons, Mr. Ayush Baid, Founder, Ellementry, a retail lifestyle store in New Delhi, GK I, is a young entrepreneur who wanted to expand his business to 18 stores across the country. He was perplexed as to how he could streamline his POS, Inventory, Warehouse, Omni Channel Functionalities etc. so that he could focus more on his goals than the daily. Team Expand was successful to help him counter his challenges from day one and implemented ERP for a hassle free integration of business operational challenges. Now he can analyse his business with a unified view and take instant decisions and save time and money. Mr. Ayush is our happy client and we share a one on one relation with his organisation.

Retail ERP – A must have in today’s fast-moving eCommerce marketplace.

A retail ERP is a typical ERP system that is uniquely designed and developed for retailers. It has specific in-built features like Point of Sale system that is only required in a retail business. A traditional ERP will need to connect to a third party POS system in order to achieve this desired functionality. Whereas, with a Retail ERP, a POS module is usually included as standard negating the risk of siloed systems or even worse siloed data.

Top 10 essential Retail ERP features:

1. Retail workflow automation 
2. Multi-location and real-time Inventory Management
   • Free stock position at various locations
   • Auto take schemes or offers on products
   • Marketplace wise Inventory position
   • Inventory ageing with value 
   • Barcoding
3. Warehouse Management 
   • Smart billing logic
   • Smart picking automation
   • Minimising inventory losses like theft
   • Controlling stock position 
4. Omni – Channel Functionalities
   • Order fulfillment from multiple locations
   • Managing returns with credit notes
   • Online/Offline Hybrid POS
5. Flexible Order fulfillment
6. Integrated Accounting
7. Demand Planning and Inventory Forecasting
8. Integrated Retail CRM 
9. Hybrid Retail and Wholesale Functionality
   • Channel wise sales
   • Performance of products
10. Returns Management

“Whatever you’re thinking, think bigger.”

Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos

On defying the status quo, one should not be afraid to be disruptive and shake up the industry. Every idea or concept already exists, it is about how to create a differentiator and attract customers by finding your niche. All you need to do is think bigger. As CEO of Zappos, the footwear and clothing e-tailer that was launched in 1999, Hseih is a leading name in the retail and e-commerce industry in the US. Zappos is considered an e-commerce giant and a beacon of customer service.

Counter challenges of your retail business:

Retail owners face a lot of challenges on a daily basis, like overstock or out of stock situations, schemes and offers execution, stock clearance and to figure out nonmoving items to name a few.

Your ERP gives you ready real-time data for any time anywhere analysis and decision making scenario.

The complexities of the various taxation formalities can also be managed with ease with your ERP.

Moving with times – Crux of our mission

Expand smERP is continuously growing along with the changing time.

Our newest addition includes marketplace feature integrations. We have partnered with applications like Amazon, Shopify, Blue Dart, Flipkart and Magento to ease out your retail experience furthermore.

The benefits of such integrations includes:-

• Pulling orders directly from marketplaces and fulfill from ERP.
• Priority fulfillment for online orders
• Auto update of inventory from ERP to marketplaces based on smart allocation logic.
• Can check inventory position on all marketplaces from a single point in ERP.
• Ready integration with shipping partners like Blue Dart for auto pick up request and live shipment tracking.
• Auto update packing lists for online orders based on product dimensions and CBM computations.

Why Choose Expand smERP?

Expand smERP is a robust cloud based business process automation software specially designed for the mid-size manufacturers in Retail business. The unique feature is that is it completely customisable to match the specific needs of your business.

We believe;

“If it doesn’t fit,

Don’t force it.”

Similar to our daily lives, this bears truth for business automation software also. ERP can be successfully implemented only if it matches the unique requirement of your business. What matters is what fits your business and not how great the ERP is. It is sure to fail if it doesn’t fit your needs.

With over 15 years of extensive R&D and market survey we have developed an ERP that is the perfect fit for your business. We only cater to the fast growing mid-sized retailers and exporters. It is a comprehensible, customisable and scalable business automation software which ensures 100 % security of data. So you will never face a situation where your business will outgrow the software, our software grows along with your business.

For a seamless integration of ERP software with your retail business, trust Expand ERP completely.

Expand Cloud ERP for retail – best-fit ERP for retail!

To know more call  +91 9007026542

How To Prepare a Budget Before Investing in ERP For Your Business?

ERP- The inevitable need of the hour!

It is 2020 the onset of a new decade. With the emerging digital era all business organisations are compelled to adapt to new technological nuances. Like many other fields, the global business processing is going through a renaissance where everyone speaks of automation and digitisation.

An ERP streamlines daily business processing such as accounting, procurement, project management, risk management and compliance and supply chain operations. This system ties together a multitude of business activities and enables the flow of data between them.

We all know “Rome was not built in a day” and so can’t be for your business process digitisation. It involves a lot of research and strategies to make a major decision such as to choose your Enterprise Resource Planning solution provider. The most common factor that arises in our mind is the cost.

How much does it cost to implement ERP in India? 

For any business, budget and cost-effectiveness is the key to growth and success. Choosing a suitable ERP provider could make or break your organisation. The objective of this post is to guide you how to choose an ERP software that’s best fit for your budget and business type. Adopting an ERP solution is not an expense but a long time investment for your business. Investing in an ERP System is in most cases a one time decision and hence a little time spent in reviewing multiple software before making a choice is advisable.

ERP can only work if it matches the unique requirement of your business.It is not about how efficient an ERP is. It is essentially how the ERP suits your business. If it doesn’t fit,it is sure to fail.

Implementing ERP- an investment for your dream

When implementing ERP solutions to expedite business transformation, the owner or the decision maker should have a clear insight of the needs of its business. If you are one of the entrepreneurs who have not yet created a checklist, it’s time you unwrap the implementation challenges that are unique to your business goals.

ERP solution providers like Expand smERP provide one-to-one consultation with customers who require in-depth knowledge regarding the software. We help businesses to understand the needs and customise the software completely according to the requirements. The authoritative members, project team members and stakeholders should be aware about the critical elements affecting an ERP implementation cost.

There are various elements that are to be considered for ERP implementation:

1. Scalability: The cost of ERP increases with the number of users who will be using it in the company. Training costs of the users is also depending on the numbers.

2. Licensing: Here, the choice is totally yours. It is not compulsory to invest in a software license outright. The ERP license can be paid by monthly subscription based model also. Depending on the budget and requirements, the ERP license may be temporary or perpetual. The maintenance agreement is charged as a percentage of the license.

3. Totally customised: Every organisation is unique and ERP implementation requires a lot of alterations and transformations which should fit into the business structure. It is best to implement a totally customised software which caters to all your organization’s unique needs.

4. Nature of Business: Depending on the type of business -small, mid-sized or large the ERP cost is determined. For micro/ small organisations the annual cost of ERP could be anything between 6000-10,000 INR, as it is mostly online and there is no investment cost involved. For mid-sized businesses (manufacturers and wholesalers), ERP implementation starts from Rs 1,20,000 a year. The large segment businesses need to consider a budget from Rs 5,00,000 onwards annually.

5. According to a report,only 23% of the companies implement vanilla ERP with zero customisations done.

6. Cost of Infrastructure: According to the deployment option-(on-premise or on-cloud option) the cost of infrastructure is based. For the cloud-based option cost will be low as all data will be stored on cloud and no hardware needs to be purchased. Further, the cost will be lower as less IT technicians will be employed .

7. Recurrent Cost: This varies from vendor to vendor as some solution providers charge less initially but increases the cost at renewal. On average the renewal cost of ERP is 10%-15% of the total software cost. There are always chances of upgradation charges which can vary from time to time.

The cost of ERP will include most of these elements(according to your needs)

• License fees
• User numbers
• Training
• Features and modules
• Customization
• App integrations
• Data migrations
• Training
• Testing
• Maintenance plans
• Upgrades

SUPPORT IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

Choosing the right ERP System for a business is not only a pricing decision. It is 80% about considering the after sales support and training abilities. Your vendor should provide training to new employees and also upgrade old ones. If you are a manufacturing business in India, Expand ERP has the advantage of Low pricing and Local support on Installation and training. Further, the software is intuitive and highly user-friendly and makes understanding easy for all.

TIME IS MONEY!

MONEY SAVED IS MONEY EARNED

Investing in an ERP for your export and retail business can increase production efficiencies, reduces the time taken by the customers to pay, avoids pilferage of Inventory and helps you get the necessary data to make decisions quickly. Investing in the right software will increase your profitability and your ability to increase your production capacity phenomenally. With Expand ERP you can take your organisation to the next level even sooner than you imagine. If you want an accurate estimate for your project, be sure to accurately scope your project and account for some of the most overlooked costs. Our team members in Expand  can help you set realistic expectations that won’t scare executives nor get you fired for causing budget overruns.

What to keep in mind while scoping your business before ERP implementation?

1. First elect a team leader and build a team with decision taking authority and software solution (human resource,supply-chain,inventory etc). Companies which have lesser complexities may require only point solutions such as CRM or Finance and Accounting.

2. Change managing activities: The focus should not remain in one direction but also on business process reengineering. Any change in your business process will add to your  knowledge.

3. A requirement list that includes features, integrations, users, cloud or on premise, needs to be created.

4. Complications of your business: It is advisable to keep an unbiased analysis of how complex your business requirements are. Many businesses need an entire ERP cost on ERP at a later stage.

5. Similar business overview: We recommend comparing and considering similar organisations ERP vendors and expenses and not set a benchmark to what a particular solution provider may have set for you.request for case studies for better analysis.

The license fee and technician costs is just one side of the coin to view before implementation of ERP. You need to consider the broader aspects to ensure your software investment delivers value.

Some tips to control costs:

1. Clear view and analysis of cost from vendor(ensure no hidden costs)

2. Develop a project plan with detailed estimates

3. Include change or unexpected costs

4. Carefully strategise and wisely judge your vendor

5. Prices can be negotiated

YOUR FRIEND IN NEED!

LIVE LIFE STRESS FREE!

Empower your organisation with Expand smERP and enjoy real-time visibility and complete control of your business. Grow your business to the next level with ease as our software does the hard work. With Expand smERP we guarantee you a complete stress free life. 

Please leave a comment below for any further enquiries or if this article has been of any value to you. 

To book a demo call +919007026542

WhatsApp is NOW integrated with ERP Software

Albert Einstein once said, “You can’t solve a problem on the same level that it was created. You have to rise above it to the next level.”

It was in 2010, when technology took a leap and we all surrendered ourselves entirely like never before. Our lives changed altogether when WhatsApp was introduced and became the pivotal media for communication. It’s been over a decade now, and whether we have Facebook or Twitter or Instagram on our phones or not, there’s no way we can function without the father of all Apps – WhatsApp.

Today, it has a user base of approximately 10 billion and has changed our lives dramatically. There are several day to day activities which we do with WhatsApp, for example, through WhatsApp groups, the world has become smaller and distances made closer. We now have school friends groups, college groups, college reunion groups, grad school groups and several others. Even though such groups can be quite demanding or annoying, one can’t deny that we are connected with several friends, family and colleagues all at once. Also nowadays we have WhatsApp shopping in the place of online shopping. For instance if your friend is travelling abroad or some intriguing place and you want something in particular from, sending pictures of it on WhatsApp for approval is the easiest thing to do. Interestingly there are many Instagram and Facebook stores that take orders on WhatsApp. Simply by sending a mailing  address and phone number and online payment through Paytm or net-banking we can receive our shopping sitting at home.

On the work front, WhatsApp groups have taken over emails for deadlines and sharing time-sensitive messages. Nobody waits for the next day for an urgent task to be completed. They simply send it to the group and it is taken care of on minutes. Even pharmacies are sending medicines at your door through WhatsApp prescriptions,so going to chemists is not mandatory. In fact I know of even doctors who have prescribed medicines over WhatsApp.

The use of this App has become so widespread that even the underprivileged use WhatsApp and smart phones with their extra money. You may not need a roof above but owning a smartphone and widely used social media Apps are mandatory. Such is the irony of modern life in our country. 

Doorbells have been replaced by WhatsApp pings and sometimes because of the blue ticks it becomes difficult to avoid or escape from people you may not want to interact at that moment. It has become simpler to wish people on special occasions and festivals. Handmade or printed greetings cards and phone calls have been taken over quite easily by WhatsApp forwards and GIFS. Thankfully after this our phone bills have plateaued but unfortunately WhatsApp has reduced face to face communication with a loss of personal touch.

“There’s a way to do it better. Find it!” says Thomas Edison.

WhatsApp is NOW integrated with your ERP !

With the advancement of technology each day, the newest trend in ERP software is the WhatsApp integration with ERP. Effective communication is a crucial aspect of every business. In the work environment, it creates unity, sharing of feedback, improved customer relations, employee engagement and enhanced innovation. However, in the daily grind, communication often gets missed. Users might forget to communicate important aspects among each other or customers. They may not send invoices after selling goods, or purchase orders after placing an order or might not inform others to complete their tasks once they have completed their own. This affects the business process in several ways – payment collection gets delayed, because ledgers didn’t get sent when customers asked for them, purchase orders may have not been received on time etc. Revenues get affected, operations and transactions get stagnant resulting in mayhem in management.This scenario can be totally avoided by the implementation of WhatsApp integrated to your ERP business software.

WhatsApp integrated with ERP

It is undeniably the quickest and most widely used communication tool in the Indian business market. Now, the integration of ERP – the ultimate business automation software integrated with the quickest communication App together will create magic.

The way it works:-

1. Through a downloadable connector, a whatsApp activation mechanism should be set.

2. Once activated, a QR Code scanner will open up in your ERP desktop.

3. The QR Code can be scanned using WhatsApp on your phone.

4. This will allow you to use WhatsApp to send messages and documents directly from pour ERP

The Features of WhatsApp that will benefit your company:

1. The recipient’s number gets automatically connected from the ERP, messages are sent accurately and faster.

2. Unlimited messages can be sent using WhatsApp web, from your desktop.

3. All logs of messages can be retained to identify whether the right messages were sent to the right person at the right time.

4. Transparency is increased in communication within the organisation as you will get to know whether the message has been sent.

5. WhatsApp messages can be sent from any screen in the ERP interface.

6. You can get an encrypted layer of security that we have added along with the security of WhatsApp and ERP.

How will your organisation benefit from integration?

1. User-friendly and less time consuming – you don’t have to switch screens or tasks to send messages to your users or customers.

2. Reduced duplication of data – your communication is more accurate and precise as duplication of data is diminished and there is less human intervention.

3. Tracking and retaining messages – with WhatsApp logs you can back track whether messages sent to employees have been executed and implemented. You can also retain messages for future purpose of reference.

Good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity and the crux of a successful management.

To encourage a culture of transparent and quick communication in your business organisation embrace Expand smERP software WhatsApp integrated solution. Become an efficient entrepreneur with just a click on your mobile phone.

Time is Money!

Save time with Expand smERP and communicate faster with our newest WhatsApp integrated feature. By sending time-sensitive messages to co-users is the fastest way to reach out. Make your business simpler by adopting Expand smERP software and manage your time effectively.

To know more call +91 9007026542