How to make the most of your ERP integration and derive optimum ROI

“Technology plays a vital role in modern society. Everyone is touched by the power of technology in some way large or small, good or bad, everyday." - Mackenzie

The decision of investing in which technology for your company is yours. It is a difficult decision to make having the insecurities of failure in my mind. On the one hand, you want to be the one responsible for innovation and growth within your company. On the other, you also don’t want to be the one to pull the trigger on a failed project. So, investing in a best-fit ERP software is a risk worth taking. To find out, you need to weigh the benefits of ERP, specifically how ERP system advantages and disadvantages breakdown when compared against each other. Whether your business is large or mid sized or small,or any industry there are several benefits of ERP software your company could gain. Enterprise resource planning software (ERP) is a suite of customizable applications that allow businesses to integrate and manage their most important processes. After implementing an ERP system in your company, it may start with a sales order that would need to be processed. The system will mention the elements that have to be in place and the modules that have to be executed for the desired end result.

To get the most out of your ERP integration we are enlisting a few tips that will aid you through your ERP experience.

1. Select the best-fit ERP for your business – Choosing the best fit ERP software according to your unique needs is the most essential for success in ERP implementation. What does not fit, will not excel. It is sure to fail. It is best to analyse the needs of your business and choose a software that serves the best possible solutions. Take the Expand smERP fitment test to find out whether your business fits into our erp or not. 

2. Know the Total cost of ownership – If you are working on a budget which everyone should, always look at the total cost of ownership rather than the price of the software. If you take just the price of the software into consideration then you will end up excluding the cost of hardware, consulting money to implement, internal resources to maintain the software and future upgrade costs that come with it. However, Expand smERP has no upfront costs involved. 

3. Select the right vendors – Being in a comfortable relation with your ERP vendor is utmost essential for a successful ERP implementation journey. Having full trust on your solution provider makes half your battle won.The vendors you choose should be able to give you specific estimates regarding TCO and the ROI you can expect for your business and in what period of time. You should have detailed discussions with them about the budget, project completion time. Also, always ask for references from other organisations that have hired them. Team Expand facilitates 24 x 7 support post implementation and training within 50 hours after integration. With over 15 years of market experience Expand smERP has built trust in several companies. 

4. Keeping all team managers in the loop – Proper coordination and communication is essential between all team managers and cross team functioning for a seamless erp implementation. Miscommunication can lead to malfunctioning of the system and the desired results will not be availed. The management level should be well informed at every step. 

5. Develop a roadmap – A roadmap is also very important as it will ensure that a step-by-step process is followed and will also give clarity to the financial stakeholders. Through a well-developed planned strategy, you can turn a complex and large technology into phased operations. Roadmaps also help in identifying possible hurdles and removing them before they hinder the implementation. With proper strategies and planning your company will achieve desired results from the ERP software. 

6. Deploy one module at one time – When the implementation is complete, never deploy all modules at once as it may result in chaos. Instead, deploy one module at a time and carefully monitor its workings. You can deploy more modules once every module fits snugly within the workflow of the organisation. 

7. Delegate implementation oversight to a cross-functional team- Across-functional team needs to be given the duty to oversee the implementation procedure. The team –made up of individuals from different departments such as operations, human resources, IT, accounting etc. will ensure that all areas of the business are correctly addressed. This will also generate excitement in all departments and the chances of the workforce adapting to the ERP with ease will be enhanced.

A robust ERP software system offers a foundation for the growth of your business. It streamlines all your routine and complex-to-handle business operations making data management extremely simple and hassle-free. Most importantly, it helps you make wise and prompt business decisions. Thus, it is imperative to ensure that your ERP solution functions in line with your business goals and strategies.

Expand is India’s best-fit ERP on cloud for the Retailers & Exporters in midsized manufacturing business. It drives business efficiency with ease by perfectly fitting into the existing business process and effectively automating most complex processes, unlike many such ‘one size fits all ERPs’ which doesn’t give desired results to specific businesses. With Expand smERP one can manage his entire business completely online. 

For any assistance on selecting the right ERP for your business, email at .in or call 09007026542 for a quick conversation.