Top reasons why selling online with ERP software is best for your organization

“People don’t care about your business, they care about their problems. Be the solution that they are looking for.” – Melanie Dodaro

E-Commerce has seen a growth equivalent of 10 years in a span of 3 months. The recent pandemic situation has escalated e-Commerce business immensely.

Are you prepared to handle this kind of a demand?

You’re probably not, if you still have not integrated your eCommerce channels (Magento, Shopify, Amazon etc.) and your ERP system. In this post, we’ll talk about why companies shouldn’t forgo e-Commerce ERP integration needed to truly optimize sales.

Here’s why you should Integrate your e-Commerce and ERP

The need for eCommerce ERP integration is usually overlooked because of the high investment cost or the business disruption caused by having to change existing systems. This is an outdated perception as the costs become worth it when you see the impact on your operations and customer experience.

When we use the term eCommerce in this article, we’re talking about any channel that allows you to make online sales. This could even be your webstore run by Magento, Amazon or Shopify. ERP refers to a single robust system that helps you manage your business data or back-office operations with ease.

Integrating your eCommerce sales channels with your ERP system allows you to operate more efficiently as a business. Your main types of data – order, inventory, item, customer, and shipping/tracking – are communicated in between independent systems.

Most integrations automatically pass this data between your systems. This eliminates your need to manually enter data from one system to another. While a webstore can certainly operate without connections to an ERP, how many tedious practices do you do now that you wish you could get rid of?

Manual practices such as hand-keying sales orders into your ERP. It’s cohesive to update product information in Excel then uploading to your web store or Amazon. Relying on decimating inventory across your systems by hand, or not being able to do it all, can cause you to oversell.

When these processes aren’t automated, it’s easy to make mistakes. Shipping addresses can be entered wrong. Incorrect inventory levels can lead to overselling. Product information could be incomplete, incorrect, or missing.

Further, your customer experience is at stake, when you don’t integrate.

If you want to be successful in the eCommerce business it is imperative to keep up with increased online demand. Therefore your eCommerce strategy should include integration to your best-fit ERP software.

eCommerce ERP integration allows you to easily receive new orders and fulfill them, regardless of where the sale is made. Products and pricing can be managed from one place, allowing you to have accurate and consistent product information.

Benefits of eCommerce ERP Integration

• Reduces manual entry to save time and increases throughout while reducing errors, when entering order, inventory, item, customer and shipping data

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2. Streamlines inventory synchronization, tracks updates, and provides accurate inventory levels to customers, without hiring staff to manage these tasks
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4. Automatically notifies customers when orders have been shipped and allows them to track the delivery of products
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6. Simplifies how you manage price and product changes to inventory
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8. Be flexible enough to add multiple online (webstores and marketplaces) and offline (brick & mortar) sales channels, without losing operational efficiency.
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10. Meets tax requirements with automated tax compliances.
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12. Handles increased demand in online orders without extra resources.

A Customised or best-fit eCommerce ERP Integration is what you need

It’s always possible to build your own custom integration between your online sales channels and your backend systems. To do so, you would need to work with the application program interfaces (APIs) available for your systems.  Your data needs to flow between your systems.

Therefore, customer integration can be complex and expensive. Customisation is usually the best approach for organizations who have the right resources and specific requirements to justify it. Most businesses though are probably not truly unique enough to really need to build this type of integration from scratch.

The best way to achieve eCommerce ERP integration is to use a multichannel management platform. This type of technology is usually cloud-based and provides a platform that sits as an operational hub between your ERP and eCommerce systems. Your main types of data are then synchronized between your systems.

Expand smERP is India’s best-fit ERP software for mid-sized manufacturers in retail industry. We offer the best-in-class technology for growth-oriented manufacturers who wish to take their companies to the next level. We provide an in-house selling portal where the users can sell smartly directly or indirectly via Virtual Distribution Network through distributors. With Expand Lead Management module, turning prospective leads into customers becomes a cakewalk. This feature is available on the ERP software and as a mobile App for Android users using Expand smERP software. The mobile Apps allows lead management remotely and enhances speed and customer experience. We also have ready integrations with Amazon, Shopify and Magento for selling wisely online through multi-channel locations. Reap the benefits of a best-fit ERP solution along with eCommerce software in a single unified system. 

Book a free trial at +91 9007026542

What are some of the biggest challenges faced by enterprises in terms of adopting the ‘new normal’

 “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.”

– Christian Louis Lange

Like any situation in life comes with pros and cons, adopting to digitisation has its own share of threats to entrepreneurs.

Similar to any other space in life, technology has its own benefits and challenges. While it enhances a man’s life in almost all the aspects whether its health care, transport, communication, smart cities etc. There are myriad challenges which we also need to keep in mind to not turn technology into our own enemy.

Amongst the most challenging threats of technology, cybercrime tops the list where danger is concerned.

Cybercriminals have always abused technology and control devices for propelling cyber-crimes such as frauds and thefts. With technology protocols, still being developed and evolving at a gradual pace, it is very difficult to avoid such cyber-attacks. IoT plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of technology in India. With IoT now becoming the backbone of various ventures, firms, organizations and even basic ways of living, it is worrying that the Indian Government has no dedicated law for IoT and some kind of guidance can be referred from the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act, 2000). The Digital India initiative is driving our country towards a digitized life where the existence will highly depend on elements like cloud computing, 5G in telecom, e-Commerce etc. it is imperative to keep a check on loose ends.

What is cyberspace?

Cyberspace is an electronic world created by interconnected networks of information technology and the information on those networks.

What is cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity or information technology security is the techniques of protecting computers, networks, programs and data from unauthorized access or attacks that are aimed for exploitation.

Few challenges that  technology faces in cybersecurity are the following:

• Digital Data theft Threat: The growing online transactions generate bigger incentives for cybercriminals. Besides, establishments looking to mine data—for instance, customer information, results of product surveys, and generic market information—create treasured intellectual property that is in itself an attractive target.

• Supply Chain Inter-connection: The supply chains are increasingly interconnected. Companies are urging vendors and customers to join their networks. This makes a company’s security wall thin.

• Hacking: This action is penetrating into someone’s system in an unauthorized fashion to steal or destroy data, which has grown hundred fold in the past few years. The availability of information online makes it easier for even non-technical people to perform hacking.

• Phishing: The easiest to execute and produce the results with very little effort. It is the practice of sending out fake emails, text messages and creating websites to look like they’re from authentic companies. Phishing is a major threat that can lead to fraud.
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Solutions provided by Expand smERP  – India’s best-fit ERP software for growth-oriented MSMEs who are looking at running their business completely online.

These challenges can be under surveillance and methodical steps can be taken to avoid such malpractices. To solve the data theft problem, online space must regulate the use of data and clearly indicate when the information will be shared provided by the users. The user can then choose to opt-out, leaving personal information restricted to space for which it was deliberated.

When any software online contains bugs or viruses, it is fairly easy for cybercriminals to gain personal information. Large technology firms should collaborate and create solutions to increase security for their customers. Security controls need to move outward, beginning at the application level where such frauds can be caught easily by an ERP software. When there are no unified monitoring methods, firms become vulnerable. However, when every network has monitoring that detects changes, data can be protected.

With cloud ERP  hovering our lives with all our data it is imperative to protect our cloud space. With growing technology, the growth of cybercrime is evident but measures taken early and effectively can avoid cyber mishaps both big and small. Expand ERP software is perfectly equipped to counter such threats and protect your business from cybercrime.

Cyber threats

Cyber threats can be disaggregated, based on the perpetrators and their motives, into four: cyber espionage, cyber warfare, cyberterrorism, and cybercrime

 

• Cyber espionage: Intelligence gathering and data theft. Examples of this were Titan Rain and Moonlight Maze

• Cyberwarfare: It involves the actions by a nation-state or international organization to attack and attempt to damage another nation’s computers or information networks.

• Cyber terrorism: It is a premeditated, politically motivated attack against information, computer systems, computer programs, and data which results in violence

• Cybercrime: It is any criminal activity that involves a computer, networked device or a network

Besides Technology other means of stopping such cybercrime are:

• Human resource: Immediate attention has to be given to human resource development which would increase the number of experts who can effectively manage the cybersecurity of the country

• R&D: Investments should be made on R&D to develop more innovative technologies to address increasing cybersecurity threats

• Policy and Governance: It is important to bring a robust policy and effectively implement the same. Further, duties and responsibilities should be defined clearly for smooth functioning and better coordination among departments and stakeholders

• Awareness: A periodic awareness campaign by the government and big private organizations should be conducted to aware people about cybersecurity threats

• Strengthening Private Partnership: It is important to strengthen the public-private partnership on cybersecurity. It is important to define minimum security features for the hardware and software to be deployed in the government ecosystem.

There is an urgent need to build capabilities and capacity for application, equipment and infrastructure testing through the deployment lifecycle to detect any vulnerability and backdoors in the product/technology. Security Operations Centre should be developed for the government organizations with capabilities to detect, respond and recover from any breaches and attacks.

Expand smERP offers Expand SureShield where you can enjoy 100% data security and grow your business with complete peace of mind. Data is on the cloud, stored in multiple locations ensuring maximum safety with trusted technology platforms (Microsoft Azure, SQL Server). We provide 99.9% uptime and SSL (encrypted) Data Transmission.

Expand smERP software is well aware of all the challenges faced by entrepreneurs while digitisation and promises to support and back up for any such crime that may take place in your company. We promise innovation with integration and intelligence.

Book a free trial with us, call now at +91 9007026542

Top 10 features of a best fit ERP solution for the Automotive Industry

In order to remain or become a strong player in the automobile industry it is crucial to have a streamlined consolidated business. A best-fit Enterprise Resource Planning system can help achieve this goal and redefine the success path of your company. ERP system implementations for automobile industry into business processes overcome inevitable industrial challenges such as high-quality customer service, vendor, inventory and delivery management, marketing and labour efficiency. Such systems provide specialized companies with a comprehensive set of features which serve to track and analyze current policymaking, make reasonable changes and control the work of all departments.

Our patron Mr. Ramanuja, is the owner of a growing automobile company in Chennai. He is aware of the challenges faced on a daily basis in such a complex manufacturing sector. He started his career 15 years ago with limited resources but has eventually realised that without digitally integrating your business it will never reach desired goals. Our biz tech team analysed his specific needs and implemented the best fit ERP software specifically designed for the automotive industry. Today Mr Ramanuja is a successful entrepreneur who believes in technology and that growth is impossible without bringing in necessary changes. The ERP software has reduced the burden of daily operational challenges and allows his team to focus on growth.

ERP features and functions in the automotive industry

 

Automobile manufacturers meet the challenges of constantly developing the market where they should create scope for innovation with intelligence and bring to life innovative products, reduce costs, be environmentally friendly. ERP systems are curated to synchronize production processes of all the stages and provide departments with an adequate information realm.

A best-fit ERP software will drive maximum ROI with features like:

• Quality control management – it is convenient to track product and customer service quality in real-time, notice occurring problems and correct them timely ensuring in such a way high-quality standards of automobiles and customer relations are maintained.
• Inventory management – allows coping with relevant operations giving a platform for efficient inventory planning.
• Electronic document database – all documentation work is sorted and there is no need to maintain spreadsheets and files.
• Finance management system – all financial and accounting data are sorted in one place available in real-time As a result, financial information is managed more effectively.
• Human resource management -reduces time spent on administrative work as it provides companies with specific modules dedicated to employee contact information, performance evaluation, working hours and duties, etc.
• Service management- controls after-sale support of clients sorting their latest demands and requirements and tracking timely service.
• Order management system – customers’ orders are visible which gives an opportunity to analyze purchasing history and be prepared for the succeeding contacts with a client.
• Sales management – sales and marketing activities are conducted methodically and automotive businesses can take measures promptly to improve sales effectiveness to increase growth.
• Automobile maintenance – gives a full insight on equipment state.
• Integration with communication channels- helps to keep in touch with clients and colleagues and maintain a cordial customer relationship

Benefits of the best ERP software implementation :

Enterprise Resource Planning systems make it possible to integrate internal and external processes which is a necessary component of a successful automobile business. Top-managers and heads of departments get accurate information daily and are able to:

 

• Create one information flow for the working team

• Execute proactive policy without vendors’ and clients’ references

• Reduce production costs, improve product and customer service quality and increase pay-offs simultaneously

• Keep under control activities and efficiency performance of all departments wherever they are located

• Make much more considered business decisions basing them on accurate analytical data

• Analyze financial parameters instead of controlling whether all of them are added.

Expand smERP software is the best-fit Indian cloud ERP software for mid-sized manufacturers in export and retail industry. It is fully consolidated robust software that manages your inventory with accuracy, diligence and ease within the frame of a single centralized system. The unique features of the automotive industry allow you to run your business completely online with ease from anywhere. Expand smERP provides innovation with integration and intelligence in a single centralized system. Update your organization to our best-fit ERP software on cloud platforms and give your dreams the wings to soar high. 

To book a free trial call 9007026542