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Who’s Your ERP Manager? Every ERP Investment Needs a Coach
Growing businesses invest in ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solutions to bring together the separate parts of the company into one integrated system. This integration of data allows business owners and managers make smart decisions and empowers employees with access to data to better serve your customers. If you already invested in an ERP system, you are ahead of the game. Whether you already have an ERP system or are considering making the investment in a new ERP system, don’t leave out one essential player – the ERP manager.
If you don’t have anyone in charge of managing the ERP system, you might fall prey to one big ERP mistake which sounds similar to the 1930's classic Abbot & Costello skit called "Who's On First?" You can listen to this classic comedy routine HERE. The point is to ask the question, "In your company who is the person in charge of managing the long & short term goals of your ERP system?" More importantly, are you set up to get the most out of your ERP investment? If your company doesn't have a CTO or CFO, your employees may expect those "big picture" management decisions to come from you. Even if you are the CFO or CTO and it is your responsibility, have you thought much of it? If you aren’t hearing complaints, then you likely aren’t even thinking about it. Here are 3 management considerations to think about regarding your ERP, even if you aren't suffering immediate pain from it.
3 ERP Manager Considerations
1. IT’S NOT BROKE BUT IS IT WORKING?
When was the last time you reviewed your current processes for any manual or duplicated activities? I know what you're thinking, "But everything is running smoothly, why should I muck it up?" When you aren't putting out fires is the best time to put your management hat on and look for ways to improve productivity. Are you re-typing sales orders into the ERP system from a PDF of a purchase order you received in email? Are you keeping credit card information insecurely? Are you entering time once for payroll and entering it a second time for manufacturing? Are you hand writing anything which you must re-type into the system? If you nodded your head to any of these, you need to meet with your ERP Advisor to determine if there's a solution with a quick ROI. If there's a solution, but it will take several years to obtain a return, think about ways to change the process to give you even slight improvements while you wait for technology to catch up.
2. IT'S BEEN LIKE THIS FOREVER
You’ve read the previous paragraph and taken it to heart. You’ve found several processes to improve. If you've been on your current ERP solution for over 5 years, and a meeting with the ERP advisor netted few solutions, what’s your next step? Is it time to consider changing ERP solutions? The past 10 years in software development has brought massive improvements. Remember your flip phone? Investigate whether other ERP systems have automated the manual processes or have eliminated other duplication of activity you found in your review.
3. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT NEVER ENDS
Researching ERP systems, just like other integral machines of your manufacturing process, should never stop. Even if you’ve had your current ERP for less than 5 years, take advantage of occasions when you can talk to your peers or people such as me at trade shows or similar events. Ask us about specific processes you’d like improved. Yes, we’ll put you on our newsletter list, but that’s not a bad thing. Once you’re connected to several different ERP advisors you’ll gain valuable intel on which company is just out for the quick sell and which company wants to develop long term business partnerships and is interested in helping you grow your company, rather than simply growing their own company.
To learn more about how The Executive’s Guide to Setting Strategy for Selecting, Implementing and Operating ERP - download here:
In this complimentary eBook “Thinking about ERP” will cover the following topics and more…
- Define business objectives and how this impacts ERP selection choice
- Position your organization’s ERP goals into a certain category based upon these business objectives
- Define different strategies for selecting, implementing and operating an ERP system
- Leverage your system to improve alignment of business operations with business strategy, reduce risk, improve financial management and increase visibility
Secure ERP is a cyber security & ERP integration advisor in central Indiana with over 20 years of experience supporting small to medium sized businesses. Founded by a CPA & Sophos certified security engineer/architect, Secure ERP is dedicated to our client’s cyber security & growth objectives.
Contact Secure ERP, Inc. at: (317) 290-8702. Email: sales@secureerpinc.com or visit us at: www.secureerpinc.com
Related Topics:
- ERP Valentine. Does Your ERP Really Love You?
- ERP Search, Like Hiring An “Employee” Approach
- ERP Upgrade, 5 Reasons Why You Don’t
- Motherly ERP, Taking Care of Your Company Like Mom
- Where To Stick Your ERP? Cloud vs Hosted vs On-Premise
- ERP Deflate-gate. Has Your ERP Deflated Over Time?
Another version of this blog was posted on Secure ERP, Inc.’s Blog – ERP Manager, Who’s on First? 3 “Big Picture” Managements Decisions
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