If you’re currently using multiple software solutions to manage your business, then you are probably wasting time and money. Consider the common pain points we have listed below. If any of these ring true for you, then perhaps it’s time to start looking for some integrated ERP software for your business.
1. You’re spending a lot of time training your employees on multiple pieces of software
If you are using multiple point solutions, then you may find that you are spending a lot of time and money training your staff on each of these different pieces of software. New staff need to be trained up on each piece of software they use, and existing staff will need refresher training.
It can be tricky to arrange this with your different vendors, trying to fit in around everyone’s collective diaries.
It may be time for you to consider investing in ERP software, as this allows you to manage all of your key business processes with a single system. This means that you only have to train your staff on one piece of software, rather than multiple.
2. Your IT department is spending most of their time ‘fighting fires’
It can be difficult to manage multiple point solutions, particularly if you have varying levels of vendor support. Each solution has to be kept up to date, as well as any related hardware and equipment.
If your IT department is struggling to keep on top if this and is spending a lot of their time issuing fixes and workarounds to solve their colleagues’ support requests, then it is probably time to think about investing in some new business software.
Software should empower your business, not restrict it. Cloud software, in particular, offers freedom because all maintenance and upgrades are taken care of for you, in most cases, by the software vendor.
Maintaining a single ERP solution will be easier than trying to manage multiple pieces of software. Plus it is usually modular in design so you can add or remove functionality easily, meaning fewer fixes and workarounds. Your IT department can therefore spend more time coming up with ways to help your business grow, rather than ‘fighting fires’.
3. The same data is being entered multiple times into different systems
The problem with working with several different systems and spreadsheets is that the same data often has to be entered multiple times. Or it may be that you are having to manually transfer data from one system to another one.
For example, the sales team enters data into the CRM regarding an order their customer has requested. This information then needs to be replicated in the accounts system in order for the accounts team to create their invoice. Finally, a works order is created in your project management tool using the same information. This duplication of effort can act as a warning sign that you need to consider a single ERP solution.
By using integrated ERP software, each department still has their own part of the system, but because it is all linked, they can communicate and share information easily with other departments. This reduces duplication of effort and the number of errors.
4. Your staff can’t see all the data they need to, without disturbing other departments
When each department in a company has their own separate system designed to complete their own tasks, this means they can only see the business data that is within that system. So if they need to know something else, then they have to go and ask a member of a different team to check their system. This wastes time and money.
For example, a member of the sales team might need to know how much a customer paid for their last order, but since this information is not in the CRM system, they must go and ask a member of the accounts team to check the accounting system.
With integrated ERP software, all the information is in the same system so all employees can see what they need to see without disturbing other teams. This doesn’t mean that everyone has access to everything – you can, of course, set restrictions which means each employee only has access to the information they actually need to complete their own roles.
One of our previous articles focused on potential limitations of your current software and technical problems you might be experiencing.
Is there anything you particularly dislike about your current software? Let me know in the comments below.
NoBlue provides flexible cloud-based solutions to businesses. If you would like to discuss how we might be able to help you with your software woes, please get in touch![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
