How organisations can upgrade an ERP system that’s no longer working for the business
Office technology providers depend on enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to handle critical functions like inventory management, customer service, billing, and financial reporting. However, outdated or inefficient ERP systems can become a massive bottleneck as businesses grow and their needs change.
Failing to upgrade ERP systems can lead to severe inefficiencies across the business. Customer service suffers because staff don't need to access real-time data. Stock levels might become unreliable, leading to shortages or excess inventory. Financial reports take longer to prepare, with more room for error, because manual processes have to fill the gaps.
Over time, these minor issues compound, slowing operations and slowing growth. Without upgrading, businesses can find themselves stuck, spending too much time on fixes instead of focusing on improving their services and supporting their customers.
Several factors can flag if an ERP system is underperforming, including:
- delays in decision-making and difficulty accessing up-to-date information, such as inventory levels or financial metrics
- inefficiency caused by manual data transfers and frequent errors, which often indicates the ERP isn't integrating well with critical platforms like customer relationship management (CRM) or financial software
- continued reliance on manual data entry and reconciliation
- challenges handling increased transactions or new services
- rising IT costs and frequent maintenance needs, especially with outdated systems that require significant support.
How to choose the right ERP solution
The suitable ERP automates critical tasks, reduces errors, adapts to business growth, and helps prevent costly delays and inefficiencies. Here's what businesses should look for when selecting the right ERP solution:
1. Cloud-based flexibility
Cloud-based ERP systems offer flexibility that traditional on-premises systems can't match. These systems provide remote access, which is particularly valuable for office technology providers with distributed workforces or multiple locations. In addition, cloud-based solutions offer scalability without the need for costly infrastructure.
2. Industry-specific features
Office technology providers should look for ERP systems to meet their sector's needs. Key functionalities include equipment leasing management, service scheduling, and consumables tracking. A tailored ERP solution reduces the need for custom development so that industry-specific workflows are handled efficiently.
3. Intuitive and user-friendly interface
A complex and hard-to-use ERP system can result in low user adoption and employee resistance. Businesses can minimise risk by choosing a system with an intuitive interface that reduces training time and encourages more significant usage across the organisation.
4. Strong vendor support and customisation options
Vendor support can determine the success of an ERP system. Businesses should seek a vendor that provides strong post-implementation support, regular updates, and comprehensive staff training. Additionally, the ERP should be customisable to meet the business's specific needs without requiring heavy coding or IT intervention.
5. Automation as an efficiency driver
ERP systems with built-in automation can streamline inventory replenishment, billing, and service dispatching processes. Automated systems can collect and validate meter readings, generate invoices, and handle financial reporting, reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks.
Automation significantly impacts office technology providers, and choosing an automated ERP solution is crucial to maximising efficiency. Tasks like inventory tracking, service scheduling, and financial reporting are significantly streamlined, with service calls managed more efficiently through real-time data and financial reports generated faster with fewer errors. Once businesses reduce manual work, they gain more time to focus on growth and delivering better customer service.
