Technology has been advancing at a record pace to help wholesalers navigate volatile market and economic uncertainties. You will now find robots operating warehouses and artificial intelligence programs taking online orders. However, many wholesalers are unable to take advantage of these new solutions because they still have a legacy ERP system running their business.
An ERP is the heart of a wholesaler’s supply chain. It’s where all your crucial business information is stored and managed. Unfortunately, if you have a legacy system you run the risk of creating digital debts, infrastructure holes and data gaps. These will ultimately slow your business down and leave you trailing behind your competitors.
We’ve identified the four most common signs that its time you replace your ERP system:
You lack the ability to update or change elements of your system
The key issue with a legacy system is that it’s often no longer supported or maintained by the provider. This means you won’t be able to change elements of how it works without costly development work. As your business grows and regulatory demands change, your system will not be able to keep up because it is not agile or scalable. Don’t let your old ERP system hinder your business’s growth potential, instead find one that enables your staff to spend less time on paperwork and more time maximising your revenue.
You rely on individuals for information rather than your system
Do you have to wait until the end of the day to learn about the orders processed or worse, until the end of the month to see overdue invoice payments? There is no need. The ability to see the latest business activity and performance is one of the hallmarks of a modern digital supply chain. Wholesalers today require real-time information to remain competitive and respond to business issues. However, if you have a legacy system you will have limited reporting capabilities. This means you will not be able to make time-critical decisions about the businesses and may mean business success and business failure.
You have multiple systems that don’t integrate with each other
It’s easy to assume that undertaking a digital transformation means implementing the latest tech solutions. However, if these new systems are unable to communicate effectively with your ERP, you run the risk of them becoming a burden to your business. If your staff have to import information from one system to another, or export data into spreadsheets for further analysis, then your business is not as efficient as it could be.
Your system is not mobile friendly
If you have a sales team that work out of the office, you need to ensure they have access to the latest product trends and sales performance. Therefore, your customer relationship management (CRM) system needs to be optimised for mobile and tablet systems while they’re on the go. If not, they could miss out on a range of new sales opportunities.
If some or all of these sound familiar then it’s time to consider replacing your ERP system with Accord. A cutting-edge supply chain solution to help you cut costs and maximise business opportunities
To find out more about how Accord could benefit your business contact David Hughes on 0161 355 3000 or email sales@bcpsoftware.com