Why ERP Partnerships are not like Marriage

Why ERP is like a Marriage

Business Relationships are like Marriages:

 

A business relationship is often likened to that of a marriage requiring a long-term commitment and compromises from both parties. However, the partnership between organisations and their enterprise resource planning (ERP) vendors are significantly more nuanced. Using the wedding analogy, It requires commitment and consideration from the entire family.
 

Unlike a marriage where what others think do not matter, ERP implementations need to be cognisant of the expectations of all business users. It is such a mission-critical element of the organisation that the sentiment of every stakeholder needs to be considered before embracing a new system or upgrading an existing one. In the past, ERP installations were driven by IT departments and others had to fall in line. Modern organisations require a different, more integrated approach that welcomes feedback from all users.
 

And while you are unlikely to share your significant other with someone else, business-critical systems benefit from working with partners who have relationships with other organisations. Just consider the experience they have addressing unique scenarios and being able to customise the ERP system accordingly. Chances are if you are having a specific challenge, such an experienced partner would know how to solve it. If you restrict your partner to an ‘exclusive’ relationship with just your business, you lose access to all that intellectual capital,
 

Embrace change:

 

The rewards of a healthy relationship are often intangible. But do you really want your business to not know the value derived from its ERP implementation? Measuring the success of the partnership should be done in the real-world terms, either in financial returns or other business benefits. If there is no real return on investment from your ERP vendor, then there really is no point in working with them.

 

Part of this is having the capacity to upgrade. While people can evolve and change, you cannot ‘plug’ new features in to them. However, with ERP systems your business should expect such continuous enhancements that reflect changing technology patterns. With digital transformation impacting on all aspects of the organisation, ERP must be able to adapt to more flexible approaches. Your service provider must be able to customise the implementation while you remain focused on your business strategy.

 

Some might think that, like marriage, your commitment to your ERP vendor should be made upfront and be a lifelong partnership. Realistically, very few business relationships last the distance. Instead, you should be able to work with the service provider at your own pace and in such a way that brings value according to your business priorities.
 

Transforming your Solution:

 

In many respects, this also means your ERP partner should be there to take care of your organisational needs. While our spouses cannot spend all their time looking after us, the vendor partnership is one that must be focused on pro-actively identifying issues and helping your business overcome them.
 

This brings us to the power of communication and accessibility. While we will not be able to maintain a successful marriage by only talking to one another remotely, with ERP this is critical. Being able to embrace mobile and cloud technologies will empower you to have access to the data you need and have conversations with your partner irrespective of physical location and time.
 

The digital world is all about personalisation. And while a successful marriage is not about correcting each other, the ERP partnership requires that. You should be able to have a customised offering that reflects your immediate needs with your partner able to enhance it as those needs evolve and the business market changes.
 

Partners in Growth

 

While personal relationships are exactly that, it will be advantageous for your business if your ERP provider works with other organisations. This provides your business with a partner that has a broader perspective of not only challenges specific to your industry but to others as well. Using this experience, the partner will better be able to deliver business value to your organisation.
 

Ultimately, sharing your ERP partner will only make for a stronger relationship. This can happen both external to the organisation as well as internal. Getting all stakeholders involved will result in improved employee supplier relationships but also better customer satisfaction.

Embracing a Mobile ERP World:

Mobile ERP

Stuart Scanlon Speaks on Mobile ERP:

 

The popular IT vernacular of last year – cloud computing, big data, and virtualisation – has been replaced with the likes of mobility and digital transformation. And yet, the building blocks of enterprise resource planning (ERP) remain integral to the success of the business. How then is the new dynamic impacting on such a fundamental technological component?

 

Given the imminent arrival of new multi-national data centres in South Africa, much attention has turned to the feasibility of going the cloud route (likely still a hybrid approach) for local businesses. Certainly, while companies across different sectors have started to embrace virtualised solutions, many analysts expect a significantly more mainstream adoption once those new data centres open in 2018.

 

Becoming Mobile First:

Apart from addressing concerns that exist around potential bandwidth limitations of accessing data hosted thousands of kilometres away on other continents, the new local data centres will see faster (and more reliable) connectivity between corporate users and their mission-critical information. Already, we are seeing businesses embrace mobile enterprise solutions to gain real-time insights while out in the field.

 

Of course, a further advantage of going the local route is the fact that any potential compliance and regulatory concerns are taken care of by keeping data within the borders of the country. This is contributing to Africa being a mobile-first continent. Even South African businesses are becoming less focused on rolling out traditional solutions and more geared towards being mobile-friendly.

 

Impact of Mobile on ERP:

This push towards mobile is driving the need for easier and faster ways to access data while away from the office. It stands to reason that accessing systems on a smartphone or tablet is becoming a corporate priority.

 

For this to work effectively, ERP needs to transform as well. In fact, mobile ERP is one of the biggest growth areas for vendors in the months (and potentially years) to come. By creating an enabling environment for mobile ERP systems, business users will be able to access everything from reports and job processes to financial data and other components while working remotely.

 

Granted, several solutions already exist in this space to help drive mobile ERP, but there is still significant opportunity for refinement. Effectively integrating with the back-end database wherever it is located becomes a priority. All the user-friendliness and design engagement mean very little if the right information is not accessible quickly and reliably.

 

A ERP Solution for All:

Significantly, these mobile ERP solutions can cater for organisations of all sizes. Even small to medium enterprises can benefit from this mobile approach with ERP becoming more affordable. Despite the hype around the cloud and virtualization, the business benefits they bring to the digital transformation initiatives of businesses cannot be ignored.

 

So, while mobile ERP might still be considered a relatively niche field amidst all the excitement of other digital initiatives, it will be a vital element of any business strategy. How decision-makers will implement it and integrate with the rest of their data-driven solutions will be an ongoing part of the process.

 

Irrespective the way forward, companies who have been ignoring the mobile route need to start re-examining their approaches before it is too late. Digital waits for no one.

Epicor expands South African footprint

Astria Technologies

Epicor Appoints Astraia Technology:

ERP Suite of Business Solutions:

Western Cape technology consulting firm Astraia Technology has been appointed as an Epicor Value Added Reseller (VAR) through South African distributor Epic ERP. This sees companies in the region benefitting from strong local support for the global enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite of business solutions.

 

We are extremely excited to have Astraia on board. They have a solid reputation in the Western Cape and is the business partner of choice for many organisations across industry sectors. Epicor is strongly positioned in South Africa and we have seen companies embrace its cloud-centric approach to meet the requirements of the digital age. Astraia will further cement this thinking with its customers as it provides specialist consulting services that align with the Epicor strategic objectives,” says Stuart Scanlon, managing director of epic ERP.

 

David Bryant, CEO of Astraia, says this appointment is not just about the technology solutions available through epic ERP but is also a reflection of the shared values of both organisations.

 

“For us, it is about the power of relationship. Like us, Epic ERP believes in honesty, integrity, and excellence. Add to this the extent at which Epicor meets business requirements, and you have room for almost infinite possibilities,” believes Bryant.

 

According to Bryant, companies in the Western Cape are committed to capitalising on opportunities as the area has become one of the fastest-growing in the country. Astraia clients range from financial services to mining and manufacturing. The company focuses on the process of ERP and will look at integrating all its solutions to bring value through the Epicor suite.

 

Companies are more open to ERP than in the past as it has become more affordable and accessible because of the benefits that cloud computing provide. This partnership with epic ERP provides us with the opportunity to offer our customers the best in technology solutions built upon the foundation of our strong relationship with them and epic ERP,” he concludes.