Much has been said on these pages regarding Software Selection and ERPs as a tool to support companies in the transition towards more advanced and performing management models. Today we would like to spend a few words on the most important factors to consider when preparing to choose the ERP to be adopted in a company.
In an increasingly technological world and hyper-connected, characterized by the massive presence of new e-commerce portals and tools Web / Mobile , markets become more competitive and actually leaving winners are those that have adapted effectively to the digital transformation.
Being productive is no longer enough: the imperative now is to be efficient.
In this industrial context, where the importance of data is becoming more and more central, it is essential to have suitable tools to manage and analyze these large amounts of information, in order to be able to make the most of them.
However, technology alone is not enough: without an adequate degree of integration between tools, organization and corporate infrastructure, the only result obtained will be that of having equipped with expensive and probably insufficient tools.
What guarantees the success of contemporary companies is a skilful mix of automation, technological integration and a modern organizational paradigm that supports an 'open' vision of the corporate organizational system.
Adopt innovative information management processes, automate manual operations in order to allow human resources to create value, dedicating more time to strategic choices and reducing the margins of error and the timing related to operations.
All this is made possible not only by a vision and a modern approach to business organization, but also by modern ERP Software solutions in UAE.
Enterprise Resource Planning software (commonly known as ERP), present on the market for over thirty years, have now reached full maturity, establishing themselves as the most suitable solutions for supporting companies during the innovation process: allowing the automation of routine operations, reduce inefficiencies and connected times, lightening the workload of operators and reducing risk margins.
The aim of today's article is to assist and guide companies in choosing the ERP (and software house ) that best suits their business needs.
The ( ERP Selection) phase is in fact extremely delicate: facing the process of choosing the ideal ERP for your company is a revealing moment for the success of your project in the long term.
But let's get to the point: the fundamental factors for choosing the ideal ERP for your company are 5, let's see them together.
1 - The software
The product is the basis of the ERP selection process: the result of this choice will define which system and how it will be integrated into your organizational structure.
It is essential to choose a product that:
⁃ is specific to the needs of your industry;
⁃ meets the needs and objectives of your company;
⁃ integrates as closely as possible to the organizational structure.
ERP selection is a process that takes time: it is a phase that must be faced carefully and with care, making a hasty decision would mean losing more time and above all a lot of money.
The software chosen should therefore automate and reduce production and warehouse times and costs , reducing the workload of the operators and optimizing the related processes; autonomously process incoming and outgoing orders, manage and store documents and ascertain the truthfulness of the information transmitted.
This would mean, for production and internal logistics, cutting-edge management both in terms of means and methodologies (radiofrequency terminals for operators and warehouse management that saves time and work for employees).
2. Scalability, Usability and Flexibility
The second fundamental factor concerns some characteristics of the product : in particular, the ability of the software to scale as the size and needs of the company increase, to adapt to business stimuli and needs and to offer a good degree of usability for operators. .
The scalability is very important for the sustainable growth of a company: in a globalized economy, competition is global and permanent, for this reason it is necessary to adapt their methods and instruments to changing environmental circumstances.
This characteristic is therefore strictly connected to a company's ability to grow , making the choice of ERP critical also as regards the sustainability of the company in the markets.
The flexibility has to do with the ability to adapt to different logical reasoning through software, using different methods for different production lines, for example.
A flexible system is able to change its processes quickly and without additional costs, allowing business continuity even in times of strong change: in a hyper-connected context such as the one we experience every day, it is a winning feature for all companies. .
L ' usability rather concerns the relationship between the software and end users, then those who will use it during your daily work routine. The software must in fact offer an excellent degree of usability, trying to be intuitive and immediate in use, while reducing the margins of error and the associated costs.
3. Implementation
ERP implementation is probably the most delicate phase when you find yourself integrating a new management system into the company. This is because we inevitably find ourselves dealing with our own organization and with our own methods: as we have said several times (and we will never tire of saying), the integration of an ERP must be part of a more modern perspective. broad , involving the processes and methodology in use and calling them into question .
Introducing an ERP into a company is a process that can take a lot of time and resources: for this reason, you should rely on serious System Integrators (link Middleware) with proven experience in the field.
A software house prepared and tested in the sector could integrate an ERP management software in just over a month (if all the upstream work has been done with great care and attention), minimizing the inconvenience and costs to be incurred for the company.
It should be noted, however, that it is not just about integrating as quickly as possible: it is much better to waste extra hours or days to ensure that the implementation was successful, rather than having to fix everything once the installation is finished. ; such a mistake could be very costly.
4. The technology
The technology , you know, is the driver of innovation . This is even truer for ERP, as the ability of the software to integrate with the organizational structure of the company that will adopt it depends mainly on the technology on which it is based.
In fact, the ERP will have to interface with databases, external applications ( Customer Relationship Management and Human Resource Management programs for example) and web platforms, such as an E-Commerce site.
The software chosen must therefore possess all the technological requirements necessary to adapt and integrate in the best possible way with the company's organizational structure, responding to its needs and avoiding distorting its operations.
A software house could offer solutions based on different information architectures, perhaps preferring certain programming languages or offering different software hosting possibilities (on premise or in the cloud).
5. Additional services
Very often a real lasting relationship is created between the customer and the System Integrator , which begins right in the ERP selection phase.
Especially in a critical moment like the one we are experiencing, ensuring business continuity is a fundamental factor for long-term sustainable growth.
Indeed, it is precisely in critical moments that you can see the professionalism and preparation of a system integrator, capable of guaranteeing business continuity through system support and disaster recovery .
For this reason, it is advisable to choose a software house that has already had experience in your sector , has results and case studies to show you, better if it matures on the management software market and with a solid product behind it .
In AA-CAS we have a team prepared to support you in the growth of your business: with an expertise gained in over 7 years of experience in the sector, in listening to and assisting United Arab Emirates SMEs on their way to innovation and business evolution, we offer our skills to put them at the service of United Arab Emirates companies.