Here’s a not-so-fun-fact: many growing small to medium-sized businesses don’t even know that they’re in need of a more modern enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution until they’ve run into a bottleneck.
Of course, it’s much better to be proactive instead of reactive, and using new technology effectively is critical to company survival and growth. A cloud-based ERP solution is able to evolve with the needs of your business while being faster, cheaper, and easier than on-premise solutions - and who doesn’t want that?
Let’s run through a quick list of core business functions: accounting, payroll management, marketing automation, business intelligence and analytics, and customer relationship management. How many of these areas are crucial to your everyday business operations? Now, which can you afford to fall behind on or go without? If you’re like most businesses, the answer to that is none.
These functions are the main drivers for businesses on the hunt for a cloud-based ERP. The right tool provides a more efficient method of getting things done, with three benefits that are hard to ignore: more cost-effective, easier and faster to deploy, and more flexible.
There are lots of fish in the sea, so before jumping into the market for a new ERP, it’s important to begin with an internal evaluation to figure out what your needs are (a wise man once said to “start with the man in the mirror”). Set the stage by asking yourself: “What are our key business goals?” “What outcomes need to be supported?” and, “What capabilities or customizations will I need?” You may even discover that to implement the proper solution, an external partner or consultant could also be a good investment.
This type of exploration is imperative before journeying too far into the buying process in order to avoid common pitfalls. You want to steer clear of underbuying (falling short of your needs) as well as overbuying (overwhelming your business with complex features you don’t need and are hard to use). Ultimately, an ideal ERP solution will grow with you, allowing you to take a reasonable pace at improving your business without demanding too much change at once.
Luckily, choosing the right ERP isn’t rocket science. Here are four key product attributes that’ll lead you in the right direction:
Once the final decision has been made, the next step is to start the onboarding and implementation process. And with the right help, that doesn’t have to be as scary as it sounds.
Choosing the right ERP partner is just as important as choosing the right business solution. Ultimately, you need a partner that takes a trustworthy, customer-centric approach long before they’ve won your business. Curious about what exactly you should be looking for?
At Rockton Connect, our focus is on solving real problems for real people. We aim to listen more than we talk so that we can provide organizations with the information and resources needed to make the best business decisions, possible. And when paired with Acumatica - the leading ERP solution for growing businesses - our customers quickly realize that we bring a lot more than just technology to the table. We change the way you work to be Simpler and Easier®.