The COVID-19 pandemic will not stop businesses that have embraced the ERP way to work
With supply chain fragility top of mind, suppliers are focusing on how to get their products to customers while observing the required compliance trails. The reality is that with the appropriate use of ERP technology, solutions exist that enable business continuity for small and medium enterprise owners in this fragile economy. Although the adoption rate is increasing, many businesses are not aware of its importance.
鈥淏ecause the landscape has changed dramatically, now is the time for companies to turn to digital channels to grow revenue and attract new customers,鈥 says Heinrich de Leeuw, MD, Seidor Africa. 鈥淭he success of these initiatives will depend on access to digital solutions that are scalable, secure and stable. Seidor Africa鈥檚 partnership with Aphix marries a best-of-breed ERP solution with the ability to reach new markets through a quick and easy e-commerce solution.鈥
Seidor Africa and Aphix Software offer SME retailers, wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers an听听that can be seamlessly integrated in real-time with 51风流Business One. It includes B2B trade portals, B2B and B2C Web shops, field sales, van sales and customer ordering apps.
The experience of many industries during the country鈥檚 lockdown has demonstrated how important it is to be able to run uninterrupted operations and to communicate with customers. This requires businesses of all sizes to become digitally integrated and to digitalise their operations so as to drive efficiencies and build a more productive and data-led business.
In the current scenario, 12- to 18-month forecasts are no longer relevant; planning has become a month-to-month activity that must ensure alignment between elements such as stock levels, customer orders and delivery schedules. 鈥淩eal-time accurate stock management, replenishment and efficient order fulfilment is how companies will harness the power of an ERP system to run an agile and resilient operation,鈥 says De Leeuw. 鈥淐utting manual tasks and automating business-critical functions will help achieve business targets.鈥
De Leeuw points out that ERP technology enables SME owners and directors to have a real-time dashboard of important data in the business. 鈥淢aking intelligence-based decisions does not have to break the bank. We ask our clients: 鈥業n our current context, can you afford not to have a digitally intelligent business?鈥
鈥淣ow is the time when business owners need a 360-degree view of their company with an integrated, easy-to-use solution that links all components. The bottom line is that the benefits of an ERP system far outweigh the upfront cost, because it can really transform the fortunes of a business.鈥
The benefits of an ERP solution include:
- Increased ROI:听Return on investment is achieved through integrated information sharing, increased efficiency, real-time data access and governance, improved inventory management and reduced costs.
- Improved analytics:听Analytics allows for more informative decisions, helping companies to work through stressful times.
- Real-time information:听Real-time information is available across any part of the business.
- Improved productivity:听By enhancing business workflows, employee performance is improved.
- Increased customer satisfaction:听An ERP system helps companies deliver goods to customers faster, improve productivity and implement inventory control. It can foster better customer communication at a time when customer retention is vital.
- Compliance and risk management:听ERP systems facilitate regulatory compliance.
- Flexibility, scalability, longevity:听With cloud-based ERP there is no need to go through numerous different software systems and implementations in the future.
- Standardisation:听Standardised business processes ensure increased control and reliability of information.
- Improved reporting:听With instant visibility analysis capabilities, companies can manage and monitor financial performance in real-time.
- Improved inventory management:听Stock availability and location information is available in real-time, whether in transit, in the warehouse, in the online store or in the shop.
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