ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system selection is complex thought process. Why because, the selected ERP system will be the program through which almost all the functional areas of your company cling into one unified platform. It’s the nexus that connects various business functionalities, enabling you to share data and make better, data-driven decisions across your entire operations.
Implementing an ERP solution assists you to improve efficiency and get the complete visibility across all your business processes, which includes everything from purchasing, inventory control sales/marketing, asset management, HR, distribution, Finance to CRM.
Nevertheless, selecting a right ERP system can be a strenuous task. You cannot select an ERP hastily and you should not take it lightly. Significant amount of organizational resources should be allocated to procuring and implementing it. ERP implementation should have fail safe approach to avoid failed implantation which could cost you way beyond the financial investment including business functional disruption and disappointed employees & customers.
Hence, The ERP planning and selection process is critical. While many factors are to be considered when selecting an ERP system, below are key criteria you’d be astute to consider before finalizing upon an ERP system.
1.Robustness of the System
Your goal of purchasing ERP system should not be limited to your current business requirement. Any business has plan for the growth in terms of operations, technology and skills. Your ERP system should be scalable and flexible enough to adopt your business needs in future.
This signifies that ERP system is not just the standard features of it and how trouble-free the selected ERP system to adapt to changing business needs and embracing emerging technologies. If it is not customizable to fit your upcoming needs, it may be worth considering another. Ultimately, it should be an agile platform for growth.
2.Optimization of User Experience
Once it is implemented ERP will be the daily dose of system which all of your users are keying through. Different functional areas of the business have different set of data requiring users to work with data specific to their departments.
So that, system should be able to provide varied user experience to each user to generate most relevant information. In other words, an efficientERP system should be able to present the right information to the right people at the right time in a simple, accessible way.
3. Cost – Benefit Analysis
ERP system implementation incurs notable investments of time, money and resources for acquisition, testing, maintenance, infrastructure & change management etc. of your organization. Similarly, there are considerable amount of benefits that ERP system gives you including of labor cost reduction, cash flow efficiencies, growth capabilities, operations modernization and customer satisfaction improvements.
You should be conservative in comparing cost-benefit analysis and select the best-fit ERP system for your company growth.
4. The Implementation Process
Selecting the best-fit ERP system is essential, so as implementation capabilities of your selected vendor is also essential. Implementation involves Gap analysis, Planning, training, and data migration, as well as testing and go-live. It’s vital to choose a software vendor who offers comprehensive implementation support and guidance and to allocate ample time and dedicated resources for the implementation process.
5. Dedicated long-term support facility
Since an ERP system is a long-term investment, it’s important to choose a vendor that offers ongoing support and maintenance. This includes technical product support, software updates, and troubleshooting to ensure that user get the hassle-free encounter with the system. Software support will be performed both online and offline. But, crucial thing to consider is that whether the vendor has dedicated and experienced support team with them.
In conclusion, selecting the right ERP system is crucial for the success of your business. Above outlined factors could be your determining factors when choosing an ERP system that meets your business needs and helps you drive growth and success.
About MCA-eBiz ERP – More Productive: More Efficient: More Analytical
MCA-eBiz ERP is oracle based enterprise wide robust web enabled Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system in Bahrain. It has proven track records with nearly 100 project implementations in various sectors majoring trading, contracting, pharmaceutical, warehousing and retail.
Read more about MCA-eBiz ERP: https://mca-erp.com/wp/mca-ebiz/