When it comes to selecting the ERP system that will run your business, you want to talk to someone with experience—specifically, a manufacturing professional grappling with the same challenges you face, and one who has been through the entire process.
At Plex Systems, we know a few individuals who fit this bill. Here are a few nuggets of hard-earned wisdom from professionals with titles that range from CIO to plant manager to IT director in both discrete and process manufacturing industries:
Go with a system that meets your specific needs.
It may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many manufacturing companies choose a system with missing functionality. Either they don’t think about it ahead of time, or they plan to customize the system after the fact. You’re in the business of manufacturing. Not ERP development, correct?
Let go of the past.
Many manufacturers want their new system to look and function like their legacy ERP solution. The reality is, you’re not spending time and effort implementing a new system to get the same results. Think about how the system will make everyone in your company more efficient and effective in their day-to-day work, and adapt your solution to the way you do business.
Rely on best practices.
A good ERP system has proven best practices built in. Adopting those practices will deliver better results than sticking to the way you’ve always done things. That’s not to say you shouldn’t do the things you’ve done to give your company a competitive edge—but new results require new ways of thinking. ERP developers with manufacturing expertise know this and have built a tremendous amount of flexibility into their solutions to accommodate the uniqueness of your business.
Embrace the cloud.
More manufacturers are reaping the benefits of cloud ERP. For small- to mid-sized companies, there’s no large capital expense upfront, and the cloud’s scalability makes competing with bigger enterprises easier. And contrary to many assumptions, security is not an issue. A reputable cloud ERP vendor will deliver a high level of security and availability because it’s the key to their business model—and their success.
Author: Plex
