Some people are old enough to remember life before the cloud – or even before servers – when business information was truly siloed by department and sharing data was extremely time-consuming. While we have come a long way and technology has made sharing more possible, many enterprises still suffer from lack of application integration, making it difficult for business units to quickly and seamlessly share and work with accurate data in real-time.
“ERP helps companies to report, audit and comply more accurately than ever before – embrace the opportunity to look at the overarching strategy of your technology, and solve problems holistically because your driving your enterprise solution!” says Sharon Tsao, CMO, Contemporary Staffing Solutions
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) leverages sophisticated technology solutions to allow companies to create a more efficient organization. What is it, and how can organizations leverage these solutions to optimize their processes?
“ProSearch finds ERP sales representatives in volume to help build sales teams and grow your company with your next President Club winners!” says Abby Prince, Managing Director, CSS ProSearch.
What Is ERP?
ERP software is a specific solution that companies use to collect, store, manage, and communicate data across all functions of the enterprise. It breaks down silos and allows departments to share data openly and in real time, automating common tasks to streamline processes and fuel growth.
It essentially builds bridges between systems that can’t “talk” to one other to allow users to share information and work with accurate data in real-time.
Tips For A Successful ERP Rollout
ERP rollouts are complex. Success depends on several factors including:
- Leadership buy-in and support. Leaders must be committed to the change.
- Clear objectives. There must be a clear purpose for an ERP rollout, it must be strategically planned and objectives should be communicated to all impacted employees.
- Gap identification. What are the potential business problems that could arise during/after integration and how do you close those gaps?
- Implementation strategy. Implement the ERP under a time-phased approach.
- Project management. The ongoing management of the implementation plan.
- The chosen tool itself. The wrong ERP solution will not solve organizational challenges. Always consider factors like reporting, reconciling, auditing and tracking in addition to ease of use.
Potential ERP Pitfalls
ERP solutions can fuel growth, but rollouts are a minefield of potential pitfalls before, during and after implementation. They include:
- Failure to assess requirements. ERP is never a one-size-fits-all solution. It is necessary to conduct a full needs assessment to customize a tool to best fit those requirements.
- Not considering the end user. Learning new systems creates challenges for employees, so it is important to hold proper training early and often. Keep track of areas where people are getting hung up and address them quickly to ensure faster adoption and ramp-up.
- Not considering the existing stack. It is extremely important to understand how the existing technology stack will be impacted and whether specific tools and applications can actually be integrated.
- Poor budgeting. Be sure to budget for the entire project, including licensing, maintenance, implementation and customizations – not just the base cost of the tool.
Today’s business environment is fast-moving and in a constant state of evolution. Not only must a company focus on producing its goods and service – they must also focus on marketing, customer acquisition, supply chain management, gaining insight into new opportunities and so much more.
To help process the massive amounts of data generated in different parts of the organization, companies need a system in place that presents a consolidated and real-time information. ERP helps companies run their operations smoothly and in a more coordinated way, so that all units are working together and pulling in the same direction.
CSS ProSearch understands the complexities of ERP rollouts and we know that ERP reps must also understand the complexities and the pitfalls in order to successfully consult with clients. If you are looking for true enterprise software sales rock stars, the expert sales recruiters CSS are here to help. Whether you need to attract and retain top sales talent, or you are looking for advice on how to manage them for success, contact CSS ProSearch today.