ERP definition
ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning.
When we talk about ERP, we’re generally referring to an ERP solution. This solution can take the form of a mobile or web application, software, tool or system.
An ERP is a software package or application that automates company management, thanks to the information it gathers from the company’s database. The data comes from the company’s various departments, such as accounting, supply chain, sales force, marketing and human resources.
This information will enable us to better understand the current status of customers and potential customers, so that we can offer personalized help and offers. Understand stock levels and upcoming deliveries.
Taking into account your company’s specific needs and requirements is the first step in identifying your needs and choosing the best ERP solution for your organization.
What's the point of ERP?
For those already working with ERP, it’s hard to imagine working without it. For those who like to work in a well-organized and well-organized environment, this type of software is ideal..
Integrated management is extremely important for all companies, because they simply wouldn’t exist without customers. ERP makes it possible to track what’s going on between customers and the company, so that informed decisions can be made.
Centralized information
If you want to manage your customers and your business as efficiently as possible, you also need to personalize it as much as possible. Every customer has his or her own needs, habits and desires, just as your company operates in a unique way. So it’s clear that having a tool that’s tailored to your organization and enables you to bring out your company’s unique customer culture is a real plus.
By consolidating data within a single tool and making it accessible to those who need it, ERP will enable all employees to share the same working methods, as well as the same information. This will prevent sales from missing opportunities because they were unaware of certain information. For example, that a customer was waiting for help to make a purchase.
This information will enable us to better understand where our customers stand, and track potential customers so that we can offer help or personalized offers.
Inventory management
In the same way, we’ll have a global view of stocks and upcoming deliveries.
This provides a real-time overview of the arrival of new products, and identifies links in the supply chain that are experiencing failures, or that need to be optimized.
Employees will be able to anticipate their tasks thanks to ERP software. Users have real-time access to inventories, sales and deliveries, for example. They can quickly and easily replenish stock to meet new demand.
Contact management
As your company grows, so does its customer database, customer portfolio and customer file.
It’s getting harder and harder to centralize information and organize conversations with customers and potential customers.
Important conversations and information are lost in e-mails, Excel files at the back of computers, on loose sheets of paper or in the memories of your colleagues.
All this prevents proper handling of customers, prospects, leads and suspects. You lose opportunities, and you may lose customers who are dissatisfied with your customer service. In short, you’re losing money.
This is where ERP comes in: it enables all company employees to find customer information in a single tool, making it easier to share and retrieve data. What’s more, it’s easier to communicate with customers and prospects now that the company’s sales people have access to the history of interactions between them and the company. They can be precise and know the potential customer’s needs in advance.
Accessible from anywhere
The majority of ERP solutions are in the form of Saas. Saas is an acronym for software as a service.
SaaS software is stored on cloud servers that can be accessed directly via the Internet. Unlike software that has to be downloaded to the user’s computer, SaaS software can be accessed directly via a web browser.
Accessibility is one of the advantages of the Saas method: software can be used from anywhere.Whether you’re traveling or at home, all information is accessible.
Upgrades are also a big plus, as the software can be improved over time and the service can be enhanced.
The price is also attractive: Saas is payable monthly, so there’s no need to pay a large sum of money up front.
Last but not least, SaaS software is easy to install: all you need to do is go to your search engine to use it.
SaaS software offers huge benefits, flexibility and unparalleled ease of operation for businesses. Working from home or abroad is no longer a problem.
Company overview and statistics
Companies of all sizes need data to know which direction to take, and which decisions to make. ERP software will enable you to bring together data from many different tools, such as Google Analytics, your website, your application, your social networks, your various departments, your factories and your distribution centers, for example.
Now that all information is centralized in one place, it’s quick and easy to generate statistics from this data. And that’s not all. It’s now easier to make the right decisions, because you have data to fall back on.
You’ll be able to find out how current customers have contacted you and what they’re looking for, enabling you to improve your customer service and prospecting.
Thanks to the Dashboards provided by ERP software, you’ll have an instant view of the information you need, and this will enable better sharing of essential information between employees.
Task automation
An ERP allows you to automate recurring, time-consuming tasks, meaning that certain actions will be carried out automatically to follow up on what you’ve defined. For example, it can automatically generate daily reports based on data entered into the ERP system.
It will improve these tasks by making no mistakes, and will help identify expenses that can be reduced. By automating these tasks, you’ll be able to cut costs and increase your budget in other important areas of your business.
Planning and anticipation
In the business world, it’s essential to be proactive rather than reactive, in order to achieve maximum growth. Thanks to ERP software and the history you have of your customers, potential customers, sales revenue, margins, sales and so on…
With ERP, you’ll be able to anticipate the future! Or rather, the software will try to predict the future for you, by trying to understand how your business is growing each year, and the changes that are taking place.
By sticking to the data in the ERP software and drawing up a detailed strategic plan, the company can stay one step ahead of its competitors.
Data will be at the heart of your strategy, and therefore of your decisions. A more secure way of looking to the future and defining the direction of each department. This data can also be communicated to your employees to justify your decisions and facilitate their acceptance.
How to choose the right ERP software?
In short, just as ERPs all have different functionalities, so all companies and markets are equally unique. Of course, there are other benefits specific to certain software packages.
ERP software is essential to keep a similar roadmap for the whole company. Consumers are not equal in the eyes of the company, and ERP software will enable you to identify those who are essential to your business, allowing you to spend less and keep things simple.
ERP is essential for companies that collect data on many different departments.
An ERP must be adapted to the type of organization, size and market of the company using it.
Without data, ERP is useless: convincing employees to use it is therefore essential.
ERP software allows you to find areas for improvement and keep all your staff on the same page.
Come and find out more about our ERP system specially designed for travelling sales representatives and independent sales representatives.