When Is the Right Time to Implement an ERP System? Key Signs to Look For

If you find yourself wondering whether it’s time to adopt business management software, you're not alone. It can be difficult to recognize the need for a new system when you have never used one before. Many owners and managers reach this point and ask the same question.

Perhaps you’ve already begun using some form of retail POS software and are now contemplating a fully integrated system. This can help you manage not only your point of sale processes but also your:

• Inventory control
• Accounting
• Customer relationship management

One way to determine whether you need cloud-based business management software is to identify the pain points in your business processes and see if this type of system will address them. Here are a few examples…

1. You’re Spending Too Much Time in Meetings Just to Stay Aligned

Keeping your team on the same page is important. That said, you could squander a lot of time and productivity if you constantly find yourself in meetings to share business-critical information.

With an integrated system, your information is stored in a central database. Provided they have the appropriate clearance, your various departments can:

• • Access the info that they need
  • Amend or update the info when appropriate
  • Use data to drive decisions

2. You’re Making Decisions Based on Outdated Information

In your fast-paced and highly competitive world, you need current information to make effective decisions. If your business management system isn’t operating in real-time, you’re a step behind.

Rather than wait until the end of the day (or even the end of the week) to get your hands on a batch report, business management software works in real-time, giving you the tools to:

• • Generate reports on the spot
  • Choose from a range of common and customizable report options
  • Identify strengths and weaknesses
  • Act swiftly to take advantage of opportunities OR mitigate problems

To learn more about the different ways you can utilize reporting, read: 4 Metrics You Should Pay Attention to.

3. Your Systems Don’t Integrate (and Your Teams Feel It)

One of the problems with standalone platforms is they isolate your departments. If your POS retail software doesn’t mesh with your inventory control software, your sales team won’t know what your warehouse team is up to and may make things harder on them.

With business management software, collaboration is easy. Rather than segregate your information, it allows you to grant each department access to the same pool of information, including:

• • Finances
  • Sales
  • Marketing
  • Warehouse

Plus, the information only needs to be entered into the system once, so there’s less chance of error.

4. Collaboration Between Departments Is a Constant Struggle

To be truly effective, business management software should give you complete access in a remote setting. This could include being:

• • On the shop floor
  • At a different branch location
  • Away at a business conference or trade show
  • While you’re on holiday (if that’s your thing)

How Windward Software Helps

With Windward System Five, businesses can manage: