Many small businesses struggle with old accounting solutions that can't keep up with their growth. You need a solution tailored for your business.
Before selecting ERP software for your small business, it's critical to understand what the needs (and pain points) of your business are and if ERP software will help you address them.
For example, do you sometimes struggle with inconsistent data from different business areas? Or do you find it difficult to find up-to-date financial information when you need it? These are often key signs that your business is outgrowing its accounting software. However, recognising that your small business is ready for software like ERP is only the first step.
You need to consider your budget for migrating to ERP software and how long this process will take. You'll also need to consider if your company wants a cloud, on-site or best-of-breed solution. There are no easy answers because it depends on the size and scope of your business.
What ERP means for small business
In rapidly growing smaller businesses, managers sometimes can't see what's happening in every area of the business. They may, for example, not know how much inventory their business has or requires. ERP means owners and managers can see what's happening in every area of their business, including: administration and operational functions, HR, procurement, manufacturing, warehousing, sales and marketing, customer service and more.
Why ERP fails
Any small business owner who wants an ERP software solution to succeed must first gather requirements from all stakeholders and carefully plan the project in advance if they want to see ROI.
ERP software's reputation for being painful, expensive and difficult to use puts off many small businesses who are ready to take the next step. What's more, many ERP projects fail because small business managers don't consider:
Most small businesses will find that cloud ERP software is typically cheaper to adopt and implement than on-site solutions, due to the nature of SaaS. However, these small businesses could be better served by considering a solution that combines the best of cloud ERP and on-site ERP software.
The good news is an ERP solution is affordable, flexible and easy to implement. It'll help you and your small business work differently.
Give Feedback