Webb Insights: Business & Technology

Here is another way to think about the question: Once you hit a certain level of scale, there is no way you can effectively manage your business without having connectivity in your processes. Not having an ERP can lead to: 1. Late deliveries 2. Poor quality 3. Poor responsiveness 4. Poor support All of this will ulitmately lead to dissatisfied customers and that might cost your company customers and new business! Truly, the kind of ERP you choose and how you implement it determine its usefulness in your business. Yes, ERP generally enables you to keep track of inventory and automatically updates you on changes therein. There are other ways that ERP can save your business money for the long haul, as well. Because every operation within the business in monitored and recorded on a central system, administrators can get a much clearer picture of the strengths and weaknesses within the business' systems - aka what's working and what needs improvement - so they...

In my last few blogs I've discussed integration on a more technical level. I now want to approach it high level. Why are new-generation companies like Apple, Salesforce, Google and prosperous start-ups like AirBnB and Uber more successful than the majority of (traditional) businesses? True, a major part of their success is their courage to leave the beaten path and adopt different, often disruptive business models. However, the other real commonality is their understanding that, nowadays, business success is dictated by customers rather than operations. If companies want to be successful in this era, it is high time to shift focus from internal processes (operations, ERP) to external activities (customer marketing, CRM), not in an isolated, siloed approach, but integrated into all disciplines. An effective strategy in this regard needs to be the foundation for your organization's execution in the 21st century.