
Key cost areas to consider when deciding on an ERP solution:
- User numbers: The number of users is one of the biggest cost factors to consider. It is important to check this cost and to also bear the licence fee in mind. Some solutions will come at a lower cost per user but have a higher licence fee.
- Architecture: Because each ERP implementation has to take the specific need of the business into account, look for a system that is designed with flexibility and priced for a growing organisation. Ensuring that the system has the ability to integrate into any systems you might need in the future eliminates future complications and costs.
- In-house vs 3rd party implementation: For any business seeking to contain costs, it makes sense to use a third- party with experience in ERP implementations, integrations and processes. This is especially true for more complex organisations. The last thing any business needs is inconsistencies in integrations which will come at a great cost to resolve.
Business cost-savings to look forward to
- Expanded business and customer base: Customer centricity is key to business success. With opportunity management, web-based CRM and e-commerce capabilities, a complete customer view across sales, distribution, and financials can help the business uncover new ways to serve customers faster and better.
- Proactive control – A business that has automatic alerts, workflows, and can respond quickly to key business events and customer needs moves out of the reactive, time-consuming “fire drills”.
- Streamlined operations – Seamless integration of key business processes such as sales, purchasing, inventory, and financials together eliminates redundant data entries and errors.
- Adaptation to changing needs – With easy-to-use customisation tools, the business can tailor its ERP solution to fit specific business needs and individual user preferences.
- Rapid ROI – This is where ERP cost-saving benefits really come to the fore. The best ERP solutions are quick to implement and increase productivity and control for enhanced profitability.
- Best practice industry solutions. ERP solutions for SMEs can give smaller business the same depth of functionality enjoyed by their much larger competitors.