Things to consider when purchasing
an ERP or CRM system
Finding the right software
The client must pick out a system that will meet the client's needs of today and scale them as they continue to grow and change.
7 Critical Reasons for Organizations to Adopt CRM
“CRM,” or Customer Relationship Management, is often thought of only as a software product. The reality is that CRM is more than this; it is a system to manage every touch or contact point a company has with its customers and prospects. The software becomes the tool to effectively capture, maintain, and retrieve customer and prospect information. (more...)
Integrated ERP and CRM System Issues
New companies that are getting started tend to want two things regarding software. They want easy scalability so they are not investing time and resources for one year only, and then have to reinvest in a larger system a few years down the road; they want a system that will scale in size with them. The second thing they want is to control startup costs. They want an application that scales in price as well as functionality. If they are smaller, they want to pay less, and as they grow larger and begin to have deeper pockets, they will have the ability and willingness to pay for more. Servers and the networks that allow people to access data from outside the building can be very expensive and cost-prohibitive for a small startup company. (more...)
Choosing a System
Most companies have and use multiple applications in different departments to run their business. In most cases, that software does not share information or “talk to each other.” This tends to create a need for duplicate data entry where mistakes are made and productivity goes down. When all the numbers are originating from the same place, everyone reads from the same map. There is not the “sales numbers” and the “marketing numbers,” which are vastly different. How is management going to make a decision if they can’t even start from a stable position? (more...)
System reporting / Return on investment
One of the most critical needs a company has is their ability to see where they are (and have been) so they can properly navigate in the future. There are two primary advantages of reporting with an ERP. One is the ability to slice and dice information in such custom ways that it provides extremely detailed information in a specific area. The other important aspect of an ERP system is that it takes data from a single source, which allows someone to create consistent reports (everyone working from the same data). (more...)
Customer relationship manager
“CRM,” or customer relationship manager, is often misconstrued as a software. The reality is that a CRM is a system of how to manage every touch and contact that a company has with a customer or potential customer. The software side of the CRM is a tool that helps a company manage their customers. Each time a customer has contact with a company, they have an expectation of what the experience will be and then the actual experience, regardless of who they talk to or how they interact with that company. If they speak to a sales/customer service representative or go to the website, the experience needs to be the same and it needs to be recorded in one place to get the most accurate view of the customer. (more...)
Hosted service vs. in-house server
A hosted service, software as a service (SaaS) or ASP vs. an in-house server(s), with the company’s data held internally. The question of where to keep and house your software and data is not always as obvious as it may first seem. (more...)
Finding the right implementer
The client must pick out the right VAR (Value Added Reseller) that will make the commitment to really understand the client's business and needs. Once the needs are met and a course of action is set, the VAR must be able to produce the results that the client needs, and do it on time and under budget. There is very little value in picking out the perfect software only to not have it implemented to meet the needs of the company.
Finding a good VAR/implementer
The most important part of the process in implementing a new system is finding a good VAR or implementer. The VAR will often help the customer to ensure they have selected the correct software. After all, it is the VAR/implementer that is going to get stuck making the software work for the company, so it behooves them to help the customer make good decisions. They are also the company that trains the end users and often supports them in general and with future upgrades. (more...)
Getting the right training
The last aspect is just as important as the first two and often undervalued. Once the right system is found and once it is implemented into the company, there must be comprehensive training and support for the end users. The best software which is brilliantly implemented is of no value if the end users don't know how to successfully use it.
Change management
Change management tends to have two aspects: A consistent and powerful change management message from management, and proper training on how the system will be a change that is good for the end user. While it may sound odd, the change needs to be accepted by every end user. The most efficient way to do this is to make sure it is personal. In other words, make sure everyone knows how it will help or benefit them specifically. (more...)
