Hvis ERP-leverandøren din har designet programvaren sin riktig, og du har kunnet dra nytte av nye funksjoner etter hvert som virksomheten din har utviklet seg, gratulerer. Du er en av de heldige. De fleste selskaper med en aldrende ERP begynner imidlertid å oppleve problemer og blir mer og mer avhengige av løsninger, regneark og tredjepartsapper.
Samtidig blir leverandørens supportmedarbeidere tregere til å svare på supportforespørsler og i økende grad unnskyldende ettersom virksomheten din hemmes av det som nå har blitt foreldet programvare.
I fjor spådde analysefirmaet Gartner en økning i ERP-investeringer ettersom flere produsenter presser på for å renovere og erstatte eldre ERP-systemer. Et av de viktigste initiativene er å modernisere ERP-systemer for å styrke kritiske forretningsfunksjoner og akselerere forretningsgjennomføringen. Dette inkluderer mer robuste systemer og dataintegrasjoner på tvers av plattformer.
Å bytte til et nytt ERP-system er ingen triviell sak og kan være en kostbar affære. Ordtaket «hvis det ikke er ødelagt, ikke reparer det» gjelder absolutt for mange ellers fremtidsrettede selskaper. Disse bedriftene fortsetter å tåle utdatert programvare og dårlig service til tross for et personale som har blitt vant til programvarens små særegenheter og som er motstandsdyktige mot endringer .
Hvis du bruker mer og mer tid på å prøve å få den eldre programvaren din til å gjøre det den ikke er laget for å gjøre, eller hvis du stadig tyr til en midlertidig løsning, kan det være på tide å vurdere å erstatte ERP-systemet ditt. Ved å bruke et utdatert system risikerer du forretningsproduktivitet, IT-sikkerhet og generell kundetilfredshet.
Så, når er det på tide å seriøst vurdere et nytt ERP-system?
Her er fem tegn på at tiden er inne:
1. Your vendor no longer supports your ERP software
Software vendors are under intense pressure to keep their applications competitive. Often, this means wholesale transitions to a new underlying platform or a complete end-of-life (EOL) of your version of their software. As a result, they set a date after which they will no longer offer support, updates and patches on the legacy software that allow it to run its best and respond to evolving security threats. While the product may still work for you on a day-to-day basis, the lack of incremental improvements will eventually cause problems. For example, if you just bought new hardware, like a laptop, and cannot load the ERP, that’s a sure sign you may need to make a change.3
2. Your ERP software doesn’t offer real-time visibility into your sales, manufacturing processes and supply chain
If your current ERP lacks real-time visibility into your inventory or manufacturing processes or if you can’t view data at every stage in your supply chain in real time, it’s time to upgrade or replace your ERP. The best software lets you easily access this critical information to make informed decisions.
Contemporary ERP is delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS) and is cloud-based software, providing complete business visibility and a seamless transition experience from the office, home, and on your mobile devices. Cloud-based ERP systems are accessed via the internet, allowing your staff to 24/7 access on any mobile device.
Your ERP should also integrate well with third-party systems, such as CRM or accounting. You don’t want your staff trying to manage multiple systems and re-entering the same data multiple times. This can lead to errors and lots of time wasted. Look for ERP software with a flexible Application Programming Interface (API) that lets your team tap into third-party tools to work more efficiently and provide better customer service.
From a compliance perspective and depending on your industry, outdated ERP can put sensitive customer or business data at risk. Look for ERP solutions with built-in information security standards and functionality to meet your industry’s specific regulatory compliance requirements.
3. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find qualified business systems and technical talent to support your legacy solutions
The inability to find and attract the right kind of talent to support your legacy solution is another key indicator that it may be time for a change. With technology evolving at an unprecedented pace, it can be challenging for your team to keep up with these changes and maintain the professional certifications they need to properly support these systems. Keep in mind that as you struggle to keep your old ERP running, your competition may have already invested and deployed software that doesn’t require this extra effort, giving them a competitive edge.
4. Dated user interfaces and user experiences create employee recruitment, onboarding, and retention challenges
The team you have using and maintaining your current ERP will not be around forever. If they retire or leave the company, you can spend a long time picking up the pieces and dealing with the fallout. New software provides greater access to more people, helping you weather workforce changes with greater ease.
Technology is supposed to make life easier. When it stops achieving that goal, it’s time to make a switch. If you’re fortunate enough to attract new employees, it’s likely that they’ll become frustrated with the software. This can lead to higher staff turnover and difficulty in attracting the next generation of savvy workers who expect newer, user-friendly applications. The best ERP solutions meet these needs.
5. Your ERP system runs on your on-premises server, requiring internal IT resources and risking catastrophic data loss
If your legacy ERP is running on a server in your on-premises computer room and the server malfunctions, you risk catastrophic data loss. On-prem computing also requires internal IT resources to secure, manage and maintain the hardware.
Cloud-based software is faster to implement and doesn’t require in-house IT resources. These systems enhance data security and disaster recovery and provide for rapid updates and upgrades to keep the ERP software up to date. In 2022 and 2023, Gartner estimates that half or more of manufacturers will have ERP remotely deployed, that ERP will be cloud based, and “ERP mega vendor” customers will look at adding to or replacing those monolithic ERP implementations.
Beyond 24/7 availability, the potential benefits of the cloud-based ERP software are enormous. If your current network is self-contained in an on-premises computer room, you’re running the equivalent of your own generator. And with that comes a load of responsibility. Generators malfunction, require fuel, servicing, and possibly additional purchase/installation if demand rises.
Cloud-based ERP eliminates all these responsibilities because cloud providers are responsible for maintenance, infrastructure, and repair, and for meeting surges in demand to ensure service is reliable. That means no more worrying about power outages, hardware failures, offsite backup, and warranty maintenance fees.
Additionally, you eliminate the fees associated with operating system licensing. Cloud-based solutions reduce capital expenses and deployment fees, replacing them with a predictable, budgeted operational expense. Hardware, power, and software costs, along with setup, support, maintenance, and downtime, are cut. Location flexibility and business continuity are also gained, leading to overall savings. As more services are moved to the cloud, more savings are realized through reduced on-premises hardware management.
Konklusjon
Beslutningen om å gå over til en ny ERP-løsning er aldri enkel. Men hvis du lytter til problemstillingene som tas opp av ansatte som samhandler regelmessig med den eldre programvaren, og du vurderer din nåværende programvare basert på endringsindikatorene vi har skissert, blir beslutningen litt enklere.
Du bør starte ERP-evalueringsprosessen med å identifisere forretningsprioriteringene dine. En nøye vurdering av både bedriftens prioriteringer og hvor godt de tilgjengelige ERP-løsningene kan støtte dem både nå og på lang sikt vil hjelpe deg med å ta den riktige beslutningen om å oppgradere ERP-programvaren din.
ERP-programvare skal hjelpe bedriften din med å drive effektivt, maksimere servicenivået du tilbyr kundene dine og øke lønnsomheten på bunnlinjen. De reelle kostnadene ved å fortsette å bare «klare seg» med den utdaterte ERP-programvaren din kan ha en reell negativ innvirkning. Ikke vent for lenge med å ta denne kritiske avgjørelsen.
