Se o seu fornecedor de ERP concebeu o software de forma adequada e se tem conseguido tirar partido das novas funcionalidades à medida que o seu negócio evolui, parabéns. É um dos sortudos. A maioria das empresas com um ERP desatualizado, no entanto, começa a enfrentar problemas e vê-se cada vez mais a recorrer a soluções alternativas, folhas de cálculo e aplicações de terceiros.
Ao mesmo tempo, a equipa de apoio do fornecedor demora mais a responder aos pedidos de assistência e mostra-se cada vez mais apologética, à medida que o seu negócio é prejudicado por um software que se tornou obsoleto.
No ano passado, a empresa de investigação Gartner previu um aumento nos investimentos em ERP, à medida que mais fabricantes se empenham em renovar e substituir sistemas ERP legados. Uma das principais iniciativas é a modernização dos sistemas ERP para reforçar capacidades empresariais críticas e acelerar a execução dos negócios. Isto inclui sistemas mais robustos e integrações de dados entre plataformas1.
Mudar para um novo ERP não é um assunto trivial e pode ser uma proposta dispendiosa. O ditado «se não está partido, não o conserte» aplica-se certamente a muitas empresas que, de resto, são visionárias. Estas empresas continuam a tolerar software desatualizado e um serviço de má qualidade, face a uma equipa que se habituou às pequenas peculiaridades do software e que resiste à mudança2.
Se está a dedicar cada vez mais tempo a tentar fazer com que o seu software antigo faça o que não foi concebido para fazer, ou se recorre constantemente a soluções alternativas, talvez seja altura de considerar a substituição do seu ERP. Ao utilizar um sistema desatualizado, coloca em risco a produtividade da empresa, a segurança informática e a satisfação geral dos clientes.
Então, quando é que se deve considerar seriamente a adoção de um novo ERP?
Eis cinco sinais de que chegou a altura:
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.
Conclusão
A decisão de mudar para uma nova solução de ERP nunca é fácil. No entanto, se ouvir as questões levantadas pelos colaboradores que interagem regularmente com o software antigo e analisar o seu software atual com base nos indicadores de mudança que delineámos, a decisão torna-se um pouco mais fácil.
Deve iniciar o processo de avaliação do ERP identificando as prioridades do seu negócio. Avaliar cuidadosamente tanto as prioridades da sua empresa como a capacidade das soluções ERP disponíveis para as apoiar, tanto agora como a longo prazo, irá ajudá-lo a tomar a decisão certa sobre a atualização do seu software ERP.
O software ERP deve ajudar a sua empresa a funcionar de forma eficiente, maximizar o nível de serviço que presta aos seus clientes e impulsionar a rentabilidade final. Os custos reais de continuar simplesmente a «conformar-se» com o seu software ERP antigo e desatualizado podem ter um impacto negativo concreto. Não espere demasiado tempo para tomar esta decisão crítica.
