Successful businesses are reliant upon resilient supply chains that can withstand short- and long-term disruptions, respond to problems at speed and continue to deliver a reliable service ahead of competitors. But how do companies bolster supply chain resilience?
Partnering with a cloud ERP provider is an essential first step for modern businesses of all sizes. Mid-market businesses typically have on-premises ERP systems or IT solutions but have not yet made the switch to the cloud. Doing so will help them better manage their supply chains, procurement, manufacturing and other daily activities.
But Covid-19 and variables such as supply chain and distribution challenges, heightened demand and labour shortages, as well as the soaring cost of energy and raw materials, have accelerated the demand and need for real-time data and remote access to enable businesses to make swift and accurate decisions. This is enabled by cloud technology.
“When implemented correctly, cloud ERP software enables ecommerce at the speed of light,” says Andy Coussins, SVP & head of international at ERP software provider Epicor. “Businesses can keep track of supply and demand, ensure accurate forecasting and enable strategic planning while staying compliant in today’s challenging and complex global economy.”
But the decision to move to the cloud or change ERP provider isn’t taken lightly. Most businesses use a range of different software to run different business functions, whether it’s for sales, customer service, payroll or other operations. Epicor’s ability to integrate with these other platforms allows businesses to seamlessly control their operations and ensure their data is secure in the cloud.
When implemented correctly, cloud ERP software enables ecommerce at the speed of light
Epicor’s Industry ERP Cloud solutions are industry-specific and tailored to seamlessly integrate with existing technology. Key to this is Epicor Automation Studio, a pioneering low code integration platform-as-a-service (iPaaS) which allows companies to integrate and automate activities and processes between previously siloed applications data and platforms.
Automation Studio empowers workers to easily integrate and automate scheduled or event triggered workflows, offering access to a marketplace of over 1,000 popular application connectors where businesses can modify and implement the workflow integrations that they need. It can also call any API or read from a database meaning it’s simple to connect systems.
But, while the integrative qualities and functionality of the cloud ERP software are essential, the relationship between the business and provider is equally important. The Epicor Industry Insights Report 2022, which surveyed 1,350 technology decision makers, revealed that most leaders consider changing providers every one to three years.
A common reason for switching providers is poorly managed implementations as a result of poor communication with key stakeholders. “The key to a successful long-term partnership with an ERP provider is to ensure the relationship is aligned at the right level,” says Coussins. “ERP solutions run the business and hence should be aligned with the people that run the business, not just IT. “Previously, software was seen as an IT concern – and some software is, such as collaboration tools and productivity applications – but ERP software is very different and failure to recognise and align is destined to cause operational turbulence.”
If businesses can partner with a cloud ERP provider that offers smooth integration and robust communication, then the foundations are in place for digital transformation to occur.
The key to a successful long-term partnership with an ERP provider is to ensure the relationship is aligned at the right level
Epicor’s cloud ERP acts as the digital foundation of the business forming the basis from which more and more parts of a business can be digitised and integrated. A key part of this transformation is enhanced security. Epicor’s global team of experts are on hand at any time of day to take care of maintaining security updates, backups, and upgrades, enabling businesses to concentrate on running their company without worrying about data breaches. “Having the latest security solutions available in an elastic cloud far outweigh the server under someone’s desk or in a data centre that isn’t protected against natural or malicious disasters,” says Coussins.
Similarly, data management is improved through cloud solutions. Businesses are better able to migrate legacy data onto the cloud, and clean and maintain their data when using Epicor’s solutions. This enables that data to become a crucial business intelligence and insight asset.
Interoperability is another key feature of digital transformation facilitated by cloud ERP. Different departments can collaborate on one interface and have access to a single data source. For businesses expanding into new markets, it can also provide easy data sharing between different operations and business units in different countries. Configurability is another advantage, enabling modifications to match the needs of individual businesses, for example bespoke processes, collaboration techniques and documentation.
With supply chains set to face more volatility in the months and years ahead, partnering with a cloud ERP software provider is imperative for businesses that want to build resilience, undergo digital transformation and gain a competitive advantage over their rivals.
For more, please visit Epicor.com/IIR
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