Inside the Briefcase

Augmented Reality Analytics: Transforming Data Visualization

Augmented Reality Analytics: Transforming Data Visualization

Tweet Augmented reality is transforming how data is visualized...

ITBriefcase.net Membership!

ITBriefcase.net Membership!

Tweet Register as an ITBriefcase.net member to unlock exclusive...

Women in Tech Boston

Women in Tech Boston

Hear from an industry analyst and a Fortinet customer...

IT Briefcase Interview: Simplicity, Security, and Scale – The Future for MSPs

IT Briefcase Interview: Simplicity, Security, and Scale – The Future for MSPs

In this interview, JumpCloud’s Antoine Jebara, co-founder and GM...

Tips And Tricks On Getting The Most Out of VPN Services

Tips And Tricks On Getting The Most Out of VPN Services

In the wake of restrictions in access to certain...

Looking to grow lean? Here’s how to make sure you have a business management solution that is up to the task

November 3, 2015 No Comments

Featured article by Sage

Many small and midsized enterprises are struggling to get by without a proper business management solution (BMS). Instead, they stitch together a combination of systems that end up leading to inefficient processes and a series of information silos. However, an increasing number of CIOs are embracing cloud-computing options. Indeed, nearly 30 percent of companies plan to move their systems to the cloud by 2018. With that in mind, the following are some questions SMBs need to ask during their shift from a messy, disparate system, to a fluid business management solution that is up to the task of growing their company lean.

Does it provide you with the right functionality?

As your company grows, you’ll want to be sure that your business management solution can grow with it in a way that allows for flexibility. Know what you need now—like invoicing or e-commerce— but prepare for the capabilities you may need to add in the future without having to disrupt your workflow. When a business strategy changes or an opportunity for growth arises, your business management solution should easily expand to meet your demands.

“Buyers should assess not only their current needs, but they should try to appreciate what their needs will be five or 10 years down the road, as well as whether they’ll be able to integrate existing and future data into the new system,” said Forrest Burnson, Market Research associate at Software Advice, a company that helps buyers purchase ERP software.

Will it improve your workflow?

Through careful analysis of your day-to-day productivity, you will be able to see what is slowing your company down and then implement processes that will improve efficiency. You can also reduce costs and connect to all of your locations by consolidating reports through your BMS. Additionally, with a complete view of operations, the right BMS will allow you to better serve your customers by keeping track of inventory even whilst in transit. You can also reduce overhead through electronic time tracking. This capability may allow you to eliminate the need for a data entry position.

Can you maintain profitability while scaling up?

The platform you chose should combine information from the supply chain, marketing, inventory, and other data sources, so that information can flow freely as demand increases. It should provide you with the ability to easily add new users and a new location to the same platform when needed. This is a concern for many businesses, so much so that forty-one percent of businesses say the top priority for their BMS is to be capable of managing their expected growth. The solution you choose should be designed to accommodate global operations as well as potentially lower the cost of expansion through increased efficiency.

In order to grow your business lean, the right business management solution must provide functionality, improve your workflow, and help you maintain profitability whilst scaling up. As many SMBs move to cloud-based platforms, they are finding increased efficiency and decreased cycle time of key processes. Ultimately, you want a platform that is up to improving your communication and collaboration, thus strengthening your bottom line.

Leave a Reply

(required)

(required)


ADVERTISEMENT

Gartner

WomeninTech