Simple Formula: ERP = Instant Growth

Simple Formula: ERP = Instant Growth
This simple formula is a given for me as I build ERP systems for a living….but as I said this to a potential client the other day it kicked off a very interesting conversation and intense scrutiny of that claim and I will outline some of those discussions in this Blog. The reason why ERP is a “secret advantage” for big business is because they can afford it. Now with new software development tools, the internet, and a growing rank and file of users, the secret is out of the bag and it is ERP. I will now step off my soap box (no software pun intended) and get to the area of my concern. How can I best explain the advantages of ERP to the SMB owner who wants to grow to the next step and has exhausted all other avenues?

First of all you are not alone, but much like Doug Lacey of Basement Systems Calgary. Doug is extremely successful in the waterproofing business, he is tops in his area of expertise, and the number one dealer in Western Canada. He is a no nonsense businessman and has developed a set of best practices which included a long history of software development. As activity increased in the business and the profits mounted, the systems were being taxed to the point where they needed to be replaced as it was taking far too long to conduct the business with the current use of paper documents, data offline and hard to reach, non-standard business practices creeping in and eroding credibility, loss of responsibility and accountability, and whole host of other reasons. The business had grown to a point where it was bigger than Doug and the people he could most trust. I can remember the day we met; Doug was agonizing over being able to take on an additional 1,700 jobs because his current system couldn’t keep up and required a high amount of “care and feeding”.

I am happy to say this story has an great ending. First step was to install the basic ERP system, Jobsite Toolbox. We then made several modifications that ended up benefiting all future and current Toolbox users. At last count, Doug has twelve filing cabinets that hold all of his records. Those records are being put into his ERP system so he no longer has to hunt through the paper and hope to remember all the details of each sale and warranty item. At his command he can instantly bring up the information on any address he has ever worked at, any person he has sold product or services to, and the information that can be accessed is far to vast to go into in this Blog. Knowing this ensures that he first takes care of those who have expressed interest in dealing with his company. Not to mention that he is in touch with any aspect he desires, be it accounting marketing, sales, operations, inventory, warehousing, HR, or any other aspect of his business he can access it any time or any place, as long as he has access to the internet and a web browser.

So to bring the story to an end, Doug and TTC created the current version of the Jobsite Toolbox and Doug increased his business by 50% over last year’s numbers. In fact a couple of folks left the company which effectively downsized his operation and at the same time increasing total revenues in the company.

In summary, having an ERP system frees you up from working on the business and gives you the time to work in the business. (See Blog “Are You Working ON the Business or IN the Business?” for further explanation on that line of thought).