Windows Software

A ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning is not more than a set of tools that help companies to be more competitive providing the management of its billing, suppliers, warehouses, relationship with their customers, etc.

However, the majority of smes still regard ERP as an “strange” within its infrastructure. In MuyPymes, hand in hand with UNIT4 os show some false “myths” and the real advantages for smes.

Amazingly, many smes still whereas Excel (spreadsheet of Microsoft) is a tool more than enough to handle any aspect of its structure. In this sense, it is not so strange further noted how many small (and not so small) companies believe they can manage all its billing and accounting tools that have not been designed for this purpose (Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel).

The problems are not usually take to appear, so that companies more awareness begin to acquire a small package of billing or accounting that improves the performance of their workers. As it could not be otherwise, the improvement that experienced a few months, is more than remarkable. However, despite the progressive growth of its turnover and sales are few smes that often encouraged to take the next step: to acquire a ERP to further improve its management and planning. Why is this happening? A recent study by Unit4 can help us to understand.

Smes vs. ERP

At times, manufacturers of management software have the impression that smes “frightened” as they were mentioned the word ERP. In fact, the natural reaction of the majority of smes is as follows:

1. It is an application for the large company.

2. The acquisition cost is excessive (both in cost as in implantation).

In this sense, between the company that develops software and the manager of the smes rose is a psychological barrier (difficult to overcome) with the small enterprise mark a wide distance with the manufacturer, wielding reasons such as: “I am not to be me”, “Directly i am not interested”, “i am exceeds”.

On the other hand, the smes feels that the rely on something as “complex” as a ERP is losing part of its alleged “technological independence” left “expense” of a large company that provides a software to which it has to “tying”.

In this sense, often weigh more the reasons that emphasize on the linkage with the manufacturer, that those who make clear reference to the advantage that can be obtained with a ERP. Thus, as explained to us from Unit4 is not rare to find managers who declare: “a ERP is not so necessary”, “Since i but do not change both” or “Do not understand what the threats if not”.

Daily Management and rejection of change

But not everything is the fault of little knowledge that can have the businesses on what is or is not a ERP. In most of the times manufacturers are with a operational management and daily which is usually not very scientific because many small businesses often guided more by past successes and its “innate intuition” by the cold analysis of data. And here there are two factors that must be taken into account:

1. Many smes are not aware that the information in time and form is critical to succeed.

2. By against become convinced that the difficulties are overcome with more work, effort and improvisation.

It is here where detects the resistance to change these company who wonder why now? Why such insistence? And to convince themselves that it should not be as important as “i have so far been able to live without a ERP”, “The technology is not ba to do anything that is unable to make me” or “vale to help you, but i do not understand that people (commercial) say that you change your life”.

This rejection of change in not a few occasions often leads to an authentic “fear of the unknown”. The arise change the way in which must work the smes, it is normal to generate a feeling of intraquilidad, malaise, slippage on how to operate the company. In short, fear things to work differently and/or lost control.

But however, a ERP…

It is indeed a great ally for smes. Thanks to its great flexibility allows users improve their productivity by 70% as to reduce its concern about things little momentous (basically routine operations and little operational) members of a small business or even work team have more information not only to manage the company but to make strategic decisions that benefit your business.

In this sense, the little time to begin to work with a ERP, so many smes to realize that:

1. Increases the productivity of its business.

2. To better manage the warehouse, reducing inventories.

3. To improve the response time to customers, improve sales

4. To get to know exactly how we buy, optimizes the supply chain.

In short, depending on the business area of the company, to have a ERP can greatly increase their productivity automating many of its processes, adding security to their systems, consolidating its operations and avoiding duplication of information.