Today’s rapidly changing economy brings new opportunities. Being agile and having a deep understanding of your organization can help you take advantage.
Dan Caringi
The future arrived fast. In 2020, manufacturing and technology businesses quickly opened their minds to integrating technology into their organizational processes to adapt to pandemic restrictions. After seeing a successful adoption of e-commerce platforms, organizations are starting to examine how technology can support their larger organizational goals, specifically around decision-making and inventory management.
Businesses are navigating a dynamic environment right now. The fluctuating prices caused by a strained supply chain means that the old way of operating may be hurting the bottom line. A gut instinct approach could cost you significant amounts if you make the wrong decision.
How can you adapt and come out ahead? For many organizations, the answer lies in using right sized technology stack that is optimized for your business to help you get a clearer understanding of where your business stands. The cornerstone of a competent manufacturing technology stack is an (ERP) system.
A new level of insights into your inventory
Managing your key assets like inventory has always been a challenge, but pricing is as dynamic as ever due to supply chain strains. Some areas of the economy are seeing price changes that would occur over years happen in just a handful of months.
But there’s also an opportunity here, and your team could take advantage. The right ERP system gives you a better insight into what you have and what products are selling well, faster than ever before. This knowledge allows you to have the right product in stock at the right time, keeping your fill rates high while not having excessive cash tied up in inventory. You can lean into your strengths and optimize your inventory accordingly, getting ahead of the competition and securing more of the right products before the price jumps.
You can also see the inverse: what isn’t selling well, and how much is it costing you? Some organizations don’t have the ability to answer those questions until it’s too late, and they’ve already made costly decisions that could have been avoided. ERP solves that.
Systems that scale as you do
Organizations are often resistant to adopting new technology because they fear constant investment or upgrades. And that is a realistic fear: making operational changes requires a significant number of resources, including time, training, and money.
Today’s ERP systems are comprehensive platforms that can meet the demands of your business as they grow by aligning with and automating your sales and operational excellence. You can add and remove features as need without having to switch to a different system or figure out a way to move your information over.
In a previous generation, software would be a one-time purchase that eventually has to be replaced for another upfront capital cost, typically with a steep price tag. Now, ERP systems deliver value without the significant upfront cost from past decades. Instead, ERPs are billed at lower costs that you can add to operational expenses.
ERP systems also strengthen an underdiscussed aspect of business: cyber security. Companies running on-premises systems have been victimized by cyber criminals but cloud-based systems offer security and peace of mind
by securing your data behind robust protection measures while also making information available to your team, anytime and anywhere.
ERP systems can help your organization take the next step and give you confidence about your trajectory.
Dan Caringi is a Partner with MNP’s Consulting and MNP Digital teams and brings 20 years of experience to help bridge the divide between technology and strategy. Delivering innovative solutions that address organizational challenges with practical results. Dan works closely with private enterprises across all industries, helping his clients along their workplace transformation journey. Prior to joining MNP, Dan held roles with leading technology and accounting companies.
DAN CARINGI
Partner
MNP Consulting and Digital teams
647-475-4534
Dan.Caringi@mnp.ca
