The world is changing FAST and modern companies need to view this change as a competitive weapon. If your business views changes as an issue, then you likely have an underlying problem — and you best read on to discover a fix.
An example of this weaponized change can be seen in technology; both hardware and software. There have been HUGE advancements in technology in the past few decades that are enabling businesses be more agile than ever — we can buy things with a tap of the screen on a mobile phone, and return them without even talking to anyone. We can communicate with anyone in the world for free using a simple internet connection. We can even track down Betsy Johnson from the class of ’97 (go Timberwolves!) to find out she is STILL with Ryan James.
So, new technology is cool — but what are you using it for, and more importantly, how is it helping you? The first example from above is the one I’d like to discuss and it involves using technology to automate your business and in turn, making you more agile.
The beautiful thing about new technology is it is making our jobs easier by automating repetitive tasks. It also does these tasks with a level of precision that surpasses human abilities. We can send invoices on sales orders and receive payment without lifting a finger. We can send 1000s of emails a day instead of 100s. We can ship tens of thousands of orders a day instead of thousands. We can sell on 10+ sales channels and increase our business reach by 10x.
If you are automating, then you are spending less time on repetitive tasks and more time on making your business succeed.
There is a catch though… this new technology needs modern platforms to run on. If your business is using an older and different system for tracking inventory and orders, warehouse management, accounting, CRM, and sales channels — you might be looking at your problem dead in the face.
I’m going to throw out a term that I’m sure you’ve heard of – that’s ERP – it means Enterprise Resource Planning. ERP systems used to be a fit for business that were large enough to afford them. But modern ERP software, like Versa Cloud ERP, is changing all of that and bringing enterprise level functions to SMBs at a price they can afford.
Many ERP systems out there say they are able to integrate with your current business system, but what happens when those integrations stop working? Think dominos. Example — If your inventory system that connects to QuickBooks fails, then you are not fulfilling orders and you risk losing sales because you have to manually check stock for each order. If you use multiple warehouses and your SAP integrations with your WMS goes down, then you are unable to make the necessary transfers to fulfill orders resulting in delayed shipments and potentially lost sales.
I’m not saying all integrations are bad. But basically, any integration to a system that uses older technology is. Think of it like remodeling a kitchen. You can get all the shiny new appliances you want but if the wiring (system) is bad, then nothing is going to work as it should.
The truth to all of this is: your business is only as agile as the technology you use to run it.
Download our e-book and learn how modern cloud ERP systems help your business stay agile. Plus, discover five other strategies you can copy from Amazon to attract and keep more customers.
