Ping. Tyricia has just sent you a smiley face on WhatsApp.
Did you know that each emoji is in fact a collection of pixels? Think of an emoji as a collection of puzzle pieces, each with its own distinct and unique color. Each color contains a degree of red, blue, and green which together represent a single color. This is further processed into even more intricate calculations for a computer to understand, which is all data. Data is raw facts, figures and statistics that is further processed to produce useful output, known as information. The more pixels that exist within a single image, the better the resolution. Each pixel consists of 8 bits (1 byte). And for each of these 8 bits, there is a one single digit. This being either 0 or 1. This is binary. This is the language of the computer and it really comes down to a myriad of 0’s and 1’s being constantly exchanged around us instantaneously and unknowingly. I’ll remember the importance of pixels when purchasing my first smart TV to stream documentaries when you’ve joined me on my utopian island tucked away from the chaos of the world.
The exponential growth of data
Every minute, millions of cash transactions are made across the globe; individuals are commuting to workplaces and schools using cars and using smartphone apps that link users and drivers according to their geographic proximity; notifications for inventory to be automatically replenished are sent to suppliers and nearly every other aspect of our personal lives and the entire world is governed by the Internet. Now, can you imagine the amount of information that is transferred from servers, satellites, computers, and smartphones in sixty seconds? From nifty and vibrant self-driving cars to smart fridges that notify you when you’re running low on groceries, our world is going to only become ever more synonymous and codependent with the Internet – this concept of interconnections being coined as the “Internet of Things (IOT)”.
Data-driven manufacturing and distribution
In a world where the manufacturing and distribution industry has become customer-driven, customers expect products to be delivered at the time that they’ve requested for, according to exact specification and must be fit for use without compromising on product quality. Today, it is virtually impossible and impractical to operate a business that swiftly responds to changing customer demands and market fluctuations without implementing a robust and dynamic ERP system to handle an unimaginable amount of data, perform complex calculations for suppose inventory and labor requirements, liaising with suppliers based on accurate and current company data and to avoid the impact of human error.
Leveraging the power of ERP
You, as a manufacturer or distributor, can dramatically improve the efficiency of your business by leveraging the power of ERP. Let’s look at this with a critical lens: As a manufacturer, you can establish trends and relationships between inputs and processes based on customer data. This data can translate to producing a yield according to these trends. Thus, saving your business the capital, which could’ve been tied up in carrying additional inventory, that can otherwise be invested into perhaps expanding your operations and upskilling your labor force. Here, you are not only generating the potential for exponentially expanding your business, but also, you’re reducing costs.
An influx of data which can be processed in real-time, is undoubtedly invaluable to the success of a manufacturing and/or a distribution business. An intuitive ERP solution tailored to your business capacity and particular needs has become a necessity. This is demonstrated from the array of functionality provided by an ERP solution from customer profiling, improved scheduling, supply chain optimization and automated reports. In fact, since all the talk is around data, here is a huge distinction between gathering data and then proceeding to process it. A company that manually captures its data on Microsoft Excel is going to crumble under the weight of changing customer demands, an influx of data and the impact of human error where there is no tangible and accessible way to centrally manage and analyze their business processes.
As a distributor or manufacturer, are you ready to handle the data influx we’re experiencing today which is undoubtedly going to exponentially increase in the near future?
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