It’s 2017. Another year, wipe the slate clean and start again – what’s new? Well the world just changed. In the West, the East and in Africa. A popular US president leaves a manila envelope in the desk drawer for the heir-apparent who’s about to move in. No, it’s not a wad of currency, a Kenyan passport or the utility bill. This is the world where a real man tries to pass his baton of advice to his successor rather than club his opponent with it.
Imagine if this was our industry – the “Application of IT” – what would this informative and useful letter say? Here’s my take on it.
Number one: Once you’ve bought an ERP or business system, use it. Get value from it. Don’t paddle in the shallow water. Immerse yourself and learn to swim in the deeper water or you’ll never feel the benefits in your bottom line.
You’re a manufacturer or distribution organization.You’ve got inventory to plan, manage and control. So move beyond 2016, using Excel spreadsheets or reports someone wrote for you 10 years ago. Don’t just count costs and collect your debtors with ERP – use SYSPRO Requirements Planning to ensure the inventory you have is the right stuff.
Stop guessing what you may sell, think SYSPRO Demand Forecasting to start understanding where and why planning inaccuracy distorts the truth. Then focus on sorting this so you reduce stock again. Move forward for value.
Number two: If ERP is the unknown for you, seek help from the SYSPRO Ecosystem – from a network of qualified SYSPRO Partners, from SYSPRO specialists or even from other SYSPRO Customers. Help is at hand but the right advice will not always be the cheapest source or the friend you’ve dealt with for years. It’s 2017. You need knowledge effectively applied and transferred to you.
And knowledge is like inventory. Many have abundant stock of info and ideas but only those who continuously refresh what’s current and necessary supply relevance and the service you need to make it right. Partners take note. Move to the right helpers.
Number three: It’s your system not mine anymore. You bought it because you needed it. Like any new asset or toy, you have to get used to it, learn to understand it, discover what YOU need to do to make it work best for you. With IT like ERP you have to keep data clean, check log files aren’t full, take backups and do the System Administration. Also ensure users understand and own their transaction processing. Keep this system alive and healthy – sorry this part is your job. So in 2017 move to take ownership and enjoy the benefits.
I hope you found a useful letter in your top drawer. Here’s to a Happy New Year.
