Top 6 Mistakes Small Businesses Make When Implementing ERP's
Not Researching All Your Options An ERP isn't something you want to swap out every couple of years. You need it to be both cost-effective and robust enough to handle your growth. Do your homework and pick an ERP that fits your business needs now but also supports your future goals. The last thing you want is to deal with switching systems just as you're hitting your stride.
Skipping Employee Training Your team might not be familiar with ERP systems, so training them properly is key to making the most of your investment. It doesn't have to be one-on-one training—guiding them to relevant resources or tutorials, or even creating simple SOPs, can go a long way in smoothing the learning curve and helping everyone get up to speed.
Not Integrating Your ERP with Other Software Your ERP needs to play well with your existing software—whether that's a CRM, accounting system, or online store. Without proper integration, you’re stuck with data silos that defeat the whole purpose of having an ERP in the first place. Make sure your systems can talk to each other to keep things running smoothly.
Overlooking Process Improvements Implementing an ERP is a great chance to rework your business processes. Don’t just take what you’re already doing and plug it into the new system. Look for ways to streamline and optimize your workflows as you go through the setup.
Leaving End Users Out of the Decision You might be the one making the purchase, but you’re not necessarily the one who’ll be using the ERP every day. Get feedback from your team—the end users—to make sure the ERP actually works for them. It’ll save you headaches down the line.
Neglecting to Evaluate Service Levels Talk to other businesses using the ERP and ask about the support they’ve received. You can usually get a good sense in a five-minute conversation. Also, be sure to ask your ERP vendor about their support and enhancement offerings. If you’re expecting to need customizations or regular help, this is something to pay close attention to before you commit.
