Key Software Programs Restrict Effective Business Operations
Many Directors and Managers will disagree with the title. This is because they rarely have the frontline contact with the critical systems the staff use all day. Nearly all Organisations have business critical software. However, the issue is the number of business-critical software programs in use overall. For instance, a typical software set within a business could include:
- Sales Contact management software to track marketing and sales activities.
- Sales Costing and Quotations for costing and preparing Quotations.
- Order Fulfilment – including process management from order receipt, to order preparation, despatch and then handover.
- Purchasing and Supplier Management, often with Stock management.
- A vehicle management &/or delivery system.
- Support, Helpdesk, operations logistics and After-Sales activities.
- Financial Accounts.
This collection is a panoply of key software solutions. On the positive side, all are business effective in ther own context. On the other hand, the overview reveals a less than successful business impact across the organisation.
Computers are good at following instructions, but not at reading your mind.~ Donald Knuth
Multiple Critical Programs, Multiple Problems
It has so often happened in the history of software. Multiple critical software programs have been purchased without harmonisation. Unfortunately, this leads to a lack of integration or even software incompatability between programs. Consequently, the lack of harmony leands to a failure to communicate effectively. Information therefore transfers inefficiently, or requires re-keying. Unsurprisingly the mistakes abound. The result creates a varied data history as well as wasted resources. It all adds up to delays, losses and poor statistical analysis. Often, the result is a multitude of gap-filling Excel spreadsheets, created and managed by individual staff members. As a result, the outcome leads to inefficient operations, poor communication, wasted resources, disparate data sets, multiple data instances or the same data item and other mistakes.
There should be only one key
The answer is to find a software system that integrates your entire process system. A business-wide software system should concentrate on integration, harmonisation and data equilibrium throughout the business. The biggest business mistakes usually come out of poor communications, bad data analysis, data loses and human errors (especially at data entry points). Ultimately, it makes sense to ensure that your central organisational software provides equalised and harmonised data parity throughout the organisation. So, your communications, process flow, and data analysis are all readily able to service your central business goal setting, customer support and order fulfilment.
Toward key software success
CHARTER4 Solutions do not provide or recommend particular business-wide software applications. However too often, we see the inefficiencies created by multiple programs. Therefore, we strongly encourage an integrated software solution. One that will effectively manage the critical processes from quotation to purchasing, order fulfilment, delivery and invoicing. Those organisations that have single business-operations software achieve smoother and more effective operations. Additionally, the documentation, implementation and achieving of ISO 9001 certification is significantly easier.
If you would like to discuss the way software integration can boost your business efficiency, we can help. You can contact us by clicking one of the buttons below. We will talk through your options and find ways to take your business to a new level.
Certification with Charter 4 – the Business Benefits
- Improve, rather than just comply.
- Full service and ongoing support to compliment your resources.
- Build on your Processes & Systems (no standard templates).
- Help defining your Best Practice.
- Certification by independent UKAS accredited Assessors.
- 100% Success & guaranteed support until Certification.
- Help to get Government Grant (when available).
- Flexible support to complement your resources.
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