How to Choose the Right ERP Software for Your Business

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article |erp software|How to Choose the Right ERP Software for Your BusinessERP software made its debut in the ’90s, and in its 30 years in the business world, it has proven its worth. Now it’s no longer a question of if ERP software can help your business, it’s how to find the best ERP software in 2020.

ERP software can be what your business needs to finally make changes that can help you improve and grow. It can be a powerful tool, but it’ll only work if you know how to choose the right software for your business.

Do you want to know to find the best 2020 ERP software? Follow our 4 tips and you’ll be sure to find a powerful software system that can help your business.

1. Consider Current Tech Needs

Do a little digging to see what kind of operating systems and machines people use at work. Be sure to be thorough and check each department, it’s possible that some equipment may be newer or older depending on who is using it.

If you’ve been holding off on making any major changes to your hardware or computing systems, consider making changes before you decided to go with a certain kind of ERP.

Buying software that won’t work with current systems is one of the worst financial mistakes businesses can make. Be safe and make sure you buy something that can work with your current set up.

2. Think About Desired Outcomes

ERP software has been used to improve a variety of business operations. If you want to make sure that you find the right software for your business needs, think about the goals you want the software to help you reach.

ERP software leads can help your business improve sales. Certain ERP programs can help you better manage HR, or even your finance department.

Take some time to talk to different managers and employees to see what they think needs to improve at work. Getting their feedback can make it easier to think about what capabilities your new software needs to have.

3. Don’t Always Go for Customized Options

Nearly every ERP sales representative you’ll talk to will mention all of the ways you can customize their software. Having a completely custom ERP system may seem impressive, but it may not be something your business needs.

Custom ERP software can be more expensive and can also take more time to set up. Troubleshooting completely custom systems can be difficult and more time-consuming.

Unless your business has a very niche need to meet that can only be done with a customized system, it’s okay to go with a turn-key solution you can use right out of the box.

4. Ask for References

You wouldn’t bring on a new employee without solid references. So you shouldn’t use ERP software that lacks great reviews.
When you’re talking to your ERP sales representative be sure to ask for reviews from other clients or case studies. Any ERP software that’s worth using should have plenty of evidence to back up claims.

Also, this is a great opportunity to tap your personal professional network. People in the same industry may have some recommendations for ERP software that helped their business.

ERP Software and More

Finding the right ERP software is simple when you know what to look for. If you follow the tips in this post you’ll be well on your way to finding a software solution that works for your business.

Do you want to learn other ways to improve ROI? We have a lot of helpful content on our site for business owners. Browse the rest of our content to learn more about topics you care about.

Five ways you can get products to customers

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article |Distribute your product|Five ways you can get products to customersSo you have a product to sell. It’s ready to go, and you may have already started to market it – but how do you get it to customers and how can you make it available to others? If you’re setting up a business for the first time, then it can be a daunting and complicated stage as you work out what’s best for you and your brand.

There are many different ways you can distribute and deliver your new product range to potential buyers. You may be familiar with these already, so take a look at the options below to see which will be the most suitable for your company, product and business model:

Through wholesalers

A wholesaler will distribute your product to retailers. It means that you can get your product into more stores than you may do on your own and, although you may be charged a higher commission, your shipping and sales costs will be reduced. There are other benefits you may find using this method, too, such as having a contract so the wholesaler handles retailer returns and complaints rather than yourself.

With retailers

You may need to look at several different costs here, such as hiring sales representatives to speak to and service retailers. Your representatives will also need to deal with commission, potential sales volumes from different retailers, markdowns you may offer, plus support provision. Other costs may include expenses, salaries and shipping.

Direct to customers

Although this method will add some expenses, it also eliminates others, such as commissions or discounts. Yet you may add the expenses associated with running a physical store, or increased staff time for selling items online, plus shipping costs. You may also have increased technology costs which could include items to help you package your items such as a Heat Sealing Machine, for instance, so you can send your products to customers.

Using brokers and agents

Here, you’ll have someone who will handle the logistics of sales. Not only will they deal with marketing, they will also do contracts and look at specialised shipments. Customer relationship management is also part of their role, and they will take ownership of the product through distribution on your behalf.

Through a distributor

This type of wholesaler will have extra responsibility, as they will actively sell an item for you as well as fulfilling any orders. You’ll also find that they can offer market analysis, and will look to get peak sales performance by looking for new opportunities. They will focus on certain areas so they can build strong relationships with manufacturers and, unlike other wholesalers, a distributor is more likely to have stronger links with certain organisations. They will be responsible for product sales.

These are a few of the options that you may wish to consider for you and your product when looking to sell it to consumers. You should now think about which of these possibilities will work best for your situation so you can achieve the best result for your range, and please your customers.

Five Things to Consider When Choosing New Suppliers

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article |Supplier Choices|Five Things to Consider When Choosing New SuppliersOne of the most important decisions that you can make in your business is who will supply the parts or materials that you need for your products. Your supplier choices have a direct impact on the success of your business and without a good relationship with yours, you’re going to have fewer sales and this results in a poor service. In fact, the worst case scenario here is that you could end up with a failed business – all because you didn’t choose wisely when linking with new suppliers.

If you are searching for butterfly valves and need a supplier, you need to take some things into account. These options can be said for pretty much any product or piece you are looking for. The right supplier is going to make a huge difference to the way that you work, so here are five things that you should be considering right now.

  1. Cost. The very first thing that you would need to factor in is the cost of a supplier. You don’t want to choose someone JUST based on cost, but you do need to stick to your budget and find the best supplier that fits. Once you have a figure in mind, you can choose the products that will fit the costs you are willing to pay.
  2. Quality. Another priority here is to know the quality of the product you are looking at. The better the quality, the more you will be willing to liaise with that supplier. Know that your expectations are going to be met and that the quality goes beyond the product itself, but the supplier, too.
  3. Reliability. You need to know that the supplier you are paying is reliable and can give you what you need. You need references, and you need to know that they are going to live up to expectations. The suppliers that you choose will reflect on your business, and if you’re not choosing the right one, it’s going to make you look bad. Don’t forget this in your quest for the right people!
  4. Culture. Not only do you need a supplier who will meet your expectations, but you need to be the kind of customer who holds their end of the deal. You will likely have a supplier ask you as many questions as you’re going to ask them – so make sure that you are prepared.
  5. Location. You need to be close by to suppliers if you want to make sure that you are all on the same page. Sure, you can choose to have a supplier that sends you products from abroad, but this isn’t easy. You want to be able to meet them face to face and know them as people as well as a supplier who sends you the materials that you need. Finding the supplier you need in the right location is a must!

Sourcing your supplier may take time, but it’s 100% worth it going forward in your business. Ask your questions and be prepared for a fruitful relationship!

Will You Take These Services up on Their Offers?

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In order to stay ahead of the competition your business must utilise the best options offered to it. In this day and age, there are a whole host of companies and services at your disposal to make use of in order to make sure you’re getting the best assistance and the best value for money. Maybe it’s time you took a look at some of the services below and how they can help your business succeed, better their area and field, and how they too can better your wallet.

Virtual receptionists are an example of just how much technology has killed, or begun to kill, the professions of old. VRs take it upon themselves to simply answer calls, but do so in a manner that could make the need for a receptionist a thing of the past. They mean a call is never missed; they retain the ‘unique-ness’ of your business by answering and responding in a way that you tell them to; they are open 24/7 which can mean you are perceived as being ‘open’ 24/4 by any ringing customers; and they are cheap — some offering their services for a mere quarter of what you’d pay a receptionist per month. Also, advances in cleaning and hygiene services have improved two-fold. Also, with janitorial services offering an effective clean and hygiene levels that blow a quick vac and polish out of the water, the need for an in-house janitor or cleaning team may be over. But are there cons to utilising such services?

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Entrepreneurship

A big one is that they could take a job off of someone who has done it for years and proved themself to be extremely loyal. It could be tough for you to get rid of a trusted employee in order to replace them with a service, but it’s your business, and you must do what’s best for it. if a service offers much more, for the same or even less of the price, then it’s a no brainer.

Something else that joins the whole host of things that have been killed by technology is the need for cold, hard cash. Merchant Services, a type of bank account that allows businesses to accept payments in a multiple of technology driven ways, means that trips to the bank for coins and notes may soon become a redundant exercise. With the pace of change in the U.S. payment market showing that over the past five years the credit card has proved itself to be the generally preferred method of payment, merchant services are ones that must be optimised if a business owner wishes to retain custom. This means you should have a card reader and atm machine on site at all times so that you are able to take a customer’s payment when they don’t have notes or spare shrapnel on their person.

So, there you have it. A few modern day services that are on offer to you, the business of owners of today. It’s now up to you whether you take them up on their offers.

9 Uses of Dams in Civil Construction

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article|Dams in Civil Construction|9 Uses of Dams in Civil ConstructionCivil engineers design dams and the final product is amazing. Dams are majestic but they also serve many purposes. Here’s a look at what dams are and the structures’ many uses.

What Is A Dam?

Dams are barriers built across a river or stream. Engineers design dams so water pools behind the barrier. Water is collected on the upstream side of the dam and the water is called a reservoir. The other side of the barrier is called downstream. Municipalities who plan to build dams need civil engineering services.

There are many types of dams including embankment dams. These are artificial dams made with a semi-plastic structure and a mix of sand, soil, clay, and rock. Gravity dams are huge and are made of stone and concrete masonry. Earthen dams are made of soil while timber dams are made with wood.

#1 Irrigation

Results of a recent study show half of the world’s large dams were built for irrigation. Moreover, over a billion people around the globe depend on reservoir-generated irrigation. Egypt sits in the middle of the desert and crops have been depleted by droughts. The Aswan High Dam was built to protect farmers by controlling water flowing in the Nile River. An agreement between Egypt and Sudan allows Sudanese farmers to use some of the water.

#2 & #3 Water Supply

Some water from reservoirs is used to supply fresh water for commercial and residential use. Further, dams are often used to control water flow in rivers. Warragamba is an Australian dam used to supply water to millions of people.

#4 Hydropower

Hydropower is popular because it’s environmentally friendly. The U.S. is one of the largest producers of hydropower, followed by Canada. Dams produce up to 12 percent of the U.S. power supply. Brazil’s Itaipu Dam is the world’s largest hydropower dam.

#5 Flood Control

Flood control dams hold floodwater and prevent it from getting to residential areas. They’re usually built in areas where flooding happens regularly. For example, The Tennessee Valley Dams, help to control flood on the lower Mississippi, lower Ohio, and Tennessee Rivers. Floodwaters are either released downstream or stored for future use.

#6 Navigation

Navigation dams are used to allow ships to travel in certain rivers. The dam is designed so the river maintains a depth deep enough for ships to pass. Bonneville Dam, located in Washington State, is a river navigational dam.

#7 Debris Dam

A debris dam is used to store debris from river water. River water may contain sand, rocks, and wood. The water on the dam’s downstream side is clear.

#8 Recreational Purposes

Most dams serve more than one purpose. Indeed, the building of some dams created booming recreational areas. These areas would not exist if the dam hadn’t created the reservoir of water. Some communities built beaches adjacent to the reservoir along with boat landings. The Russell Dam was built on the border of South Carolina and Georgia in the 1970s and 1980s. The dam created Russell Lake which is the center of recreational activity. The dam’s original purpose was flood control and hydropower.

#9 Mine Tailing

Mine tailings are by-products of certain mine operations. Mine tailings disposal is a major environmental concern. The tailings have to be stored permanently and dams are the perfect repository. Previously, mine tailings were dumped in rivers and contaminated the area.
Civil engineers design many types of dams. Most dams serve many purposes including flood control, irrigation, and a source of hydropower. It’s easy to see why some dams are major tourist attractions.