Elevate Your Operations: How Tapco’s ERP Modernization is Lifting Industry Standards
Tapco, the largest manufacturer of elevator buckets in North America, has long been a leader in the industry, distinguished by its commitment to innovation and quality. To maintain its market-leading position and enhance operational efficiency, Tapco recognized the necessity of modernizing its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. This strategic shift was essential for streamlining their operations and continuing their legacy of excellence.
The Challenge: Thinking Outside the “Off-The-Shelf” ERP Solution
Tapco faced a challenge—they needed to “level up” their operational processes by implementing a sophisticated, off-the-shelf ERP solution. Though they have a very effective team, the company needed an additional resource and a different level of expertise to navigate the complexities of the implementation. Tapco needed a dedicated partner to drive the ERP implementation through to completion. With business operations improvement first on their minds, they reached out to Swip Systems for help.
The Solution: Slow Down to Speed Up
To streamline the process further and enhance the management of this detailed project, Swip developed detailed agendas, managed weekly deliverables, and conducted a discovery phase to pinpoint the exact needs of Tapco.
Recognizing the importance of clear goals, we introduced Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) to organize the project effectively. Each task was meticulously laid out and assigned, and outside experts were brought in to enhance hardware, infrastructure, internet redundancy, wireless coverage, and machine connectivity. With managing every OKR to completion, Swip Systems developed and executed an implementation plan that guided Tapco through the intricate journey of the ERP implementation.
With decades of experience in this arena, we’ve found that managing to this level of detail brings clarity to everyone involved in the project on what needs to be done, in what order, and by whom. With so many people involved both internally and externally it was critical to have a simple and easy-to-follow system that held all parties involved accountable for their pieces to bring the ERP to completion.
The Impact: Less Chaos and more Clarity Through Enhanced Communications and a Single Source of Truth
The results of this collaboration were transformative. Tapco now operates with a fully modernized ERP system that streamlines their operations and helps them scale their business for growth. The new system has empowered the Tapco team with enhanced communication tools, more insight into business operations, more precise data, and more overall insight into how the business is running. The new systems will provide deeper insights into their operations and reduce overall risk to the organization. With these two elements working together the team and leadership will benefit from the ability to make more informed business and data-driven decisions.
With its new ERP system, Tapco is better equipped to meet future challenges and continue its industry leadership.
The Advantage of an ERP Solutions
Choosing the right ERP system requires careful consideration to ensure it meets your current needs while being adaptable to future changes in the business environment, as advised by Swip Systems’ best practices.
ERP systems offer a host of benefits that can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization. Here are some of the key advantages:
Centralized Data: ERPs provide a unified platform that consolidates data from various departments, ensuring everyone accesses the same information, thereby improving accuracy and visibility.
Enhanced Communication: By breaking down silos between departments, ERP systems facilitate better communication and collaboration across the organization.
Streamlined Operations: These systems automate and standardize business processes, reducing redundancy and saving time and effort.
Cost Efficiency: Automating routine tasks and improving operational efficiencies typically leads to significant cost savings.
Data-Driven Decisions: With improved data accuracy and real-time access to information, ERPs enable better decision-making based on solid data insights.
Scalability: ERPs are designed to grow with your business, ensuring they can handle increased complexity and more users as your organization expands.
The Swip Systems team was a key and integral partner in the implementation project. This was Tapco’s first migration to a different ERP system in 30 years. Their expertise gave accountability and guidance every step on the long and detailed implementation journey and kept us focused on the weekly tasks, resulting in a successful migration. When needed, the Swip Systems team called upon their network for additional outside resources.
Dan Rehmer, Tapco’s CFO/Treasurer
Don’t Wait, Elevate…Your ERP Systems
Are you considering implementing an ERP, or do you have one that needs to cross the finish line? Are you swimming in to-dos not sure what task to take on first? Swip Systems has assisted hundreds of companies like Tapco in gaining better insights and reducing risks through tailored and off-the-shelf software solutions through our Build, Buy or Both methodology.
To better understand all the moving pieces that go into an ERP implementation like this one, we invite you to download our free whitepaper, 7 Best Practices to Finding and Implement an ERP System.