ERP Selection Leads to Better Business Processes
Wee Ones™ and co-brand sublimedesigns™ are trendy fashion labels for children’s hair accessories, sun hats, and socks, with some products utilizing the unique capabilities of dye sublimation printing. With a focus on expansion, this company realized its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software wasn’t keeping up with company goals and customer demands. Like so many other companies, they realized they needed to make a change.
As luck would have it, one of Wee Ones’ owners met Swip Systems at a meeting and learned that ERP software consulting is one of Swip’s specialties. They soon partnered to find the best ERP solution that would provide detailed insight into Wee One’s company and data, and help automate efficiency in every area of the business.
“Without the right ERP software to create a seamless internal business process, customers cannot experience a seamless buying experience.”
The Challenge … ERP Software Update or Replacement for a Busy Company?
Most companies do not have the time, bandwidth, knowledge, or proficiency to look at their data and determine which internal processes are working as they should, which are broken, and how a new or updated ERP software system would reduce risk and improve processes. Then there’s the daunting process of actually updating an existing ERP system or choosing a new one and “hoping” it works as intended.
These same challenges confronted Wee Ones. Fortunately, Swip Systems was up for the challenge of identifying a flexible, growth-based ERP software solution that would integrate all their business practices into a single system to advance their internal processes.
- Customer relationship management (CRM) data
- Sales processes
- Order management process and data
- Production and scheduling
- Shipping
- Inventory
- Accounting
To present Wee Ones with the right ERP, we walked through our proven process for ERP software selection, first determining if the company needed completely new ERP software or an update to their current software. This was the start of a promising outcome and one that proved, once again, how imperative the right software systems are to growth.
“The costs of an outdated ERP include reduced production, lost man-hours, negative company culture, sales and customer issues, and the acquired debt to buy, install, and implement years of technological updates all at once. It can quickly become a big investment.”
The Solution … Swip Systems’ Proven ERP Evaluation & Selection Process
Since the process of selecting and implementing an ERP system on one’s own is time-consuming, costly, and complicated, Swip Systems used our proven ERP Selection Process to first determine if the company needed a new ERP or an update to their current system.
We customized our in-depth process to fit Wee Ones’ needs, simplifying this daunting task for the company.
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Step 1 – ERP Process Discovery
To determine if Wee Ones needed an update or a completely new ERP, we met with their teams to understand project strategy and the successes and challenges within their current processes and ERP system. We identified what needed to change to meet current and future business demands, and established the most likely outcome would be a new ERP, but that final decision would be made after a few more steps.
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Step 2 – ERP Core Feature List Creation
Findings from Process Discovery were compiled into a core-feature list to establish an ERP decision matrix for a side-by-side comparison of features of the systems researched.
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Step 3 – Process Flow to ERP System Comparison/Vendor Demonstrations
In this step, processes were compared to the internal workflow of selected ERP systems, including the ERP system currently in use. We met with the vendors to review their software and had lengthy discussions and demonstrations with both the vendors and just the Wee Ones’ team to discuss how the different ERP software programs fit their specific process.
It’s important to note, it is imperative to get the new ERP solution and vendor exactly right so the system works as it should, it can grow with the company, and the support is there for many years. Swip Systems spends the necessary time to narrow the ERP vendor choices down to a minimum before involving the client. The goal is minimal client time and business interruption throughout the process.
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Step 4 – ERP Process Preparation
The ERP software was selected, and it was time to prepare. Process Preparation for Wee Ones ensured the company’s people were ready for the ERP implementation and that each internal process and the data in the overall chain were ready to be moved into the selected ERP. Being “ready” meant in-depth analysis of the data and processes to ensure each could be moved with the least amount of hassle and business interruption.
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Step 5 – ERP Implementation
This step is very involved and takes the longest. Once the final go-ahead was given by management, the date was set for ERP implementation, which Swip Systems oversaw with the chosen vendor. This included installing the necessary software, training, planning, executing, configuring hardware, configuring off-site servers, implementing wireless infrastructure, implementing wireless devices, completing necessary integrations, and performing necessary data migrations.
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Step 6 – ERP Ongoing Support
The ERP vendor for Wee Ones offers ongoing support as part of the overall ERP software solution, and Swip Systems is always here for their team as needed.
Our ERP consulting services helped Wee Ones navigate the difficult road of selecting and implementing the right ERP software, and we can do the same for you.
“It is terribly risky to update or implement a new ERP without the help of experts. It’s complicated, time-consuming, and costly, and there’s a good chance the one you choose won’t be the best one for your company’s needs. Partnering with professionals to build or buy is the best way to upgrade.”
The Result … An Efficient, Complete ERP Solution for Wee Ones
Partnering with the experts at Swip Systems to get the right ERP solution for their business needs saved the Wee Ones’ team time and money, and reduced technical debt before it set in and revenue suffered. Wee Ones is benefitting from greater efficiency, reduced business risk, and improved customer outcomes.
There’s a lot riding on internal efficiencies – most importantly customer retention. Your ERP is too important to try to update or choose a new one on your own. Swip Systems is here to help you get the ERP solution that has everything your company needs to grow, without all the confusing bells and whistles that you don’t, and be there to support you through the process. Contact us today – we love answering technology questions and helping companies become more efficient so they can grow. 877.377.SWIP
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