Choosing the right retail ERP software for your
business can be difficult. There are many technological choices on the market,
but only certain solutions will give you the expected return on investment.
In order to choose the best system, you must identify
the points of improvement in your applications and understand which ERP to turn
to to solve them.
In this article, we propose to help you identify the
features you really need for your retail ERP!
Choose your distribution ERP according to your
business needs
To make the right ERP choice the first time, it is
essential to start by accurately measuring the essential needs of your
business. Everything from the type of goods you store and transport to your
type of customers will have a definite impact on which applications best suit
your operational requirements.
Select your retail ERP according to the products you
distribute
There are big differences between durable and
non-durable goods distributors, with drastically different requirements. And
the latter will not be satisfied by the same functionalities in distribution
software. Also, your ERP can help you find the right inventory level to define
your optimal stock quantity as best as possible.
Analyze your distribution channels to make the right
retail ERP choice
The customers you sell to and how you sell affect the
type of technology capabilities you should invest in.
- Do you have customers in physical stores and on an
e-commerce site? - Do you use social media to grow your business?
- Do you use call centers and mobile platforms?
With increasing competition, products increasingly in
demand because they have a shorter lifespan, an ERP system adapted to retail is
a real asset.
A good practice is to offer customers a similar
shopping experience regardless of the sales channel through which they go
(telephones, e-commerce site, tablets, etc.).
The size of your distribution company will be decisive
in the choice of your retail ERP
The size of your business, but also its scalability
are elements to keep in mind. If you decide to implement small, highly
function-specific software, you’ll need to be prepared to replace it at short
notice. Indeed, chances are that in the future, when you need a much larger
number of users and significantly superior features, your first choice will no
longer suffice.
When you change solutions, it is good practice to
ensure that users can maintain as much of the usage habits they have already
learned as possible. The fluidity of the circulation of information must remain
one of the major concerns.
Choose a retail ERP according to technological needs
Once you have a clearer understanding of your business
needs for distribution software, you still have to better define the type of
automation features that would be most useful to you. To start, define a
strategic business plan, with your objectives and your action plan. You will
better understand what your technological needs are.
Integrated retail ERP VS siled ERP
According to a Forbes article, maintaining data silos
ends up driving up costs and having negative effects on accuracy and quality.
ERP solutions that easily connect to applications already in place (via API,
web services) eliminate these silos. The result is seamless data flows that
allow users to capture what they need faster, reducing the time needed for
manual work. The integrated retail ERP avoids all the problems of duplicating
information. The company can thus rely on a single database.
ERP retail SaaS or on-premise
Modern solutions have increasingly migrated to SaaS in
order to reap the benefits in terms of accessibility, performance, connectivity
and cost.
Functions such as inventory management, in particular,
benefit greatly from the ability to gain real-time visibility. It also makes
working with remote warehouses and other supply chain touchpoints considerably
more efficient.
From a financial point of view, the subscription to an
ERP is similar to an operating expense, while the acquisition of a license is
to be counted in the capital expenditure.
Good to know: ERP Sa aS exists in two forms:
multi-tenant and single-tenant.
- With the single-tenant version, the single user has
the choice whether or not to upgrade their software. - While the advantage of multi-tenancy lies in updates
and patches offered and managed by the publisher itself.
Generalist ERP vs. Sectoral ERP
Industry ERP focuses on key areas of a vertical
industry to deliver functionality. Commercial management software makes
accessible not only functions shared by all sectors, but also functions
specific to your sector.
More modern enterprise management systems, which are
built on a general platform, offer better “plug and play” options.
While generalist ERPs have a good reputation, they
require multiple adaptations. On the other hand, an ERP focused on your sector
of activity is generally intended to be ready to use, equipped with greater
expertise and requires less development during future updates.
Archipelia, partner of omnichannel retail companies in
their ERP project
Archipelia offers a complete, intuitive and efficient
solution to retail SMEs.
Modular and scalable, this solution accompanies you on
a daily basis and helps you achieve your goals with more serenity and
organization.
The Archipelia team assists you in defining your needs
and offers you tailor-made support.