How Companies of All Sizes Can Benefit from ERP Systems

In any industry, there are big players and smaller ones.  Whether a company is a micro business or giant corporation with triple digit years’ worth of experience, each and every one of them can benefit from operational organization methods, such as ERP systems.  In each situation, it is important to consider the size of your company, its needs, and what may happen in the future.  Most importantly, there is no cookie-cutter option, and when consulting an ERP system, keep in mind that your individual needs outweigh the biased views of ERP vendors.

ERP Systems for Small Companies

They may have a limited budget and no need for the functionalities of an ERP system, which may be a good fit for a large corporation.  It is important to understand that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for ERP systems when it comes to suggesting the correct functionality for a business.

It is an ERP consultant’s job to help a business judge their real ERP needs, as well as its realistic scalabilities.  A good consultant should be able to pinpoint scalability of an organization and anticipate future needs so that money is not being wasted when the business outgrows a solution which does not grow with it.  These needs must all be met within budget, of course, as a small company may lack certain funds or chose to neglect certain needs to stay within budget.  Make sure that current budget restrictions don’t also restrict future growth though.

ERP Systems for Large Corporations

This is true on the other side as well, for large-scale corporations.  Obviously, the needs of a multi-faceted business with many departments, roles, and moving parts will be much more complex than those of the small or mid-sized business.    In this case, it is important to look at resources and solutions, which should be defined to address a large organization’s long-term needs.  In this case, staying away from trends and solutions without much of a track record is a good idea.

ERP Systems for Mid-Sized Corporations

While ERP solutions for small and large companies may seem more obvious, the solution for mid-sized companies may have more factors involved.  Possibly, there are future growth plans involved, but then again, maybe not.  Sustainable ERP solutions for mid-sized companies are often limited by budgetary constraints.  Also, functionality will be important to consider as the fit need to be “just right” based on organizational pain points and needs.

Reviewing options and choosing an ERP System and solution based on need, budget scalability and organizational function are key to a successful implementation for any sized company.  It is not correct to think that there is a one-sized-fits-all solution for all companies, nor is it correct to just think in present-terms as opposed to long-term needs as well.  ERP systems can help any sized company achieve future goals.