ERP Software

ERP Companies and Small Business

Both enterprise resource planning (ERP) and small business have changed over the past few years. For ERP, there has been a successful transition to the Web and hosted software as a service. For small businesses, Web-based access to ERP has changed the way many of them operate. ERP companies were known to be a very expensive proposition; one that only large corporations could afford. Nowadays, Web-based applications have become the most vigorous market for this software. As a result, enterprise software vendors, large and small are migrating to the Web and seeking a piece of the action.

There are numerous enterprise packages available today. Large corporate entities have the software installed along with servers, storage and training; this all for a hefty price tag. But they can afford it, right? Small and midsized businesses were left with out of the box software that could not interact or communicate. Then Salesforce.com came along with a customer relationship management (CRM) software system that did not require the purchasing of software, servers, storage, or training. Some 10 years later, they have become one of the major software vendors in the marketplace for enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management.

Enterprise software integrates and automates business processes and provides a streamlined platform for conducting business. It places all of the required applications modules and tools on this platform and stores it in one place. That means accounting, sales, marketing, manufacturing, inventory, purchasing and procurement, distribution, logistics, the warehouse and customer relationship management are all placed in one repository or communications hub where all authorized employees can go to get the applications, tools, information and data they need to process a business task. Moving to the Web shows how ERP companies have come a long way over 40 years.

Talk about change. A business no longer has to purchase expensive software and install servers and storage. And, let’s not forget, that this was an expensive approach to running a business. Then too, there were numerous complaints and problems with implementation. With the Web, these types of problems don’t exist. It’s a whole different approach. And this approach has worked well for small competitive companies seeking to level the playing field.

Today, many of these small outfits are enjoying success with cloud computing or software as a service. They pay only a subscription fee for the number of users and the time spent using the software. Now that’s progress, and it’s all because of a new breed of ERP companies.

Written by :

Amy Cruz