In today's world, operating with manual, pen & paper processes is a way of the past. There just isn't enough time in the day anymore to keep up with it!
Whether the business model is retail, warehousing, a service provider, or anything else, making the switch to business management software will provide a host of benefits and prevent a wide range of issues. In this article, we lay out some of the issues that can be corrected by moving away from the manual processes.
Errors From Manual Entry
Manually importing data between multiple systems or departments allows a lot of room for human error. For example, if errors occur while importing orders, it can lead to delays or inaccurate product delivery and trickle all the way down to client relations.
This can be attempted to be automated with third-party integrations, but they typically are not real-time and may not be compatible across the board with other systems within the company. In addition to the ongoing fees you'll be paying for the integrations, they can be a maintenance nightmare requiring frequent fixing and upkeep.
Inaccurate Inventory and Pricing
If you are managing any sort of inventory, it can be a constant struggle to keep stock levels and price changes synced among all systems. When new items are created, they must also be added across the entire company.
In an e-commerce type of business, when a warehouse restocks, it may take some time until the stock is reflected on the website. This delay affects cash flow and sales. Showing an out-of-stock message on items will deter potential customers and cause visitors to lose interest or faith in your company's ability to provide them with what they need.
With a strong business management software, once an inventory shipment comes in, that stock can be immediately available to customers due to all systems being tied together through the software. It cuts down on the time needed to manually enter new inventory and maintains a higher level of stock and price accuracy.
Order Processing Delays
For a business that relies on getting orders sent into its order management system manually, it adds a couple of extra business days to your fulfillment process. Since orders do not automatically feed from the source to the warehouse throughout the day, they come in batches, making it more difficult for fulfillment in a short time period.
Then, once orders are shipped, the process has to be reversed by getting shipment information to the customer. The sooner a customer gets their shipping information, the happier they are!
One-Size-Fits-All Approach
Having a one-size-fits-all approach to your website for visitors and customers will ultimately show you that one size doesn't fit all. Using that approach ultimately hurts visitor engagement and customer lifetime value as different customers require different methods to convert.
A new visitor may need a special coupon to push them into making a purchase or a regular buyer may need some quick recommendations that they often shop for.
Having the ability to track website visitors and build a profile for them based on their interactions will ultimately turn over more sales and repeat visitors. Rather than being burdened with having to navigate the site from the start, a customized appearance and options will be right in front of them when they return.
Make Life Easier With NetSuite
If your customer, order, inventory, and financial data is stored in separate, department-specific areas, you'll need to spend additional time and resources to manage and bring it all together when necessary, in order to keep the flow of business going.
When a business is unified with the same ERP/business management software system, like NetSuite, you gain an unprecedented level of real-time visibility that sets you up to make more informed business decisions.
NetSuite allows businesses to bring it all together into a single channel that allows real-time communications across all areas of a business. It allows for things to operate like a well-oiled machine and removes the manual processes and areas for possible error.
For more information on how NetSuite and other client accounting services can help your business, turn to the team at AccountingDepartment.com today.
