Searching for and evaluating ERP software is difficult. Really difficult. There are so many different terms, products, markets, deployment models, and technologies, that it can be hard to narrow down your choices to a select few. I talk with people all the time who have undertaken this challenge, and clarity is a challenge. Occasionally, companies pay a selection consultant for help figuring out which solutions to learn more about.
It seems like managers involved in the manufacturing production process never have enough reports or data. It’s not uncommon for our consultants at Visual South to get requests that begin with, “It would be great if I could get a report that…” Truth be told, the requests usually make a lot of sense. So, we develop the report and our customers start using it.
There is no shortage of three-letter acronyms in the software industry. Sometimes it can be confusing to try to figure out what they mean, much less what the solutions do. Let’s take a closer look at both.
Back in the late 80s, I was an Operations Manager at a job shop manufacturer. I was responsible for all aspects of the business group I ran (except sales) and had seven supervisors reporting to me. The data I used to measure how we were doing was our on-time delivery; because that was the data Senior Management used to judge me. I'm proud to say my group consistently outperformed the two other business groups in the company.
When I talk to Visual South customers about using their ERP system to guide them to manufacturing process improvements that could be made, I always ask who is responsible for the variance in estimated vs. actual costs in a completed work order. In some cases, I get a quick answer with a name. That speaks volumes to me because it means they are proactive in looking at cost data. Companies who do this become comfortable with the accuracy of the data. This doesn’t mean they like all the data; but that’s the point. If there is an unacceptable variance, they find out what caused it. Perhaps the standard was wrong (in either direction). Perhaps the execution was flawed or exceeded expectations. The important thing is they know about it, and can do something about it.
The Visual South team frequently discusses the need for a foundation and process to ensure success when choosing enterprise systems. The same is true with field service management apps – if you have a plan, then it’s easy. If you don’t, then not so much. One way to hit that easy button is to learn how to select service management software as it will give you guidance on the steps to create a process and a plan.
I created the image used in the header of this blog about a year and a half ago for another project I was working on. Since then, it's also become the main image the Visual South website's homepage. I like the image because it tells the story of who we are as a company, and how we work with our customers to help them become more efficient. You've seen the image, now let me tell the story in words.
Let’s talk about the Porsche 911 and Chevy Spark. While both are cars, there is a big difference between the two. The 911 is a refined sports car with a base price of $91,000. The Spark is an economy car with a base price of $13,050. Both will get you safely from point A to point B; both have an engine, doors, windows, breaks, airbags, etc. Clearly though, they are not the same and aren’t even in the same market. They appeal to different types of buyers and are designed with that buyer in mind. If you go no further than category of vehicles and only look at price, you could end up buying a Spark, going to the racetrack, and being on the receiving end of a humbling experience.
Visual South engages with many clients simply because these businesses recognize their non-integrated systems are costing them a bundle to manually integrate and maintain, and limiting profitable growth. Typically, companies use an accounting system, and some combination of Excel and small stand-alone, third-party applications to address immediate needs, but those “Frankenstein” systems are costly and limiting. It would be easy to say this is hurting the user’s field service management process, but in many cases, there are no firm processes to hurt because there is no supporting infrastructure. However, there are many non-related and redundant tasks performed to manually tie information together.
I’m not a golfer. How do I know this? Because I tried to be. Practice, regular play, lessons – I tried it all. What I heard over and over again as a professional tried to correct my version of a golf swing was this: The swing I’m teaching you is going to feel funny at first.
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