Signs Your IT is Missing an ERP

Finding the right balance of hardware, software, and staff is an ongoing challenge in every company. Trying to get by with a minimal IT infrastructure subjects enterprises to problems that could easily be fixed with technology. But an infrastructure that is too large is often expensive, redundant, and hard to manage. It is debatable which scenario is worse, but there is a compelling argument to be made that not having enough tools is worse than having too many tools.

Here are some clear signs that your IT is missing an ERP:

Your Data is Isolated

If you lack the capability to integrate data from across departments, you’re missing out on a big opportunity. This creates a scenario where the left had does not know what the right hand is doing. Confusion is inevitable, and the opportunities that come from cooperation and transparency disappear.

Your BI is Lacking

Data has no intrinsic value, but the meaning of that data That means if your IT lacks the capabilities to perform deep and nuanced analysis, you are missing out on a huge opportunity. IT that can manage data but not evolve it into something more useful does more harm than good.

Your Information is Outdated

One of the earliest challenges of IT is one that persists even today – keeping information up to date. Despite all of our new capabilities, it is still a laborious and time-consuming process to keep data current across platforms. Your staff has to waste hundreds of man hours, and you have to operate with data that isn’t accurate.

Your IT is Overly Complicated

In order to crib together a system that meets all your requirements, many enterprises rely on a patchwork of apps, plug-ins, and customizations. These systems are buggy by default and require almost constant tinkering. Many could easily and effectively be eliminated simply by relying on ERP services.

Your Coordination is Lacking

IT is supposed to make things faster and easier. If you routinely suffer from miscommunications, delayed deadlines, and customer complaints, it’s a clear sign that your IT is not delivering on its promise. The individual parts may be fine, but they are missing a tool that can integrate and streamline them across the enterprise.

Your IT is Not Mobile

If your data and applications are only available inside our office, their value and utility are severely limited. Staff who are traveling to meet with clients, work off-site, or attend a conference have to essentially “pack” their data with them, or make do with the limited data they are able to access remotely. Given all the other advances in mobility that have appeared over the last decade, today’s IT must make mobility a priority.

It can be a dispiriting feeling to discover that your IT is severely incapable and under-powered. But when a single addition to your enterprise can fix all its deficiencies, you aren’t just solving problems, you’re gaining strengths. Ask yourself if ERP is the IT panacea you have been looking for.