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9 Costly Mistakes Made by Gourmet Food Store Owners When Selecting an ERP and How to Avoid Them
What is an ERP?
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are software solutions that help businesses manage their processes. ERP solutions allow users to have unified and integrated access to essential business data and information. By using ERP solutions, gourmet food store owners can control their organization, reduce costs, and increase efficiency.
Measurement of Successful ERP Selection
For the successful selection of an ERP system, the primary goal for gourmet food store owners should be to ensure that it fits the unique requirements of their business. The chosen ERP should help streamline processes, minimize manual work, and offer scalability. A successful ERP solution should also provide useful business insights, accuracy in forecasting and reporting, and help generate savings.
5 Common Mistakes and Solutions in ERP Selection
Choosing the right ERP system is not easy, and any mistake can prove to be costly. To help gourmet food store owners in their ERP selection process, the following are five common mistakes made, and the solutions around them:
- 1. Not understanding the company’s needs – The primary mistake made by food store owners is not considering their current and future needs. Gourmet food store owners should identify their exact needs, budget constraints and technology capabilities before selecting an ERP.
- Solution – Have a clear roadmap and business strategy, and use it to generate a list of functional requirements. Additionally, discuss the technical capabilities of the team during the decision-making process as well.
- 2. Choosing based solely on features or pricing – Purchasing the ERP system solely on its features or recommendations, or opting for the cheapest ERP system, is a mistake. Gourmet food store owners should make sure that the ERP system chosen has relevant features, is affordably priced, and can show positive ROI.
- Solution – Create a proper comparison chart between different ERP systems based on features, cost, and user-friendliness. It is essential to also make sure that the ERP solution supports customization and is scalable.
- 3. Not researching enough– Gourmet food store owners often make the mistake of not doing enough research when selecting an ERP. It is crucial to read the online forums, reviews, case studies and understand the vendor’s customer service policies when selecting an ERP.
- Solution – Check the vendor’s background, implementations, history and customer references. Additionally, talk to the current users of the vendor, if possible.
- 4. Not testing the ERP – Too often, gourmet food store owners forget to test the ERP before purchase. It is essential to ensure that all features of the ERP can be tested and are according to their requirements.
- Solution – Invest time in testing the features of the ERP. If possible, talk to the vendor about providing a trial period to make sure that you are investing in the correct solution.
- 5. Thinking that customization is not necessary – Gourmet food stores may think that the ERP’s default settings are enough to fulfill their needs. This is a mistake as the ERP may not offer all the right features that are a necessity for the store’s aspirations.
- Solution – Make sure that the ERP you plan on investing in can be customized. Additionally, if the ERP allows partnerships, it is important to use them to your advantage.
Summarised table of mistakes and solutions
Mistake | Solution |
---|---|
Not understanding the company’s needs | Have a clear roadmap and business strategy and use it to generate a list of functional requirements. |
Choosing based solely on features or pricing | Create a proper comparison chart between different ERP systems based on features, cost, and user-friendliness. |
Not researching enough | Check the vendor’s background, implementations, history and customer references. |
Not testing the ERP | Invest time in testing the features of the ERP. |
Thinking that customization is not necessary | Make sure that the ERP you plan on investing in can be customized. |
Conclusion
Selecting the right ERP system for your gourmet food store is essential for avoiding costly errors. To ensure a successful selection, gourmet food store owners should understand their needs, compare different ERP systems based on features, cost, and user-friendliness; research the vendor, test the ERP, and make sure that the ERP allows customization. By following the above steps, gourmet food store owners can be sure that they make the right choice when selecting an ERP.