‘Best practice’ is one of those business buzz terms that’s often thrown around in the workplace, but many businesses are yet to grasp what it really means.
How does a business actually know whether it is meeting best practice standards?
The answer is changeable depending on the industry. However, when it comes to technology and infrastructure, there are three key questions a business should ask before investing time, money and resources.
1. Know what problem you are trying to solve
It’s crucial that a business actually understands what is not working, or what can be improved upon. A common mistake is delegating this task to someone who prefers to work autonomously and doesn’t have an overview of the business.
To get the most out of this process, appoint a project team to conduct a thorough ‘deep dive’. This can either be achieved internally, or by appointing an independent Project Manager to seek input from various sources across the business.
Make sure all critical pain points are documented and then placed in order of priority (mission critical vs nice-to-haves). Prioritising pain points in this way will make it easier for an organisation to shortlist technology platforms that can actually fix their problems, versus those that believe they can.
Common pain points MYOB has identified in the franchise sector include:
- increased visibility of real-time data at head office
- a desire for direct integration between all platforms to avoid inconsistencies in data from stores to head office
- a desire for direct integration between Point of Sale systems and accounting software platforms to automate data transfer
- implementation of time and attendance modules to reduce fraud and theft within the business
- compliant software for superannuation payments to employees as per government and ATO regulations
- integrated job management platforms, and
- electronic quoting solutions for tradespeople.
2. Do your research and build for the future
Once the business understands what needs to be fixed, investigate which technology platforms can solve your problems, and have those vendors present to you.
At this point it’s crucial to imagine the future – what pain points do you envisage for your business in two, five or 10 years’ time? Neglecting to provide for future solutions can end up costing businesses dearly by implementing systems with a shelf life.
With everything moving online, now is the time for businesses to build a futureproof blueprint for long-term technology sustainability within their business. This can be done by choosing a technology platform that continuously evolves and can extend to other software packages. The use of APIs (Application Programming Interface) has enabled systems to seamlessly connect with one another to do amazing things, often requiring minimal development.
For bigger businesses, such as franchisors looking for more out of an Enterprise solution, MYOB Advanced is a world leading online ERP solution that is highly customisable to suit different businesses requirements.
3. Choose a technology partner with a proven track record and reputable customers
Do your due diligence when choosing a technology partner. Making the wrong decision is like taking two steps forward and three steps back.
Don’t get sucked in by smart marketing or fast talking salespeople – a proven technology provider can back up their statements with facts and proven success stories with reputable clients.
Most importantly, make sure your technology partner can provide various types of support, including phone support. There’s nothing worse than having something go wrong for a business only to wait days for a response via email. I don’t know one business owner today that thinks 24 or 48 hours is an appropriate timeframe for a technical support response to a critical issue stopping them from conducting business as usual. This happens more often than one might think, so having technical support and a large network of service and support partners is one of the key things you should look for very early on.
Finally, make sure you are given an Account Manager you can turn to when you need advice or support. An Account Manager will also be able to advise you on all relevant services to help grow your business.
At Momentum our experienced consultants work closely with you to understand your business, your objectives and your specific software needs. We show you how a tailored MYOB ERP solution can meet those needs, and then implement your solution, train your staff, and provide support for the short and long term future. We have helped hundreds of clients take their business to the next level!
If you’d like to learn how a tailored MYOB ERP System can transform your business, contact us today on (07) 5479 1877.