Lessons ERP Users Can Learn From Autumn
By: Katie Foley
This week will be the first full week of fall. In New England, fall is one of our favorite seasons as we have stunning foliage to look forward to as the chilly days creep in. Sure fall means things like football, pumpkin spice everything, and cozy sweaters, but fall has a much deeper meaning than that.
Ancient cultures, science, and astrology have given fall so many symbolic meanings that we can relate to many aspects of life (including life as an ERP software user). Perhaps F. Scott Fitzgerald said it best when he said, “life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall”. Here’s a look at three lessons ERP users can learn from this season of transition:
Take Stock of Your Blessings
Autumn is a time to take stock of your blessings and recount your joys. One of the best examples of this is Thanksgiving where families and friends come together to share a meal to celebrate all the things to be grateful for in life.
How can this lesson be applied to ERP users? Well, fall is a great time to look at your ERP system and evaluate the strengths of the system. In what areas, are you utilizing best practices? How has this solution helped your company achieve more productivity and efficiency? Of course when you look at an ERP solution's strengths, you may also find areas you can improve on, which leads us to our next lesson from fall.
Engage in Preservation and Preparation
Many wild animals use the fall season to prepare for the long winter ahead by engaging in preservation and preparation. Squirrels store acorns and bears create cozy hibernation spaces as they anticipate winter.
In what ways should an ERP user engage in preservation and preparation for the fall? After you take stock of the ways your organization is using the ERP system well and areas where your team could improve their use of the system, now it’s time to come up with a game plan. Which business processes should stay? Which should be changed? Would a business assessment by your ERP vendor help you take advantage of more features? Addressing questions like these can help you preserve what is working and prepare to take the next steps to get the biggest ROI from your ERP solution.
Embrace Change
Perhaps one of the most obvious features of autumn is the change in temperature from hot summer days to chilly fall nights and the vibrant change in foliage from bold greens to deep hues of orange, red, and yellow. Human nature is to resist change and embrace the status quo, however change is the nature of life. When it comes to using an ERP system, change should also be embraced. Most ERP vendors are constantly updating their solutions with enhancements, bug fixes, new reports, and more. Maybe it’s time to attend a training or customer conference to ensure you are making the most of your investment. Or if it’s been many years since your ERP implementation, maybe it’s time to look into new vendors. If something isn't working, change can usually be the solution.
After the dog days of summer, fall is a great time to get back to work and to make sure you are taking full advantage of your ERP investment. A business assessment, updated training, or a trip to your vendor’s customer conference is the perfect place to get back on track with your ERP system. Happy Fall from all of us here at Visibility!
