As a manufacturer, you know the realities of the building products industry: the ever-changing consumer trends (fueling more and more custom dimensions, colors, and materials) and the fierce competition to provide the lowest price, the quickest shipping, and the best warranty. Now add into the mix an inefficient and downright archaic shop-floor process.
Given these factors, the thought of streamlining the shop floor and increasing your speed to market may seem like an insurmountable challenge. The good news is that they don’t have to be. And that’s where finding the right ERP solution can help.
Before you begin your search
Perhaps you’ve researched ERP providers or solutions in the past. But looking at what’s out there is just one part of the process. Perhaps more importantly, you need to take a step back and understand what your needs really are. In other words, you should develop a business case around purchasing or replacing an ERP software before you start your search.
Consider the following questions:
- What are your business goals, technology goals, and timelines across your organization?
- Do your Plant Manager and IT Manager have the same goals and expectations?
- Will your current front-end selling solution integrate properly?
These are just a few common areas to iron out on the front end. Implementing a new ERP system doesn’t have to be incredibly complex, but it does take some preparation.
Identify your goals & what defines success
By clearly documenting why your organization would benefit from implementing a new ERP software, you can lay the groundwork for measuring ROI. Like any other business decision, the costs of the project should support your goals and provide a realistic return on investment.
ERP is a long-term investment
Investing in an ERP solution is very similar to other capital expenditures. It requires an understanding of the long-term value it will provide to the business. The right ERP solution may come with a big price tag, but over the life of that system, it can make your operations more efficient.
Just think of how much time and money you can save by eliminating re-keying information, mistakes related to manual data entry, wasted cuts, returns, and shipping miscalculations. The right ERP software can make your workforce more efficient and to help them focus on what they do best – ensuring that you’re manufacturing the highest quality of products.
Which ERP solution should I choose?
There are many ERP solutions available these days, but ultimately the one you choose should address your company’s unique needs with a comprehensive, robust, adaptable, easy-to-use solution that fits both your size and your budget.
One option to consider is the Paradigm Nexus ERP software. Rather than being a generic one-size-fits-all solution, Paradigm Nexus is specifically designed for the building products industry.
Paradigm Nexus seamlessly manages your scheduling, purchasing, manufacturing, shipping, and invoicing. This robust system provides a wealth of statistics, key performance indicators and dashboard reports that help you evaluate performance. And its automation technology streamlines operations, allowing you to focus on growing your business, not spreadsheets and data entry.
Paradigm provides technology solutions designed to simplify the process of configuring, quoting, and manufacturing complex configurable building products. Paradigm’s clients range from regional, mid-sized manufacturers of building products to major international home improvement retail corporations. Let’s talk about how a Paradigm solution can fit benefit your operational success and your bottom line.
