The Top Reasons Why Manufacturers Should Consider Cloud ERP
By WatServ
August 23, 2022
The G2 technology marketplace curates reviews and information on most major software systems available globally. G2 originated in 2012 when a group of entrepreneurs asked why they can easily get reviews for user information on a hotel room, but if they are planning something like a $100,000 investment in ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) then it was impossible to find information – except from the software vendors.
G2 publishes some interesting statistics on ERP use. In their most recent summary, 62.7% of companies prefer using a cloud-based ERP system to an in-house installation. However, only 5% of companies are effectively using their ERP to create and augment high-quality data. A lot of room for improvement.
So why is Cloud ERP important for the manufacturing sector in particular?
Canadian Manufacturing published a report in April 2022 that lists some particularly useful insights. It includes areas such as:
- Engage and collaborate in real-time: supply chains have been disrupted by the pandemic, regional issues like Brexit, and even military action. The ability to monitor your entire supply chain in real-time so it is easy to switch supply routes or suppliers can be critical for success. Even major manufacturers have struggled recently with issues from a chip shortage to war.
- Future-proof your operations: cloud-based systems allow a manufacturer to embrace change and digital transformation. In this SYSPRO CFO survey, only 19.3% of manufacturing businesses said they would replace aging machinery – the emphasis for innovation is on creating a flexible technology environment.
- Ease of customization: the survey mentioned in the last bullet also found that 49% of manufacturers looked to create new products during the pandemic. By creating a flexible technology environment, this product innovation and time-to-market can be dramatically accelerated.
- Reduce infrastructure: the typical cloud advantage. You gain more resilience and don’t need to manage the expense of your own technology infrastructure in-house. Reducing local infrastructure also reduces operational risk and the need for comprehensive business continuity plans mirroring your own infrastructure.
This is a great summary of the main benefits of working with Cloud ERP, but we want to also suggest a couple of important additional points.
Security: Cloud ERP is far more secure than in-house infrastructure relying on traditional network security. By moving to the cloud, you can start using intelligent AI bots that seek out potential security risks – it’s possible to identify security risks before a breach happens – far better than reacting once a problem exists.
Analytics: Alluded to in the first point, but worth noting. Only a Cloud ERP platform will allow real-time analytics that can create deep insight into the data flowing through your business. Why study management reports on what happened yesterday or last week when you can see it in real-time?
Check this case study for just one example of our own experience delivering hosting and managed services for Bartell Drugs in the US.
Our website features more information on cloud migration and our IT solutions, including what to consider when migrating to the cloud.
About
WatServ is an IT solutions provider that helps organizations digitally transform through cloud technologies and managed services.
Serving clients as a trusted advisor since 2006, WatServ provides experience-tested, strategic solutions across all stages of the digital transformation journey. Clients choose WatServ to migrate infrastructure and applications to the cloud, secure critical data, implement disaster recovery, deploy virtual desktop, enable data-readiness for productivity solutions and manage IT environments.
Our clients span a broad range of industries, and we’re a global supplier of IT services for many Brookfield Portfolio Companies. To help our mid-size clients, we provide scalable offerings that simplify cloud adoption and drive business optimization. For enterprise clients, we co-create cloud solutions that enable stability and efficiency for complex IT tools and processes.
With more than 15 years of experience, WatServ has a track record of delivering quantifiable business results and a superior client experience. Ranked as one of Canada’s Top 100 Solution Providers for the last three years in a row, WatServ is always on.
