How to Customize a Cost Effective Business System
January 19th, 2012 | 
Author: The bad old days of complex, almost incomprehensible business systems are definitely on the way out. New system designs and much better integration are in. The entire theory of business systems has been reinvented as a much more efficient, far more flexible paradigm. New ERP software is making business systems far simpler and infinitely easier to manage and most importantly, to customize. The old One Size Fits Nobody type of business system is well and truly on the way out.
The New Approach: Single Stream, Same Page Business Systems
The most basic description of the new approach to business system design is that functionality in the real workplace is now the core principle of design. In effect, the new systems are designed more like computers and less like the sometimes bizarre menagerie of multiple systems and odd bits of software and hardware of the past.
The need was for a fully integrated business system model which could be adapted to deal with the specific needs of businesses with minimum fuss. That meant getting rid of the complexities and coming up with “plug and play” business systems where businesses could literally integrate all their operations on a same page, same stream basis.
For example, these are the basic elements which make up a business system:
- Administration
- Accounts
- Databases
- Ecommerce
- Human resources
- Risk management
- Sales
- Inventory
- Contract management
- OHS systems
- Phones
- Intranet
- Marketing
- Customer relationship management
The only efficient way to make this jungle of systems manageable is if it runs off one basic system. ERP systems are the core of modern business. The ERP means Enterprise Resource Planning, which is good grammatical description of the system idea. The new business systems work on the basic idea of integrated functionality, including external and internal systems. The new business software includes:
- Compliance training software
- Learning management systems
- OHS management systems
- Remote training systems
- Project management
- Internet based systems
In essence, the ERP systems are the “operating systems” of your business, like the OS of your computer. They’re even designed that way. They can be upgraded and configured to do just about anything. This is one of the big design breakthroughs in business technology, allowing the flexibility required to do business in the modern world.
Modern businesses are as much about communications and information as actual business. In many cases, communications and information are the business. Businesses are in fact multiple simultaneous operations. The real need is for systems which can cover the spectrum of business operations efficiently and with minimum cost and fuss.
The new ERP systems are a whole new class of business system. These systems allow a truly holistic approach to business system configuration. Better yet, they’re also scalable. You don’t have to get something that looks like NASA, just what you need.
This, by the way, is also entirely in tune with the New Economy business models- The best systems are seamless and frictionless. They can be operated remotely or in house with equal ease. You can run ecommerce sites, contracts, projects, or consultancy professional practices. There are no limits any more.
If you want a system that you can run as easily as your phone, complete with tech support and upgrades as required, check out the new ERP systems. You’ll never look back.
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