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Multiple Disconnected Systems: Why They’re Bad for Business

dealing with multiple disconnected systems
10 Aug

Multiple Disconnected Systems: Why They’re Bad for Business

by SMB Suite
in Managed IT, SMB Blog
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The most common reasons multiple disconnected systems negatively affect your business.

Years ago, your business was new and growing. You needed to keep up with information quickly, so your company bought a number of computers and dot-matrix printers to make paperwork easier. More than a decade later, you bought a state-of-the-art CRM program to streamline your customer service issues. About the same time, the warehousing department bought a program that kept track of inventory better than spreadsheets. Around the time of the Y2K scare, the board recommended an internal program for expenses. And now it’s 2019 and you have to open six or seven different programs every time you boot up your computer.

Not only are multiple disconnected systems frustrating to deal with on a day-in/day-out basis, they are also likely damaging your bottom line. Even if your company bought the very best program of the year, technology moves quickly. Here are the most common ways that multiple disconnected systems hurt your business.

Why Multiple Disconnected Systems are Hurting Your Businesses

  • Multiple systems decrease efficiency. Duplicating data entry doesn’t only waste time; it often results in keystroke errors.
  • Average data entry errors are between 3% and 5%. The same record in many different systems may receive a typo in one program, and not in the next – making pairing the two records nearly impossible. 
  • With multiple systems, finding complete information requires several clicks through several programs. This does not happen quickly. Either copy and paste the customer number you need, or write it down and type it in several times to get reports from each of your different programs.
  • Various systems may contain different variations of the same data. Which address or phone number does your customer prefer? Is it the one customer service uses, or the one his salesperson has in their files? 
  • Imported information doesn’t always sync. A simple task may require you to research the other systems on file. You have to stop what you are doing and begin a new task to fix the information you have or to determine why it is incongruent.
  • Several windows open in the background tie up computer bandwidth and slow everything down. 
  • Reports from older programs may not sync on the same schedule as newer ones. They can be outdated if data is not refreshed in real time — usually manually — creating even more wasted time.
  • Each system used to manage data has ongoing costs associated with them. Licensing fees, maintenance fees, training and support fees, customer service fees.
  • New hires need to learn multiple interfaces for the numerous types of software they need to know how to use. This is simply adding to their training. 
  • Upgrading systems for specific programs can happen on varying schedules. Some systems are old, so the maintenance costs are high or support is not available.
  • When some departments don’t have access to other systems, communication and information blocks occur as a result.

Reducing Your Business’s Systems Reduces Spend

Reducing the number of systems reduces the dollars spent on duplicate services from different providers. SMB Suite offers complete, integrated systems that are a perfect fit for your business. Systems that speak to each other can find those pesky mis-keys and typos. Staff members are also more productive, as they can spend less time tracking down answers and more time helping clients. New employees have fewer programs to learn and fewer ways to make mistakes, and your company will always have the most up-to-date software. Finally, solutions from SMB Suite give your staff a single point of contact in the rare event that issues arise. If your business day is slowed down because of multiple disconnected systems, contact us today!

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Steve’s been with SMB Suite since 1998 and has been involved with nearly every aspects of the Company’s business as a strategist, professional services executive, cloud solutions architect, and senior consultant. In his current role, Steve is responsible for SMB Suite’s revenue and oversees the execution of ERP, CRM and BI projects for customers across a broad range of industries. Steve combines his expertise in MS Dynamics GP, CRM and other Microsoft products with a strong foundation in accounting and business to identify gaps and streamline customers’ processes. Prior to co-founding SMB Suite, Steve was previously Corporate Controller for MEHLE Behr and, prior to that, Audit Senior for Ernst & Young. Steve holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Jeremy is responsible for SMB Suite’s technology vision, strategy and implementation and is the architect of the Company’s Dynamics Cloud Platform. Highly adept in every facet of managed services, ERP systems and e-commerce platforms, Jeremy’s expertise spans the implementation and support of business and financial software solutions, as well as the customization and integration of SMB Suite’s cloud ERP technology stack. He holds numerous Microsoft and industry-related certifications, and was primarily responsible for designing the Company’s progressive business services platform in the early days of the Cloud. Prior to SMB Suite, Jeremy served as the financial analyst, systems administrator, and information systems liaison for a $2 billion financial services corporation.

Monty is responsible for SMB Suite’s day-to-day operation and, most importantly, its customers. As a leader, motivator and mentor, Monty creates loyal high performance teams willing to “walk through walls” to accomplish their goals. Prior to SMB Suite, Monty served as President of The Bradshaw Group (TBG), a global distributor, manufacturer, and repair facility for digital printers. In this role, he was the Company’s ambassador to its most important domestic, European and Latin American customers and TBG achieved a best-in-class Net Promoter Score of 74 for its superb customer satisfaction. Prior to TBG, Monty served as the General Manager of Sam’s Clubs three highest grossing U.S. stores and was named Regional Operator of the Year in 1999. Monty holds a BBA in Marketing from Texas Tech University and is an active member of Business Navigators. He has been active in Vistage International, Executives in Action, the Dallas/Fort Worth Retail Executives Association, as well as, A.P.I.C.S., the leading professional association for supply chain and operations management. Monty also volunteers with Hunger Busters and ManeGait, a therapeutic horsemanship organization.

David is a proven financial and information technology professional with expertise in providing business accounting software and computing solutions. He began his career by starting and managing a successful independent consulting practice for several years. He then launched the local systems consulting unit of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneurial Services Group, leading the office into the hi-tech consulting arena. After successfully developing the unit for Ernst & Young, David founded NextCorp (which became SMB Suite in 2013) to serve the business software needs of clients throughout the US. David has made SMB Suite one of the best cloud ERP providers in the industry. In addition to being a successful entrepreneur and leader, he is a software and technology specialist, holding certifications in various Microsoft and other technologies.