As technologies continue to advance exponentially, savvy business owners, executives and decision-makers must begin to look toward the future and recognize emerging trends before they become mainstream. Your strategic planning process starts with your business management system, and those using the powerful Microsoft Dynamics suite should keep a keen eye on a few important trends:
#1 – The Internet Of Things
So many small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) suffer significantly reduced productivity because they spend too much time dealing with inefficient, outdated accounting systems.
While there are an infinite number of ways to alleviate these pains, streamlining accounting is one of the best. Armed with the right tools, SMBs save time and money, gain actionable insights into the company and move the business forward. The best tool to streamline your accounting is cloud-based financial accounting software.
The realm of small and mid-sized businesses is not a friendly one – it’s full of cutthroat competition, empty promises and red herrings. The survivors and thrivers are the ones who innovate, embrace change and form bonds with powerful partners. These partners aren’t necessarily physical entities, though: Some of the most robust drivers of growth are business management solutions and software systems, such as Dynamics ERP.
It should come as no surprise that Dynamics ERP is such a popular business tool. Its effectiveness has been proven time and time again, and it’s backed by the strong support of Microsoft, a true tech titan. But many business owners and executives have failed to realize the full potential of their ERP software, simply because they’re hosting an on-premise version. Let’s look at some of the advantages awarded to those businesses that undergo cloud migration:
There are a lot of benefits a true cloud ERP subscription can provide to your business. This includes the hardware infrastructure, security, maintenance, software licenses, implementation, training, support, integration services and all upgrades in a single monthly investment.
The upgrades in most cases include updates, enhancements, plus the required services to help your business take advantage of them. For the most part this is a good thing. Compared to on premise solutions, there is minimal impact to your budget because a cloud ERP subscription eliminates the days of expensive hardware upgrades, overhauls and upgrade fees. When you don’t have to pay extra for upgrades, your business is no longer tethered to outdated versions of technology that minimize efficiencies and impair process improvements. New versions are often easier to use, make business processes more efficient, provide easier access to information, have deeper levels of functionality, provide greater levels of integration and are more secure and stable.
But what if your business is not ready to tackle an upgrade to take advantage of the latest software?
When it comes to choosing between an array of business software, options have traditionally been limited. Businesses today have far more options, but few recognize or seize them.
Avoid these three (3) common mistakes when evaluating your next Cloud ERP solution, and you’ll be well on your way to reaping the maximum benefit from your investment.
With cost management being such an important factor for any small-to-medium-sized business, it’s vital for them to make sure they are aware of all costs related to their cloud ERP system. If they don’t, costs can quickly begin to add up. Luckily, you can get it under control in a few simple steps. . .
Communication is a key factor that affects many facets of business. This makes it essential to success and clarity. Without it, different teams may be able to complete tasks through trial and error over time, but this causes difficulty in time and communication management. This can inhibit workflow and productivity.
Luckily there’s a solution. Read on for 5 ways you can improve your business processes with an integrated ERP solution.
INTRODUCTION:
A study commissioned by Microsoft earlier this year outlines the productivity lost by small businesses when they have nontechnical employees manage their IT solutions. They estimate that over $24 billion in productivity is lost each year by “involuntary IT managers”.
Why are companies shooting themselves in the foot with wasted energy?
In terms of managing and analyzing your company data in Dynamics GP there are basically two options: go it alone with the built-in KPIs and reports that come with Dynamics GP or work through the integration and implementation process for a third-party Business Intelligence (BI) solution. Here at SMBSuite we know that the most valuable tools are all about flexibility and mobility for your Microsoft Dynamics GP experience. As you catch flights and work on the go to serve your global customer base, flexibility is key. You should be able to access your company’s financials wherever you are, so that you can make the best decisions quickly for the future of your organization.
But the other piece of this puzzle is getting a system that works for you without needing an in-house expert to master a complex and crucial business process. In the next few minutes, let us show you how our pre-configured, role-based dashboards and excel-based graphical report builder can give you the best of both worlds: seamless GP integration and powerful, drag-and-drop customizable business intelligence tools that offer deep insights into your company data.
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.