Is ERP Essential for a Better Customer Experience?

Can ERP help businesses craft a better customer experience? IDC Manufacturing Insights conducted research on 460 companies globally. These companies are from all types of industrial backgrounds including high tech, equipment manufacturing and metal fabrication.

ERP and Improved Customer Experience

The research indicates that an improved customer experience can be gained through investments in modern, fully integrated, flexible and easy to use ERP systems that streamline all operational functions.

What’s Next: Be Customer Centric

The report gives manufacturers a heads up period of about 3 years. In order to stay ahead of other global competitors, these businesses will have to “build customer-centric values into purchasing decisions to reduce the current emphasis on cost.” This sounds great, but will most likely be a fairly intensive rework in the mindset of mostly larger manufacturers. Smaller and mid-sized manufacturers could have an advantage if they can effectively deliver what their customers want. These companies are typically more agile, which in this case will be a tremendous benefit.

Better ERP, Better Results

Steve Nixon, Operations Manager of Descon, an engineered to-order manufacturer, serves fortune 500 clients throughout North America. Nixon, recently shared the way his organization has “strengthened their ability to respond to their client’s needs for real time updates on the progress of orders and to streamline team management of quotes from concept to invoice.”  His company was able to manage progress payments, complex quotes, and design changes.

Let us know how you use ERP to support a better customer experience and connect with us on Twitter @Datixinc.