When your finance team is busy reaching month end, reviewing your systems can feel like a task for another day. But if spreadsheets, repeated data entry and disconnected systems are keeping everyone busy, how do you break the cycle?
In this episode of the itSHOWCASE podcast, recorded at Twickenham, Alistair Sloan, Marketing Executive at Thinc, discusses how businesses can make system changes feel more manageable.
Start with what slows you down
Before exploring ERP software, identify the everyday problems you need it to solve. Alistair highlights the time teams spend manually entering information across different systems.
Ask your team: where are we duplicating work, and which recurring tasks take the most time?
Those answers give supplier conversations a clear starting point, helping providers understand your needs.
Break the decision into smaller steps
Data migration, staff training and the time involved can make changing systems feel daunting.
Alistair’s colleague Gary explored this in his masterclass, Eating the Elephant: The Art of Changing Finance Systems Without Swallowing the Risk Whole. The message: approach a substantial change in manageable parts.
Ask potential providers what those steps would look like for your business. What preparation is needed? Who needs to be involved? How will staff be supported?
Meet the people behind the software
Throughout the episode, Alistair emphasises honest, human conversations. Choosing an ERP provider means choosing people who will help guide your business through change, so use early discussions to assess how clearly they explain the process and address your concerns.
Before your next conversation, write down one recurring task, where it causes difficulty and what you want to improve. You don’t need a complete specification to start asking useful questions.
To make ERP selection easier than ever, attend itSHOWCASE, check our website for the event nearest you.
