Enterprise resource planning systems have come a long way and have revolutionized various industries, including the water industry. Whether you are a water manufacturer or distributor, ERP for bottled water is perfect to streamline and optimize processes while reducing operational costs.
With so many ERP solutions available in the market, it is challenging to choose the right one. ERP This blog will explore the factors you should consider while picking the best ERP for bottled water business.
Factors to consider when choosing the right ERP for your bottled water business
Choosing the right ERP system for your bottled water business is time-consuming and requires proper planning and consideration. We have jotted down the factors to consider when choosing an ERP system for your business. Tips to select the best ERP for bottled water businesses are:
Identify your requirements and goals
Determining your ERP requirements and the goals you want to achieve from implementing a bottled water ERP system. Check out the features and functionalities you need in your ERP to manage your business. If you are only migrating from a legacy system to an ERP, review the features and functionalities.
Ask yourself:
- What problems is your business solving?
- What are the goals you want to achieve?
ERP providers use basic knowledge about ERP modules that include production, bottled water delivery software, finance and accounting, inventory, and reporting and analytics. These modules are composed of functionalities that can be customized to meet your business-specific solutions. However, the ERP providers such as Water Delivery Solutions have already customized ERP, specifically for bottled water businesses.
Also, check whether you need customer application and water delivery drivers.
Consider your budget
Set an amount that you want to invest in technology. Ensure that the amount is realistic, considering it can be expensive. Consider upfront costs, implementation, potential customizations, and ongoing services. Businesses that only consider expenses mostly end up implementing the wrong system.
Compare various ERP systems
Consider comparing various ERP systems. Evaluate the features, functionality, scalability, and implementation costs. Prefer taking demos to see how their solutions work.
Compare the system’s features with your requirements, and ensure that the system offers at least the priority features.
Check integrations needed
If you want to use existing applications, select the system with easy and flexible integrations. Many ERP systems come with certified integrations, such as e-commerce frontstores, point-of-sale (POS), online marketplaces, and third-party providers. Consider the integrations you are looking for. Discuss the integrations required with the ERP providers. Keep the integration expense conversation clear.
Assess their implementation process
ERP software offers features that touch every aspect of your bottled water business, making the implementation process crucial. Vendors offer ERP that serves all businesses regardless of industry or cater to industry-specific ERPs. It is suggested you choose the vendor that serves your industry.
ERP implementation can take a few months to over a year, depending on the company size and product complexity. You must have good project management and determined milestones.
Bottled water ERP software implementation consists of six phases that start with understanding your business, challenges, and goals. After an ERP is selected:
- Design – The current workflow is analyzed, customizations needed are figured out, and a way to migrate data is determined.
- Configuration – The ERP for bottled water is set up, training documents are prepared, and the data is imported.
- Progressive testing – The system is tested, and issues are identified and resolved.
- Deployment – The system goes live.
- Support and maintenance – Ensure the vendor offers ongoing support and maintenance for consistent performance.
Also, consider whether you want to deploy your ERP system on-premises or in the cloud. Cloud-based ERP solutions are cost-effective due to low upfront investment compared to in-house deployment.
Ongoing support and maintenance
Assess what you’ll get for ongoing support and maintenance. The type of support you need depends on various factors:
Time zones you operate in.
- Whether it has an in-house IT admin to manage ERP systems.
- The level of system availability your business needs.
- Estimate loss to the business in terms of productivity, revenue, and reputation.
These answers will let you know the level of support you need. For cloud-based ERP, uptime is not a consideration, as cloud providers guarantee the same high level of availability.
Go for advanced and proactive customer support to ensure the system performs at its peak.
Bottom line
Implementing the right ERP for bottled water businesses is crucial to ensure seamless operations, improved profitability, and reduced expenses. Water Delivery Solutions provides bottled water ERP software that is highly flexible and scalable to adapt to evolving business landscapes. Book a demo to see our enterprise resource planning system in action.
He loves to explore. His passion for helping delivery industries in all aspects flows through in the vision he has. In addition to providing smart solution to make delivery process flawless, Ravi also likes to write sometimes to make it easier for people from business industry looking for digital solutions.
