Businesses are in greater need of managing multiple disparate functions under one integrated system, now more than ever. Multiple departments pose insurmountable data processing and manpower requirements, which is why the implementation of an ERP system is of major importance. The ERP solution enables management to ensure departmental coordination and business operations function smoothly.
However, ERP solutions also need to be integrated with CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software to facilitate sales and marketing decisions. Industry-leading ERP solutions, such as SAGE have been pivotal in enabling efficient enterprise management activities, but their lack of integrated CRM solutions makes it a huge challenge for organizations to advance in their sales and marketing objectives.
For this reason, enterprises are in need of quality ERP solutions that come with built-in CRM. Solutions such as xTuple enable organizations to ensure their sales and marketing activities are aligned with their overall enterprise goals. The following are a few benefits of purchasing xTuple with integrated CRM.
Avoid complicated integration issues
The main advantage of opting for an ERP solution that comes with CRM modules already integrated is that it helps the organization avoid the complicated task of adopting and managing two systems. This is because organizations usually customize separate functions for their specific workloads and integrating it on common grounds becomes a major challenge. Having a complete ERP solution that has already built-in CRM can, thus, avoid the enterprise hours of complex work and be left with considerable time to focus on more critical and strategic tasks.
Achieve better user experience
One of the other areas in which SAGE lacks as an all-rounded ERP solution, is the quality of user experience. It provided limited design and flexibility options that made it difficult for users to personalize their screens and processes. This has the potential of restricting higher worker productivity and business output that could cause a loss of competitive advantage.
In contrast, the xTuple ERP solution offers a wide range of interface displays and presents workflows according to customizable functions. In addition, the benefit of an integrated CRM software means users can seamlessly swap from using accounting software to process manage large calculations to CRM software for understanding customer retention and growth rates. This allows the user to have total control of data and be able to harness data in ways that can best conform to enterprise decision making.
All round focus on your customer needs
Another major advantage is that organizations no longer have to make separate assessments of their customers when they can do so with one single access point. Having a CRM built-in allows the user to have a full view of customer preferences, through which the organization can become more customer-focused and ensure it takes decisions that accurately meet their interests and demands.
xTuple, as a result, can ensure that organizations have faster time-to-market, greater customer insights, and have greater transparency of its customer lifecycle. It can cover all aspects of the business, from marketing to finance and accounting to customer service, all from a single system.
Enhance sales efforts
For organizations that are dependent on increasing customer acquisition and retention efforts, an ERP solution that is combined with a powerful CRM solution can benefit from efficient sales processes. This is due to the benefit of streamlining barriers pertaining to departmental boundaries and automating common manual tasks and activities, resulting in more efficient sales activities. xTuple allows organizations to have access to repositories of customer data that can be used to determine if the enterprise can target upselling and cross-selling activities for generating higher revenues.
In short, xTuple stands out as a more effective and productive solution that combines the benefits of both ERP and CRM. Through it, organizations can ensure their competitive advantage is sustained and be able to meet customer requirements profitably.
Mike Atherton
Mike has delivered project management, implementation, technical and training services to xTuple clients since the earliest days of the company. These clients span a wide range of industries around the world. Prior to xTuple, Mike was a Senior ERP Consultant for Computer Associates International, an expert on multiple CA products, notably the Baan Triton/MK product acquired first by SSA, then Infor. He served as adjunct faculty for The George Washington University and Marymount University where he taught courses on Operations Management and Global Operations Strategy, and currently guest lectures on project management and systems-thinking in The Graduate School USA's Center for Leadership and Management. He holds a B.B.A. from the College of William and Mary and a M.B.A. from The George Washington University. An author of numerous articles, Mike has written on a variety of topics including "Becoming a Closed-Loop Organization," which appeared in Darwin magazine and CIO.com, and "Strategy Implementation: Closing The Management Gap," which appeared in Industrial Management magazine. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Solve ME/CFS Initiative, the leading charitable organization dedicated to curing myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).