Modern business is increasingly striving for automation and optimizing your activities, because this allows you to save time and resources, increase productivity and competitiveness, and therefore profit, as a result.
Successful entrepreneurs and company leaders are well aware of the importance of optimizing business processes, because this will allow you to make informed and correct decisions. But how exactly to optimize business processes?
We will not be able to answer this question comprehensively until we learn what ERP systems are and how they differ from the famous CRM systems? So, in this article, we will use the example Odoo, let's consider What is an ERP system?, and let's find out How exactly can it become your key advantage? in the business world.
ERP vs. CRM: Key Differences
It's worth starting by immediately drawing a clear line between the concepts of ERP and CRM systems. The first thing to note is the different areas of application.
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems cover the management of various aspects of a company's operations. They include finance, logistics, inventory management, production, human resources, and many other operational areas.
ERP allows you to integrate all these processes, giving the company a deep overview of its operations. In short, it is such multifunctional software, into which you can connect any function you need.
In return CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system specialize specifically in customer interaction and sales management. Their main goal is to facilitate customer relationship management and improve service. The second aspect that distinguishes the systems from each other is the types of data they work with.
- ERP systems process data related to a company's operational activities. This may include financial data, inventory data, production data, etc.
- CRM systems focus on customer dataThis is data about customer interactions, information about their needs, and order history.
Data centralization is also significantly different
- ERP systems integrate data from different sources and provide centralized access to them for different departments of the company.
- CRM systems focus on collecting and analyzing data about customers and interactions with them., that is, such data serves as an information basis for customer service and sales departments.
We've settled our general disagreements, now we can talk about... Why are ERP systems used at all?
1) Process integration – ERP allows a company to unify all its operational processes into a single integrated technological organism. You track, control, and make management decisions based on data from all divisions of the company: finance, logistics, production, sales, marketing, and others. ERP-class system – maximum business processes in one database.
2) Increased productivity – withand thanks to the automation of many processes, companies become more productive and can focus on strategic tasks.
3) Improving control – ERP allows managers to be more detailed analyze financial data, production and other aspects of operations.
4) Improved reporting – inYou can create a variety of reports that help you make informed decisions.
Let's take a look at the practical benefits that Odoo ERP offers you.
1. Multifunctionality – withThe system has a significant number of modules that allow you to automate almost all business processes in the enterprise. Even chatting and document discussion in one system. A single system for many tasks that allows you to get rid of the "program zoo".
2. Modularity – kA company can implement only those modules that it plans to use in any order.
3. Distribution – Odoo has over 7 million users and over 1,900 partner integrators in more than 120 countries around the world.
4. Adaptability – Odoo Marketplace has over 39,000 apps and integrations to extend functionality, which is already available in the system, many of which are free.
5. Integrity – Allows you to automate the entire chain of interaction with the customer, starting from the first contact and ending with closing the deal and repeat sales.
6. Technological capability – withThe system is available via web and mobile application, allowing the user to be anywhere in the world and organize a single workspace for an extensive network of branches.
7. Versatility – withThe system is suitable for both small companies and large enterprises. It has a built-in company website builder, which is really cool for e-commerce.
8. Transnationality – nThe product is used by companies in different countries of the world, which allows you to work in any market with any market. That is, if a company plans to enter, for example, the European market, then with Odoo it is already ready for this.
9. Competitiveness – fOdoo's functionality successfully competes with other large systems: SAP, Microsoft, Terrasoft, etc., and the price is lower.
Results
Before considering specific software solutions, answer the following basic questions:
- What tasks should the system solve?
- Do you have any plans or prospects for developing your business in the next few years?
- What specific actions do you and your team plan to perform in the system every day?
After all, a CRM system is a local solution to specific tasks with clearly defined functionality without the possibility of future development of the system for all business processes of the company.
Instead, an ERP system such as Odoo contains all the company's business processes in one interface: from CRM and WEB-store to management accounting, recruiting and document management. A set of ready-made modules and applications covers all tasks and business processes, and the open source code of such a system allows you to implement any ideas of the enterprise.
With a well-chosen software solution you will have a key advantage, which will help you achieve your business goals: optimize business processes, increase productivity, and increase the competitiveness and profitability of your business. We will be happy to help you choose a product that is right for your company!
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