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Systems integration: how to avoid mismanagement

As we mentioned in one of our previous articles, change in the workplace is inevitable. The business world is constantly evolving, and companies must always be ready to adapt to change.

This change is happening whether we like it or not, for example, systems integration needs to be well managed in order to constantly improve and take advantage of the surge in technology. As a result, companies with a well-detailed plan that explains the procedures to be followed will gain a competitive edge. That said, unfortunately, poor implementation management is more common than good management, and will often lead to internal resistance.

Business Automation

The major changes we see every day are the implementation of new management software, B2B integration and systems integration.

When business leaders realize that they need to innovate and streamline their business processes, they need to introduce changes to their workplace. Many of them put off this change for as long as possible, until it affects the growth of their business.

Why does this happen so often? Partly because people are creatures of habit. Habit makes our tasks and jobs much easier, and it’s not surprising that people like repetitive actions, stability and security. So it’s not surprising that employees are generally the biggest opponents to business process change. This happens, not because employees don’t want to see their company thrive; but mostly to poor implementation management , the main topic of today’s blog.

Poor management of system implementation and integration

Change is a sensitive subject. As mentioned above, not too many people accept change with open arms. So broaching this subject with employees is a difficult task, and it needs to be presented well.

So why do employees tend to resist software implementation?

  1. Managers don’t communicate with their people properly. If employees don’t know exactly what’s going on (they’re in complete darkness), they’ll resist. Will they lose their jobs as a result? Will their daily tasks be affected? Who will be responsible? How long will it take? When employees have more questions than answers, it becomes a slippery slope.
  2. Employees do not trust the management team, which is not as transparent and open.
  3. The timing of the new software implementation was poorly chosen by management, i.e. during a company’s busy season, causing additional constraints and pressures on the entire team.
  4. Managers, who are responsible for disseminating information, are not competent or expert in this field. Their stress and anxiety about the new project don’t help to calm employees. Fear of the unknown is contagious – managers should be aware of this.

How to implement changes effectively

First of all, managers need to understand that everyone handles change differently, and that resistance is always a possibility. The best way to deal with it is to COMMUNICATE and LISTEN. This strengthens trust between management and employees.

In addition to this, once a Systems Integration has been announced, through a corporate email or meeting, it’s important to address the following points:

  • Why is this integration necessary?
  • Why it’s important for the company (what are its general benefits, short-term benefits and long-term benefits)
  • How will Systems Integration impact the work of individual departments and employees? (What’s in it for them?)
  • What are management’s objectives and expectations for this integration?
  • Who will manage this change? Who can employees contact to discuss change-related issues or share ideas to make change easier for everyone?

By sharing all important information with the whole team, everyone will be on the same page and feel listened to and appreciated.

integrationSoftware implementation in several stages

It is also extremely important to implement any type of software implementation or systems integration in several stages. There are many steps that managers can take before starting a software implementation. Once the news of a software upgrade is announced, it is essential that employees take the time to ask questions, address concerns, read any system documentation, view a system demo (for each department) understand their role during implementation, plan training during implementation, learn about the new process changes that will take place with the new system… After all this, the implementation can take place. Jumping headfirst into an implementation without proper preparation can lead to major resistance and setbacks in the future.

Systems integration – a major advantage for your company

There’s no stopping creation and improvement in the business world. As industries develop, companies must evolve; as technology advances. Companies need to implement changes as quickly as possible; when governments pass new laws, companies need to comply. As customers become more demanding and better informed, companies need to provide better products and fast, efficient service.

It’s time for managers to stop putting off software integration and implementation, and instead focus on helping employees see change in a positive light, which will undoubtedly bring major benefits to your business.


Contact us
today for a smooth and successful software implementation.

In today’s business world, the right technology can make a world of difference. IT experts are always pushing to install the best hardware, software, IT services and cloud applications to simplify the lives of business people. This year has been another big year for IT advancements and we couldn’t be more excited about that. We love seeing businesses leverage technology with the right solutions for them, in order to benefit from efficiencies and cost savings.

Here are our most popular and most requested management software solutions and services.

EDI2XML Translation Service

Year after year, we keep seeing an increase in demand for EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) services. Business executives don’t want to hire a full-time in-house EDI specialist anymore to handle their EDI transactions. Nor do they want to hire more customer service reps to manually enter all incoming purchase orders anymore. Many retailers and suppliers are now requiring that any company they do business with must send and receive documents, like Purchase Orders Invoices and Advance Shipping Notices, via EDI.

Companies today are looking not only to implement EDI but to automate this entire process with an outsourced EDI provider. This is why our EDI2XML Translation Service has been one of our most popular services this year. We handle our customers’ EDI requirements from A to Z; we convert their incoming EDI documents into their preferred file format, such as XML (and convert their outgoing XML documents into EDI), as well as handle all new Partner and document setups and manage their continuous communication with their Trading Partners. Our service is affordable, our setup phase is quick and our EDI support team is easily accessible and available; making it the perfect EDI service for any business.

EDI2XML Translation Service

Try it for yourself today!

 

QBR Business Continuity

With ransomware cyberattacks increasing worldwide, it’s not unusual for business executives to come running, asking about our QBR solution. Using the latest technology on the market, this Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery solution is THE best way to protect your data from hardware/software failures, human error, natural disasters, ransomware, computer viruses and more.

No matter the disaster, QBR allows you to recover your data quickly and easily. Businesses can no longer afford to incur downtime that lasts days or weeks, only to later realize that their old, dusty backup tapes haven’t been working for months! With on-site and off-site virtualization, ransomware detection, advanced screenshot verification emails, infinite cloud retention, unlimited agent licensing, instant recovery of entire servers/workstations and more, a company’s data is well protected!

QBR Business Continuity

Learn more about QBR here.

Management Software Solutions – The ErpWizard Suite

We are definitely still seeing a demand for complete Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in the business world. The demand comes from companies that either don’t currently use IT systems to manage their business operations, but instead still use Microsoft Office tools like Excel and Word, as well as companies looking to update their outdated, complex, expensive ERP software.

The transition to a simple, modern ERP system, like our homegrown system – The ErpWizard Suite, has allowed companies to increase visibility into their operations, improve data quality, reduce manual data entry, improve customer service and increase productivity. At the end of the day, when a company has found the right ERP system and Software Provider for their business, they can automate and streamline their processes and improve business agility and performance. That’s the goal of any ERP system. Unfortunately, not many companies realize these benefits at the end of their software implementation (you’d be surprised how many companies don’t even successfully make it to the end of their implementation!).

Technology in the workplace is meant to make business people’s lives a whole lot easier, which is why executives are realizing the importance of a helpful, available, and accessible support team, a flexible, easy-to-use system, and affordable IT costs.

ERP system qualities

Here are some of the main qualities of an ERP system that business executives are looking for:

  • Flexibility
  • Can easily integrate with other systems
  • Is effortlessly accessible from anywhere, at any time to allow users to stay in touch with business operations, even while on vacation or on a business trip
  • Easy to use, with a simple, modern interface
  • Is continuously updated to accommodate to the ever-changing business environment
  • Is well supported by an available and accessible IT support team
  • Is affordable !!

This year we have been especially excited about our newly improved ErpWizard Suite. Now, with its new modern, sleek interface, end users will actually enjoy using an ERP system. It’s about time companies moved away from those complex, boring looking, out-dated systems and towards simple, visually appealing management applications, that won’t break the bank.

What do you think of ErpWizard’s new look?

WIMS 2.0 – Warehouse Management

 

Warehouse Management is another popular software solution, usually integrated within a company’s ERP system. This system allows for better visibility and control of all warehouse activity, which is an absolute must today. A Warehouse Management system allows businesses to know;

  • What’s been delivered and when

  • Where all items are stored in the warehouse facility

  • Which items to pick and how much to pick for delivery

  • The right items to pack using the right shipping cartons and materials

  • What items to ship and where to ship them

All of this is exceptionally important in order to reduce operating expenditures, increase data accuracy, shorten fulfillment lead times, move inventory faster and increase data accessibility. By using wireless scanners, this inventory data collection system is truly bringing better control and insight into warehouse processes. If a company’s warehouse is in order, customers are better served and happy!

Business Intelligence & AnalyticsBI

A big favourite among our customers is our Business Intelligence offering. Our Business Intelligence experts are integrating Tableau Software’s BI solution into our customer’s management system in order to provide detailed analyses with customized drillable dashboards, using all real-time data. Our customers are now able to identify hidden trends and strategic information, turn raw data into visual graphs and tables, identify new business opportunities, spot areas of weakness and avoid problems. The insights that our customers are getting from this Business Intelligence solution is giving them the ability to stay ahead of competition.

Contact us to see how our Business Intelligence experts can help you!

The Best Management Software Solutions

mobile-app-1We are certain that demand for these management solutions will only increase, as executives are actively looking to transform their businesses using the latest technologies on the market. We predict that mobile business applications will make this list next year, as business owners are looking to supply their on-site teams with access to their management system to input and review real-time data. Modern, visually appealing, easy to use applications don’t just have to be for personal use; companies should be benefiting from these types of applications as well! One thing is for certain; businesses are looking beyond the brand name when it comes to software systems and taking the time to ensure that the Software Provider and offerings are a good fit for their company.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help YOU.

 

Effectively Dealing with Change in the Workplace As we’ve mentioned in previous articles and papers, change in the workplace is inevitable. The business world is constantly evolving and businesses should always be ready to adapt accordingly. As industries grow, businesses have to evolve; as technology advances, businesses have to keep up; as governments pass new […]

Always start off with an IT Consultation prior to implementing a management software solution at your business. It’s important to find out if the IT Provider and their software offerings are a good fit with your company. Here are 6 questions to ask during your consultation.

Today’s infographic explains the 6 key criteria to check off when selecting a Management Software suite for your Small and Medium Enterprise. It’s about choosing the right system for your business needs to increase revenue, cut costs, improve efficiency and gain a competitive advantage.

Check off your list with NAMTEK’s erpWizard suite. Read more

“What budget management software should I use?”

A question most likely on the minds of most small and medium-sized business Finance managers, in relation to its budget.

Troubling facts regarding budget management software

Small and medium-sized businesses rely heavily on a budget management software. In fact, management systems related to financial control and budget are those that Canadian SMEs use the most.1
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Management software

The small business generally lacks efficient management software.

One of the reasons for this is due to the high cost of solutions out on the IT market. Company leaders not only have to think of the software’s purchasing cost but also of its high fees associated with its installation, training and technical support.

Even if a company has the financial means to acquire one of these systems, they may be facing other problems. Their software solution may not have all the desired features that the company needs and wants, which make it inefficient and laborious. This in turn wastes staff time and efforts, where it eventually leads to more money wasted.

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