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Speed, flexibility, and cost effectiveness are integral keys to success for manufactures and distributors to stay competitive in a global market where there is a greater demand for more reactive and reliable suppliers. Customers want shorter lead-times and lower cost products, and the competition is growing globally day-by-day. Managing operations in this kind of environment requires streamlined processes and the right technology infrastructure to support it.
In the past, the availability of integrated Information Technology solutions for operations management has been limited. Up until recently, the only feasible solutions were Tier-1 ERP systems and some best-of-breed supply chain software tools. These were, and still are, far too complex, expensive to implement, and have little to no adaptability. Primarily designed for large enterprises, these solutions are never easy to deploy cost-effectively. Small and mid-size businesses on the other hand, have been relying on accounting software with limited functionality, along with custom software that was developed by independent ‘coders’ with no support or documentation, and spreadsheets from which they make important, daily decisions. As a result, a lot of manufacturers and distributors face major challenges in the form of low customer service, high order-to-delivery cycle time, and high inventory levels. |
