Vertical vs Horizontal ERP Selection: Why A Vertical ERP Will Take You Further

Off-the-shelf ERP Pitfalls

Choosing which ERP to help manage your business can be a daunting decision. Many businesses opt for a horizontal ERP, meaning a system that’s an off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-most type of application, which typically supports a baseline of common business functions across a multitude of industries. However, the issue with a horizontal ERP is that, to support your business adequately, customisations and scripts are often necessary to cater for your specific work functions. This is because a business offering print management solutions has very different workflows and processes compared to a business focusing on residential home construction, or bespoke manufacturing.

Many business owners select a horizontal ERP because it can adequately support their business now, but what about as the business grows, workflows change, and other systems upon which you integrate evolve and change?

In an industry like office technology, where managed print service providers face specific challenges with servicing imaging equipment, managing JIT supply fulfilment, and tracking device profitability, a vertical ERP solution makes a lot of sense.

Because e-automate was built for office technology businesses, we can easily deliver more methods to automate daily activities specific to the needs of office tech business owners.

Integrations with OEM technologies, and other industry solution providers simplify your workflows between other systems upon which you rely.

Due to our industry specialisation, e-automate continues to evolve alongside the changing needs of office technology businesses. e-automate is the leading ERP solution for office technology businesses due to the relationship/dialogue we have with our customers, and the intimate understanding we possess of their pains and challenges.

When the Little Things Matter Most

Minor gaps in functionality with horizontal ERPs might not seem important at first, but sometimes it’s the small things that cause the biggest headaches. e-automate had several releases this year that delivered a number of subtle workflow enhancements that were so specific to office equipment suppliers and managed print services businesses, that it’s unlikely a horizontal ERP could meet the functionality. These seemingly minor enhancements are the types of highly specific value-adds that allow e-automate to enhance the lives of office technology professionals everywhere.

Customer Engagement and the e-automate User Group

Specific requests like these small workflow enhancements pack a big punch in improving the daily lives of e-automate users. Our collaboration with customers is what enables us to continue delivering the highest functioning ERP for office technology businesses. e-automate plays such a pivotal role in so many office technology businesses that an independently run e-automate User Group (EUG) was formed to share knowledge and experiences with e-automate.

EUG holds an annual conference to which ECI is proud to receive regular invitations. Meeting with our users allows us to keep a close ear on the changes our customers are witnessing in their businesses and the industry, granting us the insight to plan and adapt to the evolving needs of our customers. Many of the new enhancements described above were all born out of feedback we received from EUG members. Their advocacy has enabled us to remain a leader in office technology ERP.

If you enjoyed this blog on e-automate, read related print management software posts here:

• Meet the Team: Anna Grubb, VP of Sales for Field Service Division
• You Spoke, We Listened! Customer-Driven Product Evolution
• How Do You Know if MPS Is Right for You?