Incomplete product information or wrong stock status can frustrate your customer and, at worst, end a client relationship. Integrating your webshop with an ERP system can prevent this. In this blog, we explain what ERP systems are and why seamless integration is crucial for your webshop.
ERP systems like SAP, Exact, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 are software that helps manage certain business processes and functions, mainly focusing on backend operations like finance, procurement, and sales. ERP software supports complex aspects such as pricing agreements, delivery conditions, and assortments. In other words, the ERP system acts as the back office for your webshop.
Benefits of ERP system integration
Imagine that seamless integration between your webshop and ERP system is crucial for your business processes. This ultimately affects the end users' experience: your customers.
Streamlined processes
Firstly, effective integration results in more streamlined business processes. Increased automation reduces manual tasks, saving costs and time. According to
Panorama Consulting Solutions, companies with well-integrated ERP systems saw a 23% reduction in operational costs.
Moreover, a robust system integration reduces the chance of errors. Critical data, such as inventory information, is automatically synchronized between your webshop and ERP system, providing you and your team with accurate and up-to-date information. An additional benefit is the need to update data only once. Data remains consistent through synchronization, facilitating easy data analysis and pattern recognition, allowing you to respond to sales trends, for example.
Enhanced customer experience
Smooth behind-the-scenes operations positively impact the customer experience you create.
Streamlined business processes, for instance, result in a smoother customer journey. According to the aforementioned study by Panorama Consulting Solutions, effective ERP system integration reduces order processing time by 22%. This means your customers receive their products faster, contributing to an improved customer experience.
Effective system integration also ensures consistent product information, leading to more accurate search results. Once your customer finds the right product, updated information on stock status and delivery time ensures transparency. Automatic order processing and insight into order status reassure your customer throughout the entire ordering process. If they have any questions, your customer service team quickly accesses the necessary information thanks to system synchronization.
ERP system integration: where to start?
The advantages of integrating your eCommerce platform with an ERP system are evident. But what should you consider when embarking on such a process? We outline the key steps:
- Identify your company's needs: determine what you want to achieve by integrating the systems. Which functionalities are essential for your webshop? And which data needs synchronization between the systems?
- Choose compatible systems: your webshop must support integration with an ERP system, and vice versa. Here's an overview of the most used ERP systems.
- Select an integration strategy that suits your webshop: three commonly used integration strategies are point-to-point integration, middleware integration, and hybrid integration combining the first two. When making the right choice, various factors come into play, such as scalability and long-term costs. It may be advisable to seek advice from a specialized agency or another external party about what best fits your project and your webshop.
Getting started with system integration
Effective integration of your webshop with an ERP system makes your business processes more efficient and faster. This not only benefits you and your team but, ultimately, your customers. Plenty of reasons to get started with system integration!
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