The Trends which Shaped 2019

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In an age of disruption, the business landscape has changed forever. The rise of new technologies has led to a new digital ecosystem, but it is an exciting time to venture beyond the digital frontier.

Technological advancements, like machine learning (ML), the cloud, analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI) have transformed businesses and industries alike. And with it, new barriers have emerged.

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How to Adapt to Current Workforce Trends

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There has been a great deal of discussion surrounding the supposedly differing attitudes to work found in each generation. What is sometimes forgotten is that people and generations age – and each ‘latest generation’ is succeeded by the next demographic cohort as workforce trends shift.

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Applying Technology to Food and Beverage Manufacturing

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During a recent holiday in France, over a croissant and coffee, I watched the morning crowds making their way to work. I was there as a tourist but was observing with my business mind, and a few things stood out for me.

First thought – public transport is key to urban business efficiency. Less travel time so more work in an 8-hour day – a must for developed nations. The French and most of Europe have people-logistics taped. Everyone relies on public transport and the internet. Even at rush hour, commuters use the fast ticket and smart-card loading vending machines to top-up their travel. Some even do online-@home over a decent vin-rouge. Avoiding difficult traffic and city parking. And they walk – well there’s an idea! And that leads to a plethora of meeting-place coffee/wine/beer-n-bite stops to and from work. Ideal for neutral-based networking and creative solution thinking.

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Has Your Manufacturing Operation Outgrown Its Accounting Software?

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Orders are up, business is booming, and your manufacturing operation is expanding. The growth of your company is exciting, but expansion can present many new challenges. As your operation gets bigger, you will probably need to investigate potential upgrades for your systems.

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Being Connected vs. Being Optimized

There is a drive in the world as a whole, but especially in the ERP sector, where a lot of time and effort is being invested into becoming and staying connected.

However, being connected all the time isn’t always the best solution. Being connected doesn’t necessarily mean that you, or your ERP system, is optimized.  With always-on connectivity, not only are you exposed to better information, you are also open to a lot of noise.

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Motorcycles, ERP, and the Art of Manufacturing Operations

Have I mentioned my love affair with motorcycles? For years I’ve been addicted to the two-wheeled adventure mode – on-road and off. My favourite bike, the Triumph Tiger Explorer, has evolved to include advanced bells and whistles that make it a miracle of modern technology. Some of the Tiger’s key features include traction control, multiple-mode throttle control, hill-start assistance, and brakes that adapt their functionality to weather conditions. Believe me, the Tiger is a beautiful ride, with an almost terrifying amount of power. Which brings us around to another favourite topic of mine – Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) software – the pinnacle of modern ERP performance.

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Making Governance and Compliance Part of the Manufacturing Process

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The week of 17-23 November was Fraud Awareness Week (www.fraudweek.com), and this makes it an appropriate time to highlight key issues around manufacturing governance and compliance.

There was a time not long ago that the manufacturing staff who had the most concerns about governance and compliance were those working in finance. Not anymore. Whether you are on the factory floor or the executive floor, governance, and compliance is either an issue that does directly impact you or you should be aware of it.

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3 Ways Personalized ERP Will Boost Your Business in 2020

We are on the verge of a new and exciting decade, and the pace of innovation is already at an all-time high.  For manufacturers and distributors, this means that their ERP software must rise to the occasion, move with the pace of innovation, and support their customers throughout this journey by providing flexible features and easy-to-use functionalities. ERP plays a pivotal role in transformation, but organizations will only see full value when every user is gaining maximum insight from the system.

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How ERP Takes the Customer Experience to the Next Level

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A couple of decades ago, the expression ‘customer experience journey’ was virtually non-existent.  Although businesses had placed the customer at the center of their operations, many customer touchpoints remained an open secret. In fact, it was not until the 1990s, or the internet-driven ‘decade of discovery’, that businesses had a more honest view of what their customers were thinking and feeling along the end-to-end customer journey.

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