Transforming and modernising wholesale processes with cloud ERP 

Continued disruption of global supply chains, rising customer demands, sustainability concerns, and higher operating costs mean that it’s more important than ever for wholesale and distribution companies to run a lean, responsive and efficient operation.

• Click here to find out more about SEIDOR Africa’s ERP solutions.

Yet many wholesale and distribution businesses continue to run fragmented applications and manual business processes.

These legacy environments make it difficult for these companies to keep pace with customer demands in a digital age where 24/7/365 real-time operations and rapid fulfilment have become the norm.

But with today’s software-as-a-service enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions, it is possible and affordable for wholesale and distribution companies to fast-track modernisation of their environments. 

Cloud-based software such as SAP Business One offers mid-sized distribution companies an integrated solution that they can rapidly deploy and start earning near-immediate return on investment.

Modern ERP platforms offer fully-featured finance, sales, purchasing, inventory, and warehouse management modules that enable end-to-end automation of the warehouse.

Free up working capital and achieve scalability 

Moving towards the cloud enables businesses to reduce the infrastructure and resources needed to run an on-premises ERP system—they don’t need to invest in servers and other hardware to make use of the software.

A subscription-based model allows them to pay for the users and services they need, and easily add more licences or functionality as they need it. 

This enables companies to transform IT from a capital expense into an operating cost, freeing up working capital to grow their businesses.

The system can be accessed anywhere, anytime, enabling employees in a warehouse, wholesale or distribution centre to collaborate more easily, enhancing operational control and providing real-time visibility into business performance. 

Some specific benefits of cloud-based ERP in warehousing and distribution environments include: 

• Real-time view of operations: Cloud ERP provides real-time data and analytics, enabling warehouse managers to make faster and better decisions around processes such as inventory management and order fulfilment. Companies get real-time insights into business activities across multiple sites with user-friendly reporting and analytics tools. They can accurately forecast and meet demand.
• No more data siloes: Many companies still run patchworks of disconnected systems, leading to data siloes and inhibiting efficiency. An integrated cloud solution stores data in a centralised database, ensuring that everyone has access to the same version of the truth. There is less need to share or capture information manually, for example, via spreadsheets or emailed documents. 
• Automation of core processes: Integrated ERP solutions allow for complete automation of inventory and warehouse management processes. Higher levels of automation reduce human error, enhance accuracy, speed up processes, and help cut operating costs. With an automated solution in place, it becomes easier for a company to scale up operations without growing overheads. 
• Better customer satisfaction: Cloud ERP systems can help wholesale and distribution companies to streamline order fulfilment and gain enhanced visibility into order status. This enables them to improve communication with their customers and be more responsive to customer needs. 

SEIDOR has worked with numerous mid-sized wholesale and distribution businesses to implement SAP Business One solutions that enable them to optimise the flow of information, materials and cash. Our preconfigured ERP solution is based on industry best practices and can be deployed at a fraction of the cost and time it usually takes to implement an ERP solution.

One example is one of South Africa’s suppliers of corks, and wine and spirits packaging companies that  worked with SEIDOR to implement SAP Business One into its operations.

They had no centralisation before the implementation of the ERP solution. Thanks to more streamlined business processes and manual tasks becoming automated, the company is now completely paperless and the centralisation allows for easy integration across all departments. Live data also allows for smooth management of sales and purchasing.

Click here to find out more about SEIDOR Africa’s ERP solutions.

By: Andre Adendorff, Director of Presales, Seidor Africa