Where business systems are concerned, value can be a matter of perspective. Marketing teams may not recognize value from a new accounting system, and accounting may not find value in a new customer relationship management system. Put together, of course, each system offers value to the business as a whole, and, ideally, to the end customer. So, what's the value of business management systems really?

Identifying the customer who will benefit from implementing a business management system is the key to determining if a system will ultimately be of value to your business. 

You should define the benefits you want from a business system in specific terms. There are many metrics possible for determining the return on investment (ROI) and value from implementing such business system infrastructure:

• Employee satisfaction – providing improved tools and advanced systems can improve morale and efficiency.
• Management information – business systems provide huge amounts of data in addition to the ability to filter and compile it quickly into useful information. This feature offers management the means to make timely strategic decisions.
• Customer sales and retention – by providing customers with information and products as promised, you are more likely to increase sales and develop continuing positive relationships.
• Reduced costs – a business system with an inventory management component will result in fewer back orders while reducing inventory requirements. This translates into monetary savings via reduced storage capacity needs and lower tax burdens.

Recognizing Value in the Business System

With each metric you apply to your business system, you need to identify how to determine the value. Some values are easier to determine than others, but here are a few ways to find out if your system is delivering the value you want:

• Employee engagement surveys – for internal business systems you may implement regular (and usually anonymous) surveys to gauge the satisfaction levels with the business system and morale in general. These surveys can indicate where your employees feel that a system falls short or areas where additional training would be helpful.
• Customer surveys – develop relationships with your end customers that make them comfortable enough to provide honest evaluations of your products and services. You can also use customer statistics to gauge value: How many customers are repeat customers? How many referrals are you getting? Etc.
• Financial benefits – have your costs gone down or have you avoided certain costs due to implementing the business system?
• Management acceptance – if you cannot prove that the implementation of a system will improve ROI and be accepted and used by its intended recipients, management will find no value in it.

Southeast Computer Solutions can add value to your business system implementation. Our experienced consultants will assist you with selecting the business system that's right for you. Contact us to learn how we can help your business meet the requirements for your project and manage the process to ensure success.