Do you work in a specific niche and is it time to digitize your business processes? Then you are often faced with the choice between an ERP package specifically tailored to your industry or a larger ERP package that is partially customizable. But which is the best choice?

In the world of ERP packages, there are some big players, but also many smaller vendors with packages specifically tailored to certain industries. For example, Logres' clients have often dealt with ERP vendors specializing in the chemical, food or packaging industries.

Benefits of an industry-specific ERP package

Every industry is unique. Specific niches often have business processes that are not comparable to the same processes in other industries. This is often due to laws and regulations, hygiene regulations or safety standards.

For example, frequent checks and controls are required at various times. Also, some business processes are complex because of many intermediate steps and routes, or because production, assembly, logistics and retail intersect or are conditional on each other.

An ERP vendor with a package specifically tailored to your industry knows these processes well and over the years has developed a solution that tackles key challenges.

Disadvantages of an industry-specific ERP package

However, there are also disadvantages to industry-specific solutions. A major disadvantage is that technical support is sometimes inadequate. Software packages age quickly and need constant new updates to stay up to today's (Web) standards.

Small vendors often employ only a limited number of people who know exactly how the package works. This poses a long-term risk to the survival of the package and thus your business processes.

Another disadvantage is that many of these packages manage technical and logistical business processes, but not your accounting. You then have to link a separate accounting package, which can be error-prone.

A great custom ERP package

A good alternative to a small industry-specific player is a larger package, such as SAP Business One, which is customized specifically for your business. This package may not have standardized all your business processes, but individual elements, functionalities and modules allow you to approach your way of working.

Flexibility and scalability are major advantages of SAP Business One. This package is usually more all-round than the industry-specific ERP package, allowing all business processes to be managed from the same database. As a result, all your employees are looking at the same data, which provides great benefits for collaboration and overview within your company.

Many integrated add-ons are available for SAP Business One to tailor the package to your business. The knowledge of this package is widespread and international. So you are not tied 'forever' to a specific vendor and long-term assurance is well taken care of.

What is the best choice for your business?

Of course, what the best choice is for your business is not easy to determine. It helps tremendously if you carefully map out your business processes.

Request several demo appointments with various vendors and see how they handle your input.

At Logres we are happy to explain if and how we can digitalize your business in one package. If we can't, or if we feel we don't have enough knowledge of your business, we will be honest about it. We would rather say 'no' than offer you a solution that ultimately does not make you happy.