The Captain of a Triple E-class container ship is responsible for the safe passage of up to 18,000 containers. Stacked 20 high, across its 59-metre beam, the cargo dominates the view from the bridge. With a heavy reliance on integrated systems, the Captain and his staff can make intelligent decisions about all aspects of the voyage, from planned events such as departure and arrival, to the unplanned- including port congestion, unexpected storms and even piracy attempts. Key to successfully navigating these challenges is the real-time data that streams into the glassed-in command centre, from systems within the ship and the extended support network.
Modern manufacturing and distribution businesses are a little more agile than your average super-tanker, but the same principle applies, especially for unplanned events. Smart decisions require immediate access to real-time data, aggregated and actionable in meaningful ways. Many UK companies have responded immediately to the challenges of 2020. Support for remote working staff, COVID secure working environments, a shift to B2C and so on.
Those companies best positioned to adapt had already bitten the bullet on Digital Transformation and embraced Cloud ERP. Letâs examine three reasons why this is the case.
1. Visibility Enables Better Decision Making
– A fully integrated, business management platform provides a single, real-time version of the truth. Your average container ship takes over 3km to come to a complete stop. Delays in decision making can have unpleasant consequences.
– By losing the time-sink of manual consolidation across disparate systems, leaders can respond more effectively to changes that impact the business.
2. Agility is Essential
– In a report by IDC, they measured the value of improved agility, achieved through Cloud ERP adoption, to be 49% of the overall value. The ability to swiftly react to changes circumstances can be the difference between success and failure.
– For example, with Cloud ERP, pivoting to B2C is a case of extension, not re-invention. By leveraging standard integrations to established eCommerce providers, a business can quickly address a new audience.
3. Anytime, Anywhere Access
–Â At 399 metres long, it would take a sailor several minutes to hand-deliver messages to the wheelhouse of a Triple E-class ship.
– With Cloud ERP supporting remote workers is as easy as deploying a mobile phone App. If the business systems are tethered to physical locations, the flow of processes can break down.
All aboard?
Having these three things stowed onboard gives business leaders the confidence and means to weather any unplanned events on the horizon. If you’re missing one or more, Cedar Bay can help you evaluate the benefits and plot a safe course to success.
