A cloud ERP solution is one of the best management tools you can use for your food and beverage business. The question is: How can you most effectively leverage the tool through the implementation process? Today, we’re digging into this concept, and showing you how you can maximize your investment in cloud ERP for food businesses through a streamlined onboarding process – saving you time and money as you go through the steps to full implementation. 

Read on to learn more about strategic onboarding and implementation methods for your cloud ERP system. 

What is the best way to implement cloud ERP for food and beverage businesses? 

While there is no agreed-upon “best” way to onboard, there are strategic steps and strategies you can take advantage of to leverage your tool as much as possible. We’ve included suggestions below to help you get the best start possible:

Set your goals 

Working collaboratively with your team to set goals over your onboarding period and implementation as a whole can help you to enjoy a more present and effective experience with your tech. To be as effective as possible, ensure that every goal you set is: 

• Measurable: You should have some way of measuring the effectiveness of your goal, which can be done by any member of your team. 

• Clear: Your goal should be as clear and concise as possible. 

• Achievable: While it’s good to aim high, it’s far more strategic to aim for achievable goals that allow you to tangibly experience your progress as you go. 

Ideally, you’ll want some way to measure, track, and list your goals in a way that the entire organization can see, keeping your team engaged and aware of your current status of implementation and onboarding. 

Determine phase leaders 

Generally, your onboarding experience will be broken down into phases. After all, it’s easier to tackle a project when it’s in manageable pieces. Setting phase leaders is one of the best ways to remain competitive and agile, making the best use of your team’s time and resources. Not sure where to start? You can determine phase leaders of a set phase based on their skill sets, ability to take on additional work, and their relative departments. 

Train your staff

Training is an often-overlooked element of the onboarding process. As each area of your tech is developed and implemented, you'll want to take the time to properly train your staff, or ask about any available concierge onboarding and training opportunities. Investing the time in this vital step upfront is critical to keeping costs low and time lost to a minimum, helping your team remain agile and effective. 

Find out about next steps 

If you roll out a cloud ERP through a third-party vendor, you may be eligible for continuing support, bonuses, and perks as a member of their community. Connecting with your sales representative or onboarding specialist can help you identify what this looks like, and how your organization can benefit. 

Continue your evaluation process 

Implementation is only successful once you achieve organization-wide adoption and compliance. You’ll want to, at this point, continue to evaluate your tool and see if it still is working for you during set intervals over the next year at a minimum – giving you the space and agility you need to iterate if your situation requires you to. 

You can do this in a variety of ways depending on the size and preferences of your organization. Many may choose to roll out an anonymous survey, allowing you to quantify responses over departments. You might also choose to have meetings or teleconferences with department leads. Either method gives you the opportunity to change your strategy or adapt accordingly based on team member feedback – which should be sought out repeatedly for several months or years after implementation. 

Frequently Asked Questions: Cloud ERP Implementation

Below are some frequently asked questions about cloud ERP adoption and implementation across your organization: 

What should I consider before implementing an ERP system? 

You have many different considerations to make before implementing an ERP system based on your current stage of business development. Some of the most common include the tool’s capacity for quality control, adaptability and adaptability, and price – ensuring that you’ll walk away with the most sustainable and comprehensive option for your business needs. 

What are key features of a well-rounded food ERP? 

Key features of food ERP include its ability to automate and integrate with your business model. You should be able to conduct reporting and accounting tasks with higher data accuracy and enjoy additional support with other business-critical functions; such as human resource and operations management. 

Are cloud ERP options cost-effective? 

Cloud ERP solutions for food businesses are cost-effective. By adopting an ERP across your organization, you can redirect team member time to higher-level tasks, while mitigating risks of human error or compromisation of your product at any point in the manufacturing and distribution process. 

Inecta Offers Industry-Leading Food ERP Solutions 

We’re here to help you automate and optimize your manufacturing-to-distribution pipeline, mitigating your risks of compromise with industry-leading traceability tools and a comprehensive management system. Are you ready to take your business to the next level with a food ERP system? Connect with the team at Inecta today for more information.