46 | Sector Focus: Software
SUMMARY
■Automation saves time and effort across all business functions
■eCommerce is fast becoming a baseline expectation
■B&Q has recently announced its own marketplace model
■NearSt helps merchants make more of local markets
INSIDE OUT TURNING
Ian Oldrey, managing director of Ten-25 Software explains why merchants must embrace new technologies to avoid missing vital trends
Traditionally, a merchant’s back-office system was exactly that: the internal software that kept trading and stock management on track. But ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems are changing to meet new opportunities and challenges. The focus is shifting from inward to outward looking, as ERP software takes up a vital new role in the rapidly evolving marketplace merchants now find themselves operating in – and those not embracing the changes are likely to miss out.
ADAPTING TO SURVIVE When Ten-25 was founded in 1981, merchant software was something of an island. Nothing else within a typical merchant was computerised at that time, so the system performed isolated, core functions. Since then, technology, business and customer expectation have catapulted forward, and now technology plays an ever-increasing role in merchanting. But it can be hard for merchants to keep up with every possibility and opportunity available.
Above: Ian Oldrey: “the sky’s the limit” TTJ | July/August 2022 |
www.ttjonline.com
It’s not just software companies that have had to adapt to changing trends. The merchanting sector is experiencing a hugely accelerated period of change as digital transformation takes hold. Merchants who aren’t embracing the dramatically improved capabilities and functionality that cutting edge ERP systems are able to offer will be missing out on an increasingly diverse range of commercial and operational opportunities. Keeping on top of market and merchant trends is vital for any industry software business and listening to our customers is essential. It’s fascinating to see how
innovation is driving these huge opportunities for forward-thinking merchants. We’re so excited to see how the industry is adapting, and are proud to have a great product in Merchanter that can help merchants take full advantage of these innovations.
THE HEART OF THE BUSINESS At its heart, the merchant ERP system should make buying, selling and stock management easy. No two systems are identical, so the exact mix of features and business areas covered will vary, but the general idea is to ensure that all core business functions and sources of information are seamlessly integrated; in short, to ensure all your business dots are joined up.
Cloud systems are capable of much better ongoing improvement than legacy systems too, meaning that the system you start with can be added to and amended to better suit your needs as your business grows or changes.
Superior technology has allowed for really sophisticated functionality that can massively benefit timber merchants, like detailed length reporting, stock turn analysis and much more. But the real shift is in the way that modern technology is adapting to wider market opportunities. No longer do merchants need to rely on one massive, monolithic system to perform every function – the real beauty of modern system architecture is its agility and inter-operability. In other words, how easily it can link up with other best-in-class solutions. The role of a merchant’s ERP system is therefore evolving to become a powerful hub at the centre of the business looking outward,
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