A lot of business owners use a multitude of different systems to manage the daily operations of their shops. For example, the system used for billing of materials will be separate from the shop floor scheduling system. Then they might have a separate system for managing inventory. This process of handling operations creates a lot of redundancies, and you might have to work with multiple spreadsheets to keep an eye on their daily operations. The problem with using separate systems in a manufacturing setup can lead to information silos that cause systems to break down, duplication of records that creates wastage, or incur unnecessary costs. ERP solutions make it possible to achieve precision manufacturing by clubbing all the operations in one system to keep every task aligned and the entire team informed.
Get The Entire Team Onboard
If your goal is to achieve precision manufacturing, the best way to execute it is by taking the input of your entire team, from upper management to the end user, into view. Manufacturing product lifecycle management can be painstakingly difficult, and ERP can make it easier for you, but only if the final version reflects the shared vision of the entire team. When you introduce an ERP system, it can disrupt the workflow of your entire team and lead the staff to make significant adjustments to their workflows. Obtain input from upper management on timelines and budgets, and gather ongoing feedback from staff on the ground about their benefits from the system to inform necessary modifications. The goal is to increase the business’s output and efficiency.
The Right Project Manager
When you’re just introducing the ERP system to your manufacturing company, start small with one specific project and choose your project manager or project lead carefully. It has to be somebody passionate about the project’s goals and outcomes, and who is fully aligned with the ERP system. Take their feedback into account while your ERP is being designed to make the final system more effective and easier to use. It should be somebody who can effectively lead the staff, adapt to unforeseen challenges and guide the team through any hiccups in the process. They should be open-minded so the staff can share their concerns and supportive enough for the team to be able to share feedback openly. This process can help you optimize your ERP solution just in time to avoid any unnecessary costs.
Pick The Team Carefully
If you’re about to test the ERP solution on one of your projects, the project’s lead matters as much as the team. You need curious, open-minded people who are willing to try a new system. Consider adding people to the team who have a strong knowledge of the operational process and equally distribute the team members across upper management, as well as staff who work directly with the processes that your new ERP solution will be handling. When you have team members who handle the daily operations in the manufacturing vicinity, they can provide you with aw and real feedback on how well the ERP solution is integrating with your current manufacturing system.
Make The Transition Smooth
Planning how to integrate an ERP solution in your manufacturing shop is equally important for its success. It is not advisable to implement the whole system in one go. Most of the modern ERP solutions are highly complex, and if you try to push the implementation of the entire solution at once, you could risk failure. Plan the process in phases and let your team adapt to the first one before moving on to the second phase. As your team learns to grasp the system, they will feel more confident about moving on to the next step.
Invest In Training
Finally, do not ignore comprehensive staff training. You can start by familiarizing your staff with the training manual for a week and then move on to on-ground training under supervision. You can even break down the process by departments and then start teaching each department one at a time. Training is a powerful tool when it comes to increasing your team’s confidence in the utility and user-friendliness of the new ERP system you are integrating. If you allocate decent resources and allow your team to learn the system properly before starting, you automatically increase your chances of success.
Conclusion
ERP solutions are already revolutionizing the field of precision manufacturing. If you have a great ERP solution ready to be used, you can start making a comprehensive plan to implement it. Eventually, your team will learn how to use it and maximize your business’s production and manufacturing with the ERP system.
