Latest updates and insights from Kerridge Commercial Systems

As we have discussed in great detail on our blog, the Internet of Things (IoT) has changed how manufacturers operate. While the move is undoubtedly positive, offering numerous benefits, the increased use of connected devices has made manufacturers more vulnerable to cyberattack. 

Monitoring business performance on the basis of timely and accurate information is a key priority for decision-makers in the fast-moving distributive trades.

K8 Business Intelligence gives individuals or departments access to secure, centralised data at the precise level they need to perform their roles effectively.

It seems like only yesterday we published our review of the Annual Manufacturing Report 2017. Since then, manufacturing has been a whirlwind of data, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Brexit uncertainty — and before you’ve had time to think, 2018’s edition of the report has landed on your desk.

In this blog post, we present you with a rundown of the biggest talking points from this year’s release for some easy lunchtime reading:

There’s no such thing as a million dollar idea, declares American entrepreneur Aaron Patzer on the topic of the start-up he sold for $170 million, 3 years after launch. He goes on to explain that your greatest business concept, however hungry the market, is useless if you’re unable to execute your idea.

As a food wholesaler you will know that your largest costs lie with stock inventory. Keeping costs tight means striking a perfect balance between stock, storage and demand while maintaining a keen overview. So how can you tread the fine line needed for advanced inventory control?

Managing the supply chain efficiently can be a complex and time-consuming task for any production, inventory or procurement professional. With differing forecasts supplied by sales, customers or production and in varying formats, the strain on the operations professional to manage inventory manually is huge. Moving from offline spreadsheets and processes to MRP (Material Resources Planning) software can help streamline your process - here's how:

Technology has already transformed how businesses operate across industries — and that includes field service. The growth of technology now means field service engineers can access customer data on the move, easily working collaboratively with other engineers and arriving on-time, every time through GPS-powered map functionality. 

What would you like your business to achieve in the next 12 months? Perhaps you know what you want to achieve, but simply don’t know how to get there. 

Mark Steggall, Head of Product Management at Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), explains the benefits of using a computer system with a flexible, integrated forecasting and purchasing module.

Businesses are never without their challenges — and strategizing to overcome them is what makes business so exciting. Some of these challenges are present across-sectors, while others are more niche to a particular industry.

In this blog post, I will discuss the challenges big and small that operational directors in manufacturing are facing, and how the right ERP software solution can help overcome them.

With many facets to a project, you need to manage the multiple orders and quotations, the delivery schedule and agreed pricing terms and the financial performance against the overall project.

Competition and business go hand in-hand. You can’t expect other entrepreneurs to sit back and let you capitalise on a market while they sit on the side-lines. Rather, the more successful you are, the more others will want to follow suit.

While it's influenced by a number of factors, this success primarily hinges on one thing; customer satisfaction. With increased competition comes increased customer fluidity.

Sanjay Fatania, Financial Implementation Manager at Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), explains what to look for in a trading system so credit-related problems can be quickly identified and valuable insight provided to your team about customer trading profiles, payment history and trends.  

As processes develop and guidelines change, compliance with rules and regulations has never been more important for manufacturers. Thankfully, the time-consuming compliance checks of times gone by have been streamlined through technological advances. Now, with the right ERP software in place, manufacturers can enjoy tighter controls and more efficient processes.

Tony Pey, Head of Product Marketing at Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), explains how using a computer system with integrated ePOD (electronic point of delivery) as part of its delivery management solution will enable you to manage every aspect of the delivery cycle. 

Mark Steggall, Head of Product Management at Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), explains how using a modern computer system can keep your suppliers on their toes and ensure your customer service remains outstanding.

To say the Internet of Things (IoT) is a hot topic within the manufacturing industry would be an understatement. As we’ve discussed in depth right here on our blog, IoT is disrupting past ways of working, digitalizing processes to drive efficiencies and increase business intelligence.

Machines are the driving force in manufacturing. Because they play such a huge part in the production line, it’s very tempting to ignore the warning signs of fatigue, wear and tear in the hope that issues will never materialise. After all, carrying out machine maintenance and pressing pause on production will ultimately lead to a monetary loss, won’t it?

For many decision-makers, a new tool or piece of software is the answer to all of their problems —once they’ve signed on the dotted line, they expect instant results. And of course, if you’ve made the right purchasing decisions, this should be largely true. However, before you can reap the benefits of your new solution, you’ll need to ensure it has been implemented correctly.

In manufacturing, a Bill of Materials is essential — and inaccuracies can have a huge impact on your overall output and efficiencies. In this blog post, I will discuss just how substantial these impacts can be, as well as how you can avoid them.

Across every single sector, customer service is key. In business, happy customers equal increased sales, return custom and positive referrals, all of which are crucial drivers to the success of any business.

As factories and processes become increasingly digitalized, the threat of a cyberattack is growing. With hacking regularly making the headlines — think back to 2017’s WannaCry ransomware attack — you would assume that manufacturers had put safeguarding measures in place to prevent a similar threat from disrupting their operations. However, government research has found that this isn’t exactly the case.

It doesn’t seem all that long ago when K8 was the primary software platform that Kerridge Commercial Systems’ (KCS) customers used to run their businesses. 

The very nature of manufacturing means that waste is a real issue. Whether it’s energy by-products emitted by machinery or offcuts of materials used in the manufacturing process, minimising wastage is a priority for every manufacturer and not just in terms of cost.