Latest updates and insights from Kerridge Commercial Systems

Tony Pey, Head of Product Marketing at Kerridge Commercial Systems, examines how the role of an ERP system is changing. It’s still the engine that drives a business - but today merchants need to choose even more wisely to ensure their system not only delivers the functionality they need now and in the future, but that it can also co-exist in the new technology landscape.

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. 

Chris Owen, Chief Support Officer at Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), explains some of the methods that IT support teams use to solve your technological problems.

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.

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.

Working in manufacturing and technology, we’re familiar with acronyms. From ERP to CRM, the latest jumble of letters hitting the headlines is GDPR — the General Data Protection Regulation. But what is it and how is it set to impact manufacturers?

As a busy manufacturer, you might wonder how much time you can realistically spare to keep up to date with industry resources and blogs. After all, it’s time that could be spent elsewhere, managing the factory floor or handling other business-critical activities. However, the real question is: can you afford not to keep up to date?

Let’s talk: communication in manufacturing

As you’ll already know, manufacturing is all about supply and demand. Unfortunately, the systems we have in place often make this process significantly more complex. From managing a lengthy supply chain to monitoring the key production processes, many steps are involved in manufacturing — and visibility and awareness of each is key.

As markets get tougher and competition increases, businesses are doing all they can to streamline internal processes, maximise efficiencies and ultimately improve the overall customer experience. To do so, many are investing in specialist software to improve the day-to-day running of their business.

Acronyms are designed to speed up communication, but if you don’t know what they mean, they can be more of a hindrance than a help!

From ERP to HCM, MES and CRM, manufacturing and software is a minefield of shortened terms and phrases. They can often put the most experienced minds to the test, so to help I’ve compiled this brief glossary of key manufacturing software terms. Make it your bible!

As consumers, we have all seen how advances in technology have enormously changed our expectations of customer service. The bar is high—and we are collectively pushing it higher, demanding best-in-class Amazon-style excellence from all the organisations with which we interact.

Whatever industry you're in, offering an excellent customer service is crucial to your success. In a previous blog, we outlined the top omni-channel customer service experience and in this one, with the help of Provide Support we detail the essential customer services skills that you should master.

The 2016 Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) Customer Conference, held on the 8 - 9 June 2016, was rich and diverse in content, coupled with topic-specific break-out sessions. It marked the KCS Group’s 40th anniversary since formation. Conference presentations reviewed new software and service developments; reviewing hot topics in the ever-changing business solutions arena.

Since we last wrote about omni-channel commerce and shared the top omni-channel customer service experiences that customers want, new research has been released that highlights the importance of creating a seamless experience for customers, across all of your channels.

Most of us in the manufacturing industry are familiar with the notion of the ‘hidden factory’—productive capacity locked away in inefficiencies such as slow-running machines, lengthy setups, and yield losses. Remove those inefficiencies, and—voilà—you’ve created extra production capacity, exactly as if you’d extended the factory.

CRM is the strategy by which you manage your firm’s relationships with customers and prospects. In industries where goods are becoming increasingly commoditised, one of the main ways that wholesalers, distributors, merchants and retailers can differentiate is through customer service.

Is your manufacturing ERP system perfect for your business’s needs? If you’re fortunate, then the answer will be ‘yes’. But not every business is in that happy position.

Customer service has never been more important. According to a recent Customers 2020 Report, by 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator. Customers “will expect companies to know their individual needs and personalise the experience.”

Online trading: the fastest growing retail market in Europe

According to the Centre for Retail Research, ecommerce is the fastest growing retail market in Europe, with overall online sales expected to grow by over 18% during 2015. These figures don’t come as a great surprise. The way that we all shop has changed dramatically over the last decade and this is now impacting on all areas of our lives, at home and within our work places.

What constitutes excellence in field service? Not what you might imagine, in short. Field service profitability? No. High levels of serviced asset uptime? No. Low cost of field service delivery? Again, no. In fact, as a recent report from analyst firm Aberdeen Group makes clear, it’s field service customer service.

These days, manufacturing CRM systems are commonplace. But as many businesses know to their cost, having a manufacturing CRM system is not the same as actually deriving significant benefit from that same manufacturing CRM system.

What do your customers say about you? Really say, when you aren’t in the room? And perhaps, just as importantly, what do they say about your direct competitors? Social listening can provide the answers.

Field service customer satisfaction matters. If your field service customer satisfaction is poor, customers will vote with their wallets, and go elsewhere. And if your field service customer satisfaction is excellent - well, you’ll attract new customers, instead. So in terms of a metric to watch, it’s fairly fundamental.

Giving customers and staff complete control

Everyone talks about making it easy for customers to do business with you, but what are the practical steps you need to do to achieve that?