At K3 BTG, we’re busy helping customers shape up for a new decade. 2020 promises to be a momentous year for UK manufacturing and building a digital backbone will give businesses a clear advantage as they compete in a post-Brexit environment. As more of our Movers and Makers put ERP at the heart of their strategic plans, K3 BTG’s industry-built solutions will play an ever-greater role in the driving business growth.
For those ready to invest in their digital resilience, selecting the right ERP provider can be daunting. Yet as businesses prioritise solutions which give them the agility to navigate new landscapes, our product portfolio is more relevant than ever. I’m confident we can cut through the rhetoric and demonstrate how our customer-focused offer meets the challenges of the day.
Last year, Panorama Consulting named SYSPRO in its 2019 Top 10 Manufacturing ERP Systems Report. It highlighted the value of its solutions in driving manufacturing performance through flexibility, digital innovation and ease of use.
The latest release, SYSPRO 8, offers customers a gateway to a new digital era. The industry-built ERP platform incorporates advanced usability and functionality to address pain points and exploit opportunities.
SYSPRO’s success lies in its ability to optimise performance. UK productivity is currently more than 30% behind the US and around 10-15% behind Germany. The government’s Made Smarter Review has already stated that adopting digital technology could increase productivity by more than 25% by 2025 and everyone accepts that digital enablers such as ERP will prove key in meeting future challenges.
SYSPRO 8 allows customers to digitise their business quickly, affordably and with minimum disruption. It gives access to a range of emerging technology which can be applied to meet a range of business challenges. AI’s embedded machine learning helps identify trends, the in-built digital assistant handles queries from customers and suppliers, whilst SYSPRO’s social media platform, Harmony, supports greater collaboration.
This new wave of innovation helps businesses use real-time data to maximise performance within a global economy. Manufacturing is already responsible for £192bn of output but post-Brexit, the goal posts will be shifted. Be it advanced forecasting tools, financial planning modules, or assistance with trading regulations, SYSPRO will play an important role in adapting to new trading conditions.
In the year ahead, businesses will also face increasing pressure to comply with stringent regulatory requirements. SYSPRO’s focus on enhanced user and product traceability is helping clients meet strict compliance requirements. In addition, K3 BTG’s new Making Tax Digital for VAT app connects with a user’s ERP system to collate a 9-box report ready for submission to HMRC.
Another importantly differentiator is our purpose-built system integration and manipulation tool, DataSwitch. It supports automation by providing the missing link to standardise the flow of information between unconnected software systems. The tool is a game-changer for our customers. By using DataSwitch to integrate operations, businesses have a head start on the competition with heightened visibility and more efficient data flow to better serve customers and suppliers.
Our customers best explain why K3 BTG should be your ERP provider of choice for 2020. Southampton-based manufacturer Millbrook Beds had a SYSPRO system implemented in 2013 and the improved insight has helped it meet the demands of 400 additional customers.
Millbrook’s commercial director, Andrew Longland, recalls how the business was being held back by and outdated network until K3’s implementation. He says: “We finally had an agile system for an agile business. We’ve got all the information we need at our fingertips thanks to refreshable Excel reports covering every aspect of the operation. That shows us the pinch points and we can respond minute by minute.”
Those enhanced capabilities go hand in hand with best-in-class customer service. Food business Fiddes Payne implemented its K3 BTG ERP system back in 2009 to track materials throughout the production process. Since then we’ve continued to adapt the offer to meet changing business needs.
Fiddes Payne’s Financial Director, Vivienne Sparks, said: “The team at K3 are helpful, knowledgeable and took the time to familiarise themselves with our ways of working and make recommendations for improvements. Their investment of time and resource into helping us migrate toward a joined-up ERP solution was invaluable, and their support is still on hand when we need it.”
When selecting a system and provider, it is critical businesses not only consider functionality but how well equipped the business is to support them on their journey to automation. I look forward to an exciting year, empowering customers to open the door to their next stage of growth.
