Manufacturing & Supply Chain Expert, Lisa Anderson, Considers ERP, CRM and Related Systems Key to Enabling Scalable, Profitable Growth

CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA (May 2, 2019) –  Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expert Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, president of LMA Consulting Group Inc. considers internal and collaborative systems to be critical to short- and long-term growth for manufacturers and distributors. Systems must be able to support scalability and sustainability, enabling a resilient supply chain, superior customer experiences and peak financial performance.

"In today's Amazonian environment, customers expect rapid delivery, over and beyond cradle to grave, collaborative service, 24/7 accessibility and last-minute changes. Executives are realizing their technology infrastructure must be able to meet and exceed these customer expectations while driving bottom line improvement" notes Ms. Anderson.

ERP, CRM, e-commerce, customer portals and related technologies are integral to success. "Many times, the systems are blamed for internal issues or challenges. Sometimes, it's because they are out of date or a hodgepodge and don't support the business.  Other times, the systems have the capabilities but are just not being used properly. We have seen clients ready to 'throw out' a perfectly suitable ERP system because they think the system is the problem rather than how it ties with the people and process" she continued. 

Ensuring that the executive team is involved in ERP and system evaluations from a strategy viewpoint is critical.  "Since the system will impact market share, customer experiences and bottom line results, it is key treat ERP as a strategic priority," she said.  Internal systems should reflect business objectives, cultural norms (entrepreneurial vs. approvals) and multi-department requirements and priorities. In today's Amazonian environment, the only way to thrive is to leverage advanced functionality to automate, collaborate and utilize predictive analytics to make sound business decisions to set strategy," Ms. Anderson concluded.

LMA Consulting Group works with clients on manufacturing strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation that maximizes the customer experience and enables profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth, including ERP evaluation and selection. "ERP is a tough topic. Clients worry they are too small, or it will be too expensive. Meanwhile, the competition passes them. Using technology that supports a superior customer experience without breaking the bank is a "must", regardless of size or industry" she concluded. 

LMA Consulting Group just released the findings of manufacturing executive predictions for 2019:  "Manufacturing & Supply Chain in the New Normal" (available at no charge).