With any business, growth is a natural part of the equation. As this growth occurs, it is important that you maintain your software systems and ensure that they are not ready for an upgrade. One of the most important software items that many businesses rely on daily is distribution software. This software manages everything from processing orders to purchasing and everything in between.
Distribution software is an important part of the day-to-day process that many businesses go through. Keeping it up-to-date is something that is a concern for businesses of all sizes. If you are a company that relies on distribution software, it is important that you take some time to determine whether your system is due for an upgrade. Here are seven signs to watch for.
1. The Speed is Not Optimal
One of the main areas of focus that software developers spend time with when creating new software is the speed of the software and how it optimizes operations. They understand that businesses are looking for software that moves quickly and that offers little to no delay in use and operations.
If you are finding that the speed of your current software is slower than you would prefer, it may be time for an upgrade. Having real-time data is a must when it comes to distribution and speed is a huge factor in providing this type of data.
With an upgrade, many businesses are able to see the speed of their distribution operation increase because their employees are not spending as much time with the software doing manual processes. Overall, this helps to promote productivity and makes it easier for work to be completed correctly.
2. The Processes do not work with the rest of your System
If you are like many distribution companies, it has been awhile since you upgraded your distribution software. However, it is likely that other portions of your system have been upgraded over time. This could mean that your distribution software doesn’t mesh well with other parts of your system.
The dangers with this is that employees could be spending a lot of manual time inputting information in one system or the other. This is a huge time waster, especially if a simple upgrade would allow them to avoid this additional work.
The entire point in distribution software is to help businesses manage and process their inventory in a streamline manner. However, when the software that you are currently using doesn’t work alongside others in your system, this is not something that will be possible
3. Your Competition is Outperforming You
Nothing is a better judge of how your system is performing than your competition. If you find that your competitor has a much easier time managing their inventory and controlling costs, this could mean that they have a stronger distribution software than you do.
You should always take time to survey what your competition is doing. Occasionally survey their catalog or online inventory to determine if products are out of stock regularly. If you are struggling with this issue and they are not, this probably means that you could use a better management system for your inventory.
4. New and Worthwhile Features are Available
With each new upgrade, a list of features and additional add-ons become available. If you find that many of the features that are common in distribution software options are favorable for your business, you should strongly consider an upgrade.
Some businesses view additional features as a nice bonus to their software, but they can actually serve a much more important function. Businesses should carefully analyze the items that they are missing in order to determine the ways that they will help to make them more productive.
Being productive is an important part of managing your inventory properly. As software changes and grows, so does the functionality of the items that the software can control. When looking at the additional features, businesses are likely to find many ways that they can be a benefit to their ability to distribute and manage their inventory.
5. Lack of Technical Support
Learning how to properly work with software is sometimes challenging, especially if you are using it for the first time. Even those who have had the same software for many years may find that they need assistance from time to time. Unfortunately, technical support is not always available for older software.
If your business lacks the technical support that it needs with its software, this is another area that you should consider when looking for software upgrades. Technical support is something that can help to save you time and energy because you will not be expected to troubleshoot your issue alone. Instead, you will have the assistance of experts to help walk you through the issue you are having.
6. You’re Losing Money
Nothing can cost more money for a company than an improper management of their inventory. Whether you are constantly running out of items or have a surplus of items that are not as profitable as others, it is important that you have software that will help support your distribution needs.
With older software, it is difficult to discover the information that you need to properly manage your inventory. This is because of the many changes that have taken place in recent years regarding customer purchasing habits and trends within the industry. However, with a distribution software upgrade, you will be able to know that you are receiving the most current information, which will help you to maximize the amount of control that you have over your inventory.
7. Your Version is no longer supported
Finally, you will need to keep an eye on the creator of your software in order to determine if your version is still supported. As time passes and more versions are released, software manufacturers will slowly start phasing out older versions.
This could mean that your company is no longer working with a version of distribution software that is supported. Having a supported software is important because it allows you to remain up-to-date on any changes that take place with the software. This could be important items like regulation changes or simple upgrades to make the system sounder.
Operating any type of software that is no longer supported by the manufacturer is pretty much like operating in the dark. You will no longer be aware of changes and you may be at risk for data breaches. Plus, if support has ended for a particular version, it is likely that a more powerful version is now available that will serve your needs much better.
What are the Benefits of Upgrading?
One of the best things about technology is that it is always advancing in amazing ways. This means that when you upgrade your distribution software, you will be able to see great improvements in your system. Businesses who perform such an upgrade are able to enjoy more productivity because of the advancements that are now available to them.
Deciding which distribution software is sometimes challenging because of the many options that are available. This is an area that we are skilled to work in, so make sure that you contact us when going through this process. We have the ability to assess your company and to help you find a distribution software that best fulfills with your needs.
