Every organization strives for operational excellence. While some may achieve it along the way, not everyone can manage to sustain it for longer durations. A good software solution can help a lot here. Business management solutions such as ERP and CRM have helped organizations streamline processes and boost productivity across the entire workforce. The popularity of these solutions has surged over the previous decade and numerous developers have been leveraging innovative technologies to gain the upper hand in the market.
ERP and CRM cater to different parts of a business organization. The efficiency of these software solutions enables organizations to gain visibility into their core processes and workforce which allows them to make data-powered growth decisions. Before we go into the ways of developing the perfect ERP and CRM applications, let’s spare some minutes to explain their differences.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
CRM manages the way a customer interacts with a business organization. CRM features were initially developed for sales departments. With the evolution of the marketplace, new features were added to these tools to manage customer service interactions. The final product was a CRM solution that gave businesses a bird’s eye view of all customer interactions and their background data. This information feeds analytics which allows businesses to make informed decisions on improving the performance of their sales teams, customers targeting for added revenue, and efficiently provide customer service per market demands.
CRM caters to:
Sale Force Automation
Customer Service
Marketing Automation
Customer Self-Service
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a complete supply chain management software designed to help companies achieve operational excellence. It evolved out of the traditional material requirements planning (MRP) software, which helped manufacturers manage the resources needed to maintain a successful business. Today, ERP solutions manage everything from procurement, warehouses, production, inventory, orders, and delivery logistics including finances such as general ledger (GL), accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll.
The core benefit of an ERP solution is that you get a single, shared database for all your business processes. You get real-time insights into your supply chain to manage business processes efficiently. Some top-of-the-line ERP solutions also offer automation functionality that furthers the process of streamlining business processes and reducing human errors. ERP systems also allow businesses to manage their finances properly and close books faster. Businesses can gain a strong hold over their information by assigning role-based permissions, which provide sensitive data access to only those with the proper job functions. Such maneuvers reduce financial risks and also improve audit trails.
ERP systems specialize in:
Accounting & Financial Management
Order Management
Production Management
Supply Chain Management
Warehouse and inventory management
Order fulfillment
Procurement
Logistics
Now with that out of the way, let’s move on to developing the perfect ERP and CRM applications for businesses.
Open-Source ERP and CRM Platforms
Such platforms are perfect for developing customized ERP and CRM software solutions. These platforms help businesses customize applications according to their workflows. Organizations such as Microsoft and ZOHO are coming up with such facilitating solutions. While ZOHO focuses more on CRM-related processes, Microsoft specializes in ERP procedures with its state-of-the-art Dynamics 365 and Power Platform platforms.
Customized ERP and CRM Application Development
Businesses need a variety of applications to manage their daily processes. Since there are quite many departments with varying needs, an off-the-shelf software solution can never meet the demands and expectations of most organizations.
Custom CRM and ERP solution provider businesses allow organizations to develop applications that synchronize with their business processes. These applications help organize workloads and employees and even automate processes by assisting businesses with ERP CRM development.
Low Code or No Code ERP and CRM Application Development
Another very promising entry into the ERP and CRM application development market is the low-code/no-code application development platform. These platforms allow people with the slightest IT knowledge to develop facilitating applications that help with enhancing business operations.
According to Gartner, by 2024, low-code application development will be responsible for more than 65% of application development activity.
Source: Gartner, Inc. “Low-Code Development Technologies Evaluation Guide”, February 26, 2019, Paul Vincent, Mark Driver, Jason Wong.
Low-Code Software Development Platforms
Low-code development platforms allow businesses to develop custom ERP and CRM software solutions with innovative functionalities to support their specific business models. These platforms come complete with intuitive visual builders, form and report templates, ready-to-use code snippets, and built-in connectors. The facilitation of these functionalities speeds up development and allows non-technical people to develop applications with ease. Low-code development platforms eliminate typical coding processes such as modeling data, creating frameworks, developing user interfaces, etc. They really help businesses with ERP CRM development.
No-Code Software Development Platforms
Enterprises can gain a competitive advantage by using no-code platforms due to numerous reasons. No-code application development platforms allow even the most non-technical people with absolutely zero coding knowledge to develop applications that help their daily processes. These platforms can also help such people automate processes and reduce errors. When it comes to ERP and CRM solutions, businesses can use the no-code development platforms to craft facilitating applications that streamline their workflows.
No-code development fundamentally allows users to develop complex workflows without writing a single line of code. These platforms offer a secure, customizable, and cost-effective solution to businesses that are driven by ideas and somehow lack technical expertise. Benefits of no-code application development include, decrease time to market, increased collaboration and productivity, accessibility, flexibility, reduced legacy maintenance, etc. Businesses must consider a reliable custom CRM and ERP solution provider if this is their first time with ERP CRM development.
Ending words
These were the ways using which businesses can successfully hack into the perfect ERP And CRM application development processes. Leveraging the latest technology to boost innovation in an enterprise is the best way to gain an edge over the competition. This comes with creative ways of reducing costs, engaging the target audience, and offering the best services available in the market. Businesses can perform better if supported by ERP and CRM software solutions.
If you need help with customizing your ZOHO CRM solutions, we will be more than willing to help you as we are a renowned custom CRM and ERP solution provider. If you are a big organization or a manufacturer looking for the perfect ERP solution for your business needs, our experts can get you started in no time. Let’s talk!
Erphub is a leading Cleveland-based system consulting, ERP solution development, and administration service that can ensure your business efficiency is raised to its optimum level. At Erphub, we provide access to informational tools, a variety of basic ERP software packages, and the option to choose a completely custom ERP solution for your business. For more information, just connect with us by email or call us.
