Is an outsourced ERP system support desk the answer?

You’ve invested your precious hours, funds and resource in to implementing an ERP solution, and now you can start to realise some of that value you’ve hoped for. However, one of the challenges in keeping a well-maintained ERP solution is ensuring the system is supported and continually developed post implementation, so that the investment is continually working for you and increasing in value.

Whether you should pay for an internal team to support your ERP system or outsource the work to a specialist service supplier is one of the ig considerations when it comes to maintaining of the software.

Nearly all mid-sized and larger businesses find that they do not have the resources or ongoing training structure to support it internally. Let’s face facts, it’s not easy to compete with specialist IT companies for the best accredited talent.

With this mind, ERP system consultants RXD Systems, has compiled a list of reasons why outsourcing your support requirements could be the answer.

Avoid the recruitment process

No matter what business an organisation undertakes, recruitment can be one of the most time-consuming tasks to be carried out and often an error in the wrong appointment can cost the company over the long term.

Outsourcing your support allows you to bypass the hassle and cost involved with hiring staff, dealing with absences, as well as all the other subsequent staff issues.

Driving your businesses focus into finding one suitable service delivery partner, can not only provide you with an superior level of service within your budget, but also allows you to have a support service active within a much shorter time frame, with there being no need for you to go through the painful recruitment/notice period process.

Reliable services

While some businesses may prefer the idea of their support being in-house, it isn’t likely they are going to have the time and money to hire a full-scale team, instead relying on two or three members of staff who each bring their own particular skill-set. This is a scenario almost guaranteed to deliver shortcuts, incorrect procedures and other such detrimental habits.

Responsibility placed on few shoulders, the personnel factors that come along with any member of staff (annual leave, sickness, disciplinary. etc.) can become even more of an problem, with businesses finding themselves vulnerable at being left short of cover and expertise in a vital area of their business at short notice.

Once businesses calculate the finances and time involved in covering their staff members responsible for the support of their ERP system, it can prove to be more cost and time-effective to have opted for an outsourced support service in the first place, subsequently freeing yourself of the associated personnel problems too.

Extra resources

Businesses that choose to have their own internal support desk can be severely hamstrung by staff absence. Whilst external ERP service suppliers suffer from all the same staffing issues that any business does, the difference lies in the resources that they have available to them.

They are backed by a number of consultants, meaning that if they do have to deal with short-notice staff absences on the support side of the business, they are able to utilise one of their consultants to reduce the level of disruption.

Staff issues discounted, dedicated ERP service suppliers, due to the very specialised nature of their work, will also be far better equipped with the latest solutions, due to them having to stay abreast of the latest tech advances in the industry to ensure their service remains optimum. Not having to invest in the required technology, such as support management, should also be written into any decision of whether you should outsource ERP support requirements.

Remain focused on your strengths

Whether recruitment,, investment considerations or another task, any business that takes their ERP support in-house is likely adding strain to the workload of numerous members of staff, the IT team and most importantly taking focus away from the machinations of the business.

Outsourcing ERP system support requirements to a team of specialists insures that those at the top of the business  avoid distraction, enabling them to stay focussed on the businesses core as much as possible.