1) Describe what the difference between ERP and ERP II and what comprises each?
ID: 3725733 • Letter: 1
Question
1) Describe what the difference between ERP and ERP II and what comprises each?
2) Describe what the advantages of using Salesforce are and what makes them so innovative?
3) Describe what the advantages of using both SAP and Salesforce.
4) Supply chain is the flow of materials, information, money, and services from raw material (upstream), through factories and warehouses, to end customers (downstream). Proper planning within the supply chain is important and is done by sharing information. This creates interorganizational information systems (IOS). Describe the technologies companies use to create these IOS exchanges and how does this create an advantage
Explanation / Answer
1)Answer:
ERP:
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a method of efficiently utilizing people, hardware and software to increase productivity and profit, thus simplifying a company’s business processes. ERP may include many software applications or a single (but more complex) software package that smoothly disseminates data required by two or more unique business departments.
The need for enterprise resource planning (ERP) software grew with big business’ mandate for a centralized solution to manage all information system requirements. An ERP may consist of many different business modules, including:
In short, an ERP solution allows each department or business domain to be managed centrally while operating independently. Advantages include interoperability of data, increased communication and increased data reliability through the use of a single database.
ERP also enhances the quality of enterprise-wide decision making. For example, a customized order may move from the sales department to inventory control, then on to invoicing to finance and manufacturing. By using an ERP, this type of process is an efficient and continuous series of events that allows for easy individual order tracking.
ERP II:
ERP systems that extend beyond the enterprise level to exchange information with supply chain partners. Examples are CRM, SCM, and e-business. Learn more in: Assessing ERP Risks and Rewards
2.
The most apparent change from ERP to ERP II is a change in focus from one that is totally enterprise-centric and preoccupied with internal resource optimization and transactional processing to a new focus on process integration and external collaboration. ERP II application deployment strategies relates to information that is exchanged between two or more businesses over the Internet.Learn more in: ERP and Beyond
3.Gartner group coined this expression to describe opening up ERP systems beyond the enterprise level to exchange information with supply chain partners. ERP II extends beyond the four-walls of the business to trading partners. ERP II includes supply chain management (SCM) applications, customer relationship management (CRM) applications, and e-commerce applications. ERP II is also referred to as extended enterprise systems
Differences:
Functionality:
Functionality improvements associated with supply chain management, supplier relationship management and customer relationship management can be associated with ERP II. All of these tend to encourage collaboration with entities or companies outside of the original enterprise that implemented ERP.
External Access:
ERP II can enable access to information by those outside the company or original entity, e.g., a manufacturing plant that allows access to planning information by another plant or its customers. Software that allows access by those outside the company has more stringent security plus design to avoid access to certain company information.
Web- or Internet-Based:
ERP generally refers to a software system that is resident on, and accessed through, a company computer and secure company network. ERP II may enable Web-based or Internet access through an Internet browser; this is one approach to allowing external users to access ERP.
Software as a Service (SaaS):
Software as a Service usually refers to a vendor hosting the software and data, in a business model where the same version of the software is used for multiple clients. ERP has only recently been introduced on an SaaS basis, and can be described as ERP II if deployed in this way.
2)Answer:
1) Ease of Use – It stands to reason that one of the single most important elements of any service is its ease of use, this is particularly true considering that Salesforce CRM is targeted to a broad range of companies and business, many of whom may not have a background in tech and software. For the CRM to reach its full potential it must be easy for even novice users to work with.
Salesforce meets and far exceeds the ease of use requirement by offering its user base an extremely intuitive, simple user interface. Unlike with many other CRMs and related services, there is no need to get involved with coding or to carefully pour through information about product updates. Instead everything is served up in an easy-to-understand format designed to minimize difficulty and inconvenience.
2) Excellent Functionality – Salesforce delivers with an outstanding system of integration and functionality. The CRM provides the backbone service needed to allow easy data collaboration between multiple departments, centralized customer information, an array of reports and statistical options, and the ability to run on any browser, tablet, desktop, or mobile device.
Salesforce also delivers reliable data security and protection, ensuring that sensitive information is not lost or compromised. Salesforce provides your employees with the resources they need to maximize efficiency and productivity. Customers will also benefit from better customer service.
3) Flexibility and Customization – Salesforce has broad applicability for a wide range of different companies and businesses. The key to this successful approach is in its flexibility and customization potential. Salesforce integrates well with a host of different business models because it is able to provide report and analytics that are tailored to the specific needs of its users.
Salesforce further allows companies to measure and monitor the success of their marketing campaigns and to customize these outreach efforts on an on-going, as needed basis. This allows for a fully optimized system that can be automated to function on its own. Salesforce cloud system also means that employees can access it from anywhere at anytime, allowing for incredible flexibility.
4) Outstanding User Resources – In order to provide its hallmark ease of use, as well as to educate its customers on the excellent functionality, flexibility, and customization options that it offers, Salesforce has invested an incredible amount of time, money, and innovation in providing users with an outstanding array of resources. Salesforce offers educational and informative blogs and article posts, it routinely does educational webinars, hosts its own YouTube channel complete with videos covering a full spectrum of topics, and it also publishes a thoroughly comprehensive web-accessible user guide.
The goal of these many varied resources is to empower customers with the ability to quickly find the answers to their questions in whatever way is the most convenient for them. The answer and information is not only out there; it is out there in many different places and formats. However, in addition to all these ‘self-help’ style resources, Salesforce also employs an excellent, knowledgeable, and customer-oriented tech and customer service team that can walk users through any situation or problem that arises.
5) The AppExchange – It is fair to say that apps have exploded in a big way all over the public consciousness in recent years. Nowadays many times the first thing that people do when they want to accomplish something digitally is to check and see if “there is an app for that.” The answer is that with Salesforce’s AppExchange there probably is. This marketplace of easy to access, download, and install apps provides users with even more resources, options, and expanded functionality.
There are apps related to many other big name companies like LinkedIn and Microsoft Outlook which enables full integration of these two services with Salesforce. Additionally the AppExchange is a wellspring of new ideas and capabilities that are being developed and fine tuned at a blinding pace, giving users tools they probably never even dreamed of for connecting with their customers and building deeper relationship
Customer information
One of the biggest advantages of using Salesforce is the information it retrieves — both the quality and the quantity. When you use Salesforce, you can look at every individual account, contact, task, event, and opportunity that’s tied to a lead, which gives your company a lot of information before approaching potential customers.
There are a couple reasons this is so important.
First, it lets you easily track all of the information you need to keep your customer profiles organized. You have all the information you need in one convenient location, and you can look up any lead or client you want — even if they’re assigned to other representatives! This offers a more complete, holistic approach to managing your growing business.
In addition, shared customer information also lets you and your employees enjoy your leisure time and vacation days without worrying about personally accommodating clients, leads, or prospects. Any of your reps can easily cover for another one who’s out of the office, eliminating any gaps that you could have in your customer support model.
This digital design is a direct upgrade from physical resources and even Excel sheets. Salesforce is comprehensive, responsive, and convenient to use, so you no longer have a need for manila folders or digital files full of spreadsheets.
#2. Account planning
With all of the customer information you need right at your fingertips, you — and all of the reps at your company — can make plans for accounts independently. That gives you the hands-on approach that you need to really make a connection with clients, and it also lets your reps modify their plans to achieve better results. There’s even an option in Salesforce to create to-do items so you and your reps can use lists to stay organized throughout the day.
Along with that, you can also create reminders on calendars so you can tell anyone to follow up with your customers, account managers, or upper management about important duties. Essentially, you make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
In addition to the organizational tools, you can see the amount of time that you or anyone else in the company has spent on each specific account. This is especially helpful for service-based businesses with lots of clients who subscribe to different packages or plans. If you notice that you’ve spent too much time on a client for what that client spends, your company can adjust accordingly.
Time management
With comprehensive customer information and a wealth of planning resources at your disposal, you naturally get the benefit of outstanding time management. You have all the information you need to prioritize work for your clients, and that means you can also organize tasks for different accounts according to that same criteria.
Along with that, you can use the built-in calendar tools to better visualize your schedule for the day, week, month, or year. That means you can constantly stay on the ball through all of the steps in nurturing a potential lead.
#4. Team collaboration
Salesforce also lets you easily communicate with the other members of your team. The “Chatter” feature lets you talk with individuals or groups about work-related information, like clients, territory, and other essential details.
Chatter also lets you add different team members to accounts or opportunities that need special attention. This, in turn, makes it easier for your team to prioritize and schedule their tasks so you can work with more leads and finalize more sales.
Accessibility
Salesforce is a cloud product, and that means it’s available wherever you have Internet access. This also includes mobile — Salesforce has an app that you can use to stay in touch with your business and your team at all hours. This makes it a perfect match for the hands-on business owner or the marketing manager who wants to stay in constant communication with their team.
The reason this is such a huge advantage is because it means you don’t have a centralized location for your data. There’s no filing cabinet, local server, or anything else — it’s all kept safe and sound in the cloud where you can always access it.
In addition to the security advantages, your team can also use it to stay up-to-date on accounts and clients, regardless of where they are. That’s some of the best customer service that any client could want
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