IFS Study Highlights Key ERP Concerns

There are two current trends that the vast majority of executives with mid- to large-sized manufacturing operations are responding to, according to an IFS North American research study.

First, executives are struggling with the lack of intuitive usability in enterprise software including ERP. This problem reduces their productivity and keeps manufacturers from realizing a return on their ERP or enterprise asset management, known as EAM.

Second, there is a rigidity and inflexibility that reduces total enterprise agility. This means as manufacturing companies experience change, their enterprise software cannot change rapidly enough. This again reduces the return on ERP investment, and at times, causes businesses to miss out on opportunities that require them to change the way their business operates.

The study was conducted through an independent research company in early 2011, which focused on more than 200 executives with manufacturing operations with greater than $100 million in revenue.

Respondents in the study gave their enterprise software poor marks for usability. Only 10 percent of manufacturing executives participating in the study for IFS North America felt their ERP software was very easy as well as intuitive to use.

Another 60 percent of respondents stated that their ERP or other enterprise software slows them down and prevents their companies from changing the way they do business.

IFS North America President and CEO, Cindy Jaudon, said they have always been focused on the broad issues of usability and the ability of IFS Applications to deliver enterprise agility as a core benefit.

Jaudon added that market change has never been this rapid and most businesses are doing more with fewer people, and manager and executives both have less time to struggle with their enterprise software, putting a premium on usability.

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