How ERP System Helpful In Covid-19
ERP Sustains Manufacturing during COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed manufacturers to rapidly shift gears, from addressing work-from-home policies to managing extreme swings in demand and uncertain supply chains. In the process, it has highlighted an aspect of manufacturing ERP that is not as visible in more normal times— business continuity.
It’s not that an ERP System’s ability to mitigate abrupt business changes hasn’t been noted in the past. For instance, it plays a central role during a change of ownership or a local event, such as a fire or flood. However, the extensive reliance on ERP solutions to maintain widespread, fundamental business continuity, as we are seeing today, has never been experienced on such a large scale.
Today, during the COVID-19 response, ERP is keeping entire industries in operation with its ability to sustain business operations through remote access, automated reporting, electronic data exchange, and real-time factory controls. Never in the history of ERP have we seen it play a bigger role in the continuance of manufacturing operations around the world.
Knowing that, let’s take a deeper look at how manufacturers are capitalizing on DiracERP’s ERP Software functionality to maintain business continuity by addressing some of the COVID-19 impacts we are seeing today:
l Empowering employees working from home.
l Keeping production at the facility on track.
l Managing shifts in demand patterns.
Empowering Employees to Work at Home
Businesses across all spectrum are minimizing the number of people coming into their plants and offices and maximizing the number working from home. In a manufacturing environment, it’s typically front office personnel who work from home, such as those in administrative, planning, design roles and Marketing.
For companies with a Dirac ERP system in place, the shift to front office personnel working from home, driven by COVID-19 prevention measures, has not caused major business disruptions. Their front-office teams are able to access their ERP system at home and run the business from there. They maintain full visibility of the business and can continue to interact with customers.
A good example is Sushil Udhyog, a leading manufacturer headquartered in Jodhpur, India. Sushil’s teams can access their ERP system anywhere from their mobile phones, tablets, or laptops to see which jobs are running, determine the inventory stock on hand, or check on order status and completion progress within seconds. This has helped to become indispensable to its customers who rely on the manufacturer for timely updates and delivery. In the midst of COVID-19, Sushil’s facilities are up and running.
Modern ERP solutions have even minimized the need to have IT professionals on site since many of today’s solutions are hosted or managed in the cloud. As a result, the systems can be maintained from any remote location, creating yet another group of employees that can do their jobs away from the factory.
Keeping Production on Track
Having front-office personnel work from home is one thing. But, running a factory floor from home is an entirely different challenge. Some small number of factories can run nearly lights out, but many must be staffed with operators and material handlers. In these factories, it becomes a question of how few people are required to be at work at any one time.
Manufacturing ERP systems minimize the number of on site shop floor staff by precisely scheduling work; dis-positioning materials, and monitoring equipment for output; quality and maintenance issues in real-time.
Real-time production monitoring is usually held out as an example of the ultimate in manufacturing control. Today it stands out as a critical tool for production continuity with a minimum of on site workers.
Managing Shifts in Demand
Certainly, one impact of COVID -19 for many manufacturers has been a sudden shift in demand patterns.
While some have seen a drop-off, many others are seeing spikes in demand.
Dezaro ~ Decor & Furniture ( venture of Sushil udyog) and Orange tree still delivering the goods during the pandemic in domestic market through online platform. Another example of Rishabh industries launches a small unit of Mask manufacturing and manages there operation through DiracERP software.
The demand fluctuations have greatly shifted the production inertia of many businesses. Raw materials supplies must be adapted; schedules and tooling changes are required, and different personnel are needed at different times. At the same time, off-shore factory closures have impacted the availability of materials and components from some suppliers.
Starting and Managing the different verticals through stream lining approach and managing it under one ERP system is a big advantage of any ERP system.
Looking Ahead
After this period of disruption, factories and their work forces will return to a more normal operating profile. But, they will forever be strengthened by the lessons learned during a period when we were required to work remotely and use our business technology to the fullest extent possible.
How manufacturers think about their ERP systems will be forever changed as well. In addition to their well-understood values of maximizing profitably, ensuring top-notch customer service, and delivering quality products, ERP solutions will now be known for their unique ability to maintain business continuity in the face of sudden change. ERP software is now recognized as an essential business safety net to respond to and overcome unforeseen events.
