ERP Role in Selling Your Mid-size Business ? Microsoft Great Plains and CRM Example

If you own the mid-size business and actively work in it as executive manager or lead, say marketing, ? you probably know exactly what needs to be done on the daily basis to keep it running. However, in many cases this business critical knowledge exists in your head only. This means that if you would like to sell your business ? it has little value without your participation. So, ahead of the selling time you should "formalize" the business ? to make it work within the systems and rules, independent of people. Let's consider the parts we will need.

? Functional Diagram. Well ? one may think that he doesn't have to reinvent the wheel, but we think that this is the only possible way ? to start from the top level of formalization. Functional diagram should show the process of getting new customer as a prospect, the sales process up to the closing, then customer order executing. And this diagram should reflect the interaction of your departments and key employees/positions.

? Sales Control. When you want to formalize sales you are looking for the system, which allows you to distribute leads to your sales people and then have a tight monitoring of the closing rates and the quality of the closed prospects by salesperson. This system will allow you to create formal position: Sales or Marketing director, who can generate new business for the company through this Sales automation system. In our opinion ? this is 60% of the formalization success.

? Order Execution. You need standard ERP to control order fulfillment. Usually such a system is implemented on one of the Accounting applications platforms. In the case of small and mid-size business, we would encourage you to map to your functional diagram, described above and clarify all your needs with the consultant, who will help you with the implementation. Order Execution automation will allow you to introduce another formal position ? Controller.

? CRM/ERP market. You could find variety of the systems on the market. Here you need to stick to the quality rules. When you implement the computer system you should probably take the leaders on the market and be sure that they will stay or get additional market share in the future. In the case of mid-size business ? in our opinion you should be selecting between two leaders: Microsoft Business Solutions with its ERP: Great Plains, Navision, Solomon, Microsoft CRM, and Best Software with their MAS 5000

? Microsoft Great Plains & CRM. These two systems are integrated and allow you to implement Sales Control and Order Execution, if you decide to stake on Microsoft brand.

You can always have us help you with the implementation & customization. Call us: 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918.

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies ? USA nationwide Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains customization company, serving clients in Chicago, California, Texas, New York, Georgia, Arizona, Louisiana, Michigan, Florida, Canada, UK, Australia, South Africa and having locations in multiple states and internationally ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ), he is Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.

---

How To Get More Business During The Winter Months

Business seems to drop, slow or even stop during the... Read More

Getting Started with Succession Planning: Part II

Succession planning requires the owner of a small or medium-sized... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains Implementation: Pharmaceutical Corporation Specifics ? overview

Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains serves mid-size and large clients... Read More

Pressure Washing Entrepreneurs Can Help With Government NPDES Permits

If you own a pressure washing business one of the... Read More

Business Disaster? Wont Happen to Me

As fast as you can say business disaster, your business... Read More

Your Business: Will It Have A Happy Ending?

"Begin with the end in mind," says Stephen Covey in... Read More

How to Start A Business Plan

A business plan precisely defines your business, identifies your goals,... Read More

Idaho Market for Automotive Businesses; Doing it Right

Anyone who has been watching the Idaho Market Carefully for... Read More

Fail to plan... or Plan to FAIL??

Running a business, whether it be an offline multi-billion dollar... Read More

Connecting Your Offline Business to Your Online Business

These may sound like no brainers, but you'd be surprised.... Read More

Six Key Principles of Corporate Accountability

The foundation of any business transaction is the promise of... Read More

Invalid Excuses for Poor Business Results - Rising costs

Note to Northwest Airlines ? It's not about fuel costsFor... Read More

Insurance Requirements in Franchised Companies

Franchised companies often require what some believe to be excessive... Read More

Corporate Contingency Planning

Part 1A few weeks ago I attended a seminar sponsored... Read More

Are You Aware of Planning in Business?

Human beings are rational agents. Rationality endorses one to take... Read More

The 7 Critical Steps to Formulating Your Annual Strategic Business Plan

Businesses tend to avoid doing their annual business plan thinking... Read More

Hunters and Gatherers - Are You Serving Both Their Needs?

The University of Exeter in the United Kingdom recently published... Read More

The Chief Cause of Business Failure & Success

Business rises and falls on leadership. According to business guru,... Read More

Sample Business Plan Outline

If you are looking for a partner, funding, angle investor... Read More

ERP Role in Selling Your Mid-size Business ? Microsoft Great Plains and CRM Example

If you own the mid-size business and actively work in... Read More

Six Key Areas For Evaluating A Strategic Alliance

Strategic alliances are increasing at a rapid rate. It is... Read More

Alice In Wonderland - A Parable for A Business Plan

Remember reading "Alice in Wonderland?"She asks the Cheshire Cat, "which... Read More

Turning On The Lights

Fun From The StartFor those with the will to start... Read More

2 Simple Steps Before Starting Your Business

There is so much small business information available today that... Read More

When Do I Need To Hire A Business Plan Consultant

Every new business owner knows that a business plan is... Read More

More Uses for Your Business Plan

You have invested a lot of time and energy on... Read More

Business Plan Long Term Goals

Writing a business plan is not an easy endeavor, nor... Read More

Business Planning and the ?Bozo? Factor

"Bozo" ? A clown with a forlorn look, always finding... Read More

Don?t Allow Yourself to Get Burned

I am not a big fisherman, but I do enjoy... Read More

Planning for Success

Business planning is widely acknowledged as one of the keys... Read More

Describing Intellectual Property in Your Business Plan

Most companies that are worthy of raising venture capital have... Read More

Going Self-Employed ? A Few Handy Hints

The day you decide to take the plunge and work... Read More

How To Prepare A Business Plan That Guarantees Big Profits

It is always said "If you Fail to Plan, you... Read More