According to a recent industry survey, nearly 50 percent of outdoor power equipment dealers do not utilize a computerized business management system (BMS)˳ That is not to say that these businesses do not have a computer system of some type, as many have them for Internet access, parts look-up or email˳ The survey also indicated that the most successful dealers (by dollars and size) all had an “industry-specific” BMS in place at their dealerships˳
So does this mean you must have an industry-specific BMS to be successful in the outdoor power equipment industry? Certainly not, but it does seem to indicate a BMS could factor into your success˳
If you are one of those dealers in the 50 percent that lack a BMS, here are some reasons why you should consider adding one to your business and some implementation concerns you should be aware of˳
The main purpose of a BMS is to improve productivity at all levels of an organization˳ Each department within your dealership will gain capabilities from computer technology that will allow them to function more effectively and efficiently˳ A BMS will streamline business operations, employee workflow and dealership processes˳ Ultimately, this will provide better management control and positively impact the dealership’s bottom line˳
BMS help management and employees more easily communicate and collaborate˳ Users of these systems find they have much easier access to needed information in order to complete work-related tasks˳ Even technology like email, instant messaging and social networking has enhanced the communication process to provide rapid communication between the dealership, customers and vendors˳ This business communication technology allows management and employees to develop closer relationships to customers, which results in improved sales˳
A BMS facilitates real-time tracking of business transactions˳ This speeds the process of typically laborious transactions like invoicing, purchasing and inventory control˳ Essentially, all business activities will see great improvements in time spent and a dramatic decrease in errors˳ Management is able to get a better handle on business operations, improve employee productivity and define future company strategies˳
Now are there any downsides to adding a BMS to your business? In reality, very few considering the gains you will achieve˳ There are some pitfalls an astute business owner or manager must be aware of˳ Otherwise, implementing a BMS could prove to be very, very costly˳
The purchase price of a BMS has seen a considerable decrease in the last two decades, but you should be aware that the initial price of the BMS is a mere portion of the total overall money a business will invest when they computerize their operations˳ It is imperative that the business owner and management foresee these costs and plan accordingly˳
Installing a BMS puts tremendous demand on the ability of a company to manage its personnel˳ It tests the capacity of managers and employees to train and accept training˳ A company should expect to invest considerable time and money into training each person that will be involved in the operation˳ Without the proper managed training, operation of the BMS might cause work disruptions and could become quite detrimental to productivity and profitability˳
As a final note, using a BMS will become a determining factor in your business operations, workplace practices and overall business strategies˳ Once you automate your dealership’s business processes, the business will gain additional reporting, management tools and operational procedures that will help achieve your business goals˳ The importance of a BMS cannot be overstated and is now well acknowledged as a business necessity˳
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