Five Keywords in Researching ERP Solutions

Google is only a robot and it only knows the information you give it in the form of the keywords and phrases you input into the search box. It then observes the actions you take after serving you those results. What result you click, how long you stay on that page, and what actions you take while you are there will all be measured by Google to improve your searches (as well as others) in the future.

So, as you make decisions within the Google search engine, you provide validity to a search term or even take it away. If you’re bewildered by the claims flooding the ERP market. That’s typical because everyone is seeming to be targeting either ‘cloud’ or something close. And others claiming to be the best, the most trusted, and the most reliable. Who’s right? Use the following five keywords to help discern the real amid pretenders.

1. Cloud ERP

Whether on-premise or SaaS, today’s ERP providers define themselves in relation to the cloud. Forbes recently reported that 47% of organizations plan to move their accounting to the cloud within the next five to ten years. In an attempt to hijack this anticipated growth, many legacy systems have skipped serious development and gone straight to marketing—selling their existing products, perhaps with minor tweaks, as full-on ‘cloud solutions.’ Words such as ‘private’ cloud (hosted, owned, and maintained by the client) and ‘hybrid’ cloud (cloud and on-premise modules jerry-rigged together) should raise a red flag.

What you should be looking for is “True Cloud ERP,” as this entails an all-in-one truly unified solution.

2. Unified

Some solutions framed as ‘cloud suites’ are really best of breed systems, mishmashes of individually-licensed modules from other sources (often from companies the provider has acquired). Other cloud solutions function so narrowly that you have to buy separate software licenses for relatively basic functionalities. In either case, the provider does nothing to help you integrate potentially incompatible modules.

Here a truly unified solution would be reflected in the keywords “Unified ERP Solution,” because just as before we’re identifying a solution that encompasses all functionalities. Rather than purchase multiple licenses, you will want a solution that is built to grow along with you.

3. Configurable

A growing consensus recognizes configuration over customization as a best practice in ERP implementation. Customization requires that technicians alter the source code of a vendor’s solution, generating an array of operational challenges and making every future update both difficult and extremely expensive. Ninety-nine percent of the time, your organization would be better served by a SaaS solution that configures to your organization’s dimensions without requiring tweaks to the code. Configurable providers can offer their clients seamless upgrades, every quarter.

In this case, “configurable” is the word that best describes the service, but “Customizable ERP” is the more searched term. As mentioned before, since Google applies relevance to what is being searched most frequently, it’s important that we understand while “customizable” is the popular search phrase here, configurable is the solution you’re looking for. As we change this understanding, we change what Google displays. Then over time, both the user and Google learn the updated terminology.

4. Scalable

When considering an ERP solution, always ask the vendor about scalability. Can the system adapt to new dimensions? Can you add new entities with ease? Is there a built-in ceiling? Outgrowing your ERP system is an excruciating experience, and many organizations do not survive it. Consider your growth plans now and select an ERP system accordingly.

With keywords here, the searchable phrase is “Scalable ERP Solutions.” When in fact the phrase should not be plural at all. Some words have a completely different meaning when they are pluralized. In this case, the term “solutions” implies that there are multiple ways (and potentially programs) to tackle scalability. Whereas here at Xledger, we prefer the word “solution” as we present users with one unified solution to meet all the client’s needs.

5. Automation

Is your organization ambitious? Would you like to take advantage of innovative technology to automate as many processes as possible? Functionalities like OCR scanning, streamlined work-flow, automatic check printing, and bank integration all leverage automation to save you time and money.

As far as searchability here, the keyword phrase will fall in line with the type of automation performed. In some cases, this could be “automated data entry” or “automated ERP solutions.” Again, the measure of intent will ultimately rely on companies like ours to shift the user’s thought process to reflect that within Google searches.

The landscape online is constantly evolving. Just as software has moved away from physical discs, to online downloads, to today’s all-encompassing cloud solutions; search engine optimization is changing how these products are found online. Our job at Xledger is to break the paradigm of conventional thinking.

While the current searches reflect an antiquated means of what ERP and software are, we strive to reeducate by staying on the cutting edge of these changes. Balancing what we both know about the service now, and what we knew about it in the past to target not only the best possible keyword phrases but redefining them as we go. This way we can not only present the services that you’re looking for now but redefine how it will be searched and found by users in the future.