What Exactly does “Usability” Mean?
Usability is a term that describes how appropriate and easy to use a product is for its target market. A product’s usability directly affects its users’ productivity and quality of work. When these two factors are improved, the result is better overall output.
When searching for an ERP solution, take into consideration the design of its workspace and its support for notifications and alerts. A properly configured workspace should facilitate access to business-critical metrics from any device, from any location in the world. Notifications and alerts make it possible to identify and communicate with team members the moment the system detects a potential problem, allowing you to work out a solution before it can become a disaster.
A growing number of vendors are dedicating resources specifically to improving their ERP customer experience. The goal is to ensure their customers are able to utilize the software to its maximum potential. Improving the look and feel of their ERP solutions can provide benefits to their users that are just as tangible as new features and functions.
Avon is a grim example of how SAP software that is poorly designed and difficult to use can hurt your company; Avon’s losses from their failed implementation totaled $125 million! ERP customer usability should be a priority when shopping around for an ERP solution. Don’t settle for less than the best when it comes to a software solution that affects every facet of your business; the repercussions can be large and affect the long-term health of your company.
Why is Acumatica ERP Winning so many Awards?
Nucleus Research is a company dedicated to quantifying the value users get from a software’s usability. They crunched the numbers and analyzed the ERP and CRM solutions on offer from several vendors. If you’re in the market for an ERP solution, take a look at the results of Nucleus Research’s comparing total cost of ownership (TCO) and the return on investment (ROI) of a number of ERP solutions.
Take care not to ignore the ERP customer usability of the enterprise software solution you choose. Clients often come to Acumatica looking to replace their current CRM, often because it was under-developed or just too difficult to understand. In such cases, implementing an under-developed enterprise-wide system can often result in even more work for employees. Do your homework, read the data, and take a look at the difference between award-winning software and the rest of the market.
Remember: the implementation of an ERP software solution is a process that doesn’t end at the selection and purchase of the software. If the software is overly difficult for your employees to become accustomed to, doesn’t offer the ease-of-use and benefits of their old methods, or has a frustratingly opaque user interface, adoption to the new software can be problematic. You’ll find your employees and team members either take far too long to get used to the new system or, even worse, they refuse to make the move at all.