ERP Augmentation & the Role of Marketplaces

There’s a lot of old ERP systems in the industrial manufacturing and distribution space that are living on borrowed time.  It’s a big decision and changing an ERP system has a wide ranging impact across the organization.  Even if you’ve replaced your ERP system in the last 5 years with a more modern architecture, there’s still some very important functions that still require augmentation.

We’re not talking about “that” kind of augmentation.  We’re talking about complementary applications and tools that work in good harmony with any ERP system (old & new) that every organization should consider when building for the next generation.  The reality is there isn’t a single ERP system that does everything well or addresses all of your business needs.  Hence the growth of  CRM and quoting systems (CPQ) that are purpose-built for sales teams.

But how are marketplaces changing the landscape of buying & selling industrial materials and what role can ERP providers play in this evolution.  The movement towards social selling & buying will have a profound impact on industrial supply chains and new efficiencies can be achieved through “plug-in” technology and applications.

ERP providers serve as a strong process hub within an organization and there is a significant opportunity for them to connect seamlessly to the outside world via marketplace platforms to deliver more value to their client base.  We are at the very early stages of the next level of digital transformation – connecting traditional, proprietary systems to open, social network-oriented marketplace platforms.

This is where Metal Networks.AI B2B marketplace platform can help metal Suppliers connect with their supply chains or customers without making a BIG technology decision.  The platform requires no integrations, requires less than 15 minutes to get started and is subscription-based so Users can have unlimited access without triggering transaction fees, commissions or listing fees.  For more information, please visit this link and start your free trial.