6 ERP Software Predictions for 2017

Another Christmas has come and gone, which means it’s time to bring in the new year! The mark of a new year is always an exciting time of hope and anticipation for what the new year will bring. Like every year Nucleus has released what it anticipates for the next year in the technology world. Read this article to learn about some of those predictions.

1. 1. The End of On-Premise Security Superiority

You read right, Nucleus predicts that cloud security naysayers will disappear in 2017. This may sound a little far-fetched at first, but when you consider the fact that 2016 has been a big year for cloud computing you will understand why. One of those reasons 2016 was the year for cloud computing is that it has been a turnaround year for many consumer’s perceptions of the cloud’s safety and privacy. A prime example of this is how a top tier business software company, Microsoft, came out with a new, completely cloud-based solution, Dynamics 365.  And as such is poised to be one of the first tech companies to reach 1 trillion in market capitalization.

This helped change the general public’s opinion by broadcasting how much faith a big company like Microsoft had in what was perceived as a platform only suitable for small businesses. And when a major company makes such an abrupt and drastic change it shows great trust in something that seems untrustworthy and overtly gets the public’s attention. Add the shock value of this major change to Microsoft’s follow up action of promoting the heck out of the cloud, it’s benefits and safety measures and you’ve got a rather captive audience. This also helped information about the cloud reach C-suite leaders of big enterprises that might have disregarded cloud computing as just another way to file and backup documents.

Even beyond the craziness that has been going on in Microsoft Dynamics, customers are noticing the efforts cloud providers are making to ensure safety of the cloud and that it’s beginning to outweigh the security measures of on-premise. The protection of customer data and computation guaranteed by Service Level Agreements (SLA) is a testament to a grade of security that on-premise simply can’t offer.

2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes more sophisticated

There has been a lot of hype about Artificial Intelligence (AI) in 2016. In years past, the idea of AI mainly excited future technology enthusiasts and regular people that look forward to the invention of robots to do their house chores for them. But recent developments in AI technology are giving businesses a reason to shout. Now businesses can get AI enhanced business tools that not only help businesses operate, but also independently learn and improve while it does it. These AI software systems and machines let workers to take a step back and let the technology do some of the work and this is only the beginning. Obviously, AI technology hasn’t reached its full potential in the business world or in everyday life, but we will see continued progress in the new year.

3. IOT loses its new car smell

IoT (Internet of things) will still be a good technological advancement with many potential benefits, but in 2017 Nucleus predicts it’s no longer going to be the shiny new toy on the playground. Instead, it will come into its own as it becomes a standard for manufacturing, distribution and other supply chain companies. Now that IoT has been taken out of its new product packaging, companies have been watching how it performs to see if it functions as it was supposed to. The great thing about IoT in 2017 is that it will become less of a risk for companies to implement because vendors will have more experience in implementing IoT and making it operational for a variety of organizations.

4. Self-correcting supply chains

It is well known that supply chain businesses are interested in gaining visibility into everyday operations. It has become so important for manufacturers and distributors that most mainstream business software promote having end-to-end visibility. Now, businesses with supply chain functions are setting their sights to machine learning and artificial intelligence to take operations to the next level. With machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), supply chain companies can now automatically detect and correct errors in their process. ML and AI can do this by studying normal operations function and then learning the algorithm of mistakes. Its appeal is that it has great potential for saving a lot of time and boatloads of money as well as increase the overall quality of the product.

5. Business Software with Micro-Marketing

Although many all-in-one business solutions have a marketing module, not many of those modules are very thorough in their marketing capabilities. Micro-marketing looks at the smaller details that go into prospecting process that where once stand one software like bulk email scheduling and running, localized web marketing campaigns, and lead qualifying and nurturing capabilities. Nucleus is predicting that these functions will be valued more in ERP.  You can find this kind of marketing power in ERP software like Acumatica 6, which can also track the costs of your marketing efforts by integrating their CRM and ERP solutions. Or you can find it in software that outsources micro-marketing functions like Dynamics 365’s use of Adobe Marketing Cloud.

6. “Here Lies the Sales Funnel”

There have been rumors that the sales funnel was dying for some time now. Nucleus predicts that in 2017 the idea of the sales funnel will go the way of the fax machine. It’s becoming obsolete for a few reasons, one of those reasons is that it assumes the customer doesn’t know much about the product and needs to be taught. Obviously, it is important to provide potential customers with information about the company and the product, but it is a little different now that we are living in the age of information. This leaves little room for irregularity in information and making for a more knowledgeable audience. Another problem with the sales funnel is that assumes the sales cycle is relatively consistent. In today’s world that isn’t a versatile statement because sales cycles can be very inconsistent due to the increase of subscription pricing models, some businesses being low cost investments while others aren’t, and the participation in multi-channel sales (meaning customers have multiple ways to purchase company goods/services via telephone, desktop, mobile device, etc.).

If you want to know the rest of Nucleus’ predictions follow this link to get their full list. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the list it’s pretty evident that there are some very good things in store in the world of business technology. Do you think they left something out? Comment what else might change with technology in 2017.

Clients First is an expert at implementing Dynamics AX, Dynamics 365 and Acumatica. Contact Clients First’s Texas or Minnesota sales team today by calling 800.331.8382 or emailing sales@www.cfbs-us.com. Clients First implements and supports clients across the U.S.A. and in 11 countries. Our team of professionals are ready to help implement the best finance and operations solutions for manufacturers, distributors, project based manufacturers, MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul), and professional services.