ERP systems have always been considered the domain of large companies. They are typically monolithic applications and have been developed to address interactions with large numbers of employees, partners and customers. Most of the big vendors focus on large enterprises because that's where they can strike big deals; they may say that they focus on the SMB market, but the products they deliver generally do not meet the needs of smaller enterprises.
If far too many cases, the SMB versions of ERP software from the traditional players are simply scaled down versions of their main offering...something akin to "ERP Light". Ultimately, what an ERP, CRM or any other type of enterprise application should do for a smaller business is to enable it to centralize the types of operations that can be automated, provide a flexible model for change, and enable non-technical employees to create, manage and modify it.
Now, this isn't to say that smaller businesses don't have the same rigorous demands as General Electric or Apple. They still need to manage capital expenditures, hire employees, manage a website, train salespeople, and a thousand other things that are required just to keep the lights on. But the needs of smaller businesses are more about how their systems work, not necessarily just what they can do. Among other things, SMBs have some basic requirements to enable them to benefit from an SMB-focused solution for addressing their business optimization issues:
Single Workspace Because of the size of most enterprise applications, it is difficult to have true integration and functionality. However, because smaller businesses have less users and fewer transactions, it is easier to unify different application features and capabilities from different operations into a single dashboard. ZeyOS, for example, provides virtually every single enterprise activity - from calendaring to financials - in a single instance. From it, users can manage all their tasks and transact different types of activities without having to open, close and authenticate against multiple applications.
Collaboration The value of most software lies within its ability to enable communication and collaboration. Too many enterprise systems still require that users operate within an application, but then communicate through other means. This may be workable, but it is far from optimal. The ZeyOS solution allows for collaboration, communication, approvals, updates and tracking to happen from within its single workspace. No need to navigate through multiple applications and THEN revert to email to address an issue with a colleague. The point is to provide an easy-to-use tool that allows users to work in context with the issues that are top-of-mind with them.
Location-independent The global, digital nature of today's workforce demands that application users be able to access the data they need when it is convenient for them. It is still surprising that most ERP, CRM, and other types of enterprise applications require users to literally sit in front of a computer to manipulate a PC-optimized set of screens. That just doesn't work for growing business. In fact, it could be argued that smaller businesses are more adept at utilizing talent and resources that fit their needs, even in somewhat unconventional ways. So irrespective of where the employee lives, or when he works, a true enterprise workspace should be available 24-7 and on any mobile device. ZeyOS has recognized from day one the need to provide users with empowering tools, not limiting ones.
