Ten years ago, in 2002, a law was passed in the US Congress that has had a lasting effect on business. The law was Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and introduced sweeping changes to financial reporting. Other countries followed suit, and now wherever you go the regulatory requirements for governance and compliance reporting have continued to grow. This includes other areas of businesses as well, including: manufacturing, supply chain, product quality and safety.
The power failures caused by Hurricane Sandy in the USA made me think about all the things that can go wrong for a business, including the less obvious problems, when there is a power failure; and how important it is to be able to think and act quickly. In fact it reminded me specifically of a recent incident in SYSPRO and how some quick thinking solved what may have been a much bigger problem.
When I read a recent SYSPRO blog The Grace of Change, about a Seeker of Value, one customer immediately sprang to mind: Westlands Horticulture. A fast growing business, both organically and through acquisition, they always seem to be involved in one project or another with K3 SYSPRO. Finbarr McNamee, in his role as Group IT Manager is certainly the Seeker of Value within Westlands Horticulture. He engages with the business and gets to grip with the real business need, helping others find new, smarter and more effective ways of doing things. Finbarr drives the change through the organization in several ways.
The world of technology is no longer just reserved for ‘techies.’ Consumer technology now spearheads the technologies which businesses later adopt. Clever user interfaces (UI) and good-looking hardware has also resulted in users building emotional bonds with hardware, such as their smartphone or tablet – something which was unheard of not so long ago.
I have spent many hours over the past few weeks running around the countryside in preparation for three running challenges I signed up for earlier this year. Firstly, The Three Peaks Challenge, a team from K3 SYSPRO will be taking on the highest mountains of Scotland, England and Wales, raising money for Cystic Fibrosis. Secondly, The Great Langdale Marathon 2012, and thirdly, The Wall Run – an ultra-marathon, taking place in June 2013.
As the Social Media Specialist for SYSPRO USA, I am always on the lookout for new trends and updates in the social media world, especially how these trends impact the manufacturing and distribution industries. I’m a firm believer that Social Media is one of the greatest tools a company can use for engagement with customers and consumers. I once had a colleague here ask me if I think organizations will ever adopt social media as a way for employees to communicate internally.
In my position at SYSPRO USA, I am given the opportunity to meet with Enterprise Resource Planning prospects, channel partners and customers. I have found that some have perfect experiences choosing and implementing an ERP system, while others find themselves overwhelmed and frustrated with the process. Reflecting on each company’s unique experiences reminded me of my own similar experience of furniture shopping.
SYSPRO was featured on CNBC Africa last week when Chris Bishop interviewed me on the Entrepreneurial Edge Show. Besides the obligatory pre-interview application of make-up, I thought things went pretty well. I feel in a very fortunate position to love what I do and work with a team dedicated to delighting our clients and improving our products and services every day.