Enterprise Management System: Definition, Types & Advantages

Enterprise Management System: Definition, Types & Advantages

Every business needs sound management to run seamlessly. Enterprise management systems (EMS) have come into play in recent years. An EMS is a software package that supports the different needs of complex organizations. This software enables personnel to manage multifaceted businesses whose infrastructures and applications are often dispersed geographically.

EMS solutions typically support core business functions such as HR management, financial processing, budgeting, customer relationship management, sales activity, and supply chain management.

Given the high implementation costs of enterprise systems and the fact that most small and medium-sized businesses are less complex, these software packages aren’t usually suitable for such businesses.

Types of Enterprise Management Systems

Here is an outline of the primary types of enterprise management systems:

1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

This is software that manages a business’s interaction with existing and potential customers. CRM enables businesses to learn about their customers’ needs and purchasing behavior and uses this information to improve the quality of a business’s marketing plans and sales forecast. The ultimate goal of CRM is to ensure that businesses are connected to customers, enhance the efficiency of business processes, and maximize profitability.

2. Supply Chain Management (SCM)

This software efficiently manages supply chain activities such as product development, production, material sourcing, as well as information systems that coordinate these activities. It aims at providing businesses with a strategic advantage. SCM basically begins with the purchase of raw materials and continues to the final delivery of the product.

3. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

This system integrates various software applications such as finance, human resources, inventory management, and purchasing. ERP enables organizations to get rid of duplications and discrepancies while sharing and accessing data in real-time.

What Are the Advantages of an Enterprise Management System?

One of the main advantages of an EMS is the reduction in personnel needed to support complex IT infrastructure and business processes, given that it is bundled into one package – this makes it much easier to manage across the business.

Unsurprisingly, EMS doesn’t come cheap. Nonetheless, since numerous functions are bundled together into a single package, the cost of the entire system is usually cheaper than going to separate providers for different tools for different areas of the business. This is especially true for large businesses. Given that the different functions integrated into an EMS system can draw from each other, businesses can streamline their processes and enhance collaboration across various teams, which in turn will create efficiencies.

Since an EMS is cloud-based, it provides high scalability without IT complexity. This is beneficial for businesses that operate globally, as they can scale to any size. Moreover, it also simplifies the management of global trade across contractors, suppliers, partners, and customers.

An enterprise management system also draws on real-time data intelligence. This means that crucial business decisions can be made using accurate information. Most EMS services are both flexible and customizable, meaning that they can not only evolve with newer innovations such as IoT (Internet of Things), but they can also grow with the business.

What Is the Difference Between EMS and ERP?

Even though some people use the terms Enterprise Resource Planning and Enterprise Management System interchangeably, they have some differences. For starters, whereas an EMS can include an ERP as part of its package, ERP itself is an independent application with individual modules that address different business functions.

Also, EMS integrates all vital business functions into a single package. Therefore, it can transfer information from one business function to another quickly and accurately. On the other hand, an ERP is an individual system that checks inventory and assists with back-office features, as well as helps in production, planning, and management. EMS goes beyond this – it monitors competitors, suggests new market areas and methods of attracting new customers, and keeps an eye on a business’s external relationships.

Another factor that distinguishes EMS from ERP is the implementation duration. Given that there’s a considerable amount of data to be collected and analyzed, EMS takes longer to launch and implement. On the other hand, ERP solutions can be implemented quickly since they can be quickly integrated with existing software.

The Basics of ERP

ERP is basically a single application with a set of modules. It focuses on:

• Inventory, facilities, and asset management
• Human resources
• Financial, including accounts receivable and payable, payroll, and general ledgers

Enterprise Resource Planning software is designed to enhance a business’s internal processes. It helps managers’ decision-making process by furnishing them with timely information. It also provides employees with real-time data and reports.

The Basics of EMS

EMS is more data-focused. EMS systems are large-scale software packages that track and control complex business operations. An effective EMS system should be able to accomplish the following:

• Automate the customer service process
• Store business data in a usable format that can be retrieved quickly
• Secure customer data
• Standardize critical processes
• Minimize the cost of doing business
• Streamline supply chain management
• Provide real-time access to data
• Ensure regulatory compliance
• Allow scalability of IT capabilities

As you can see, whereas there are some differences between ERP and EMS, they each look to increase the effectiveness of a business’s productivity, provide better customer relationships, enhance the efficiency of employees, and contribute to overall business growth and sales.

What to Look for in a Business Management Solution

When you’re looking for an EMS system, you need to know exactly what you want. Some of the things you should look at when choosing an EMS package include:

• Events Management: Most large businesses need event management solutions. These solutions allow for the scheduling and planning of business-related events.
• Project Portfolio Management: Large businesses need to manage their project portfolios, especially since they have infrastructure and applications across different locations. Project portfolio management solutions enable you to control the projects being worked on at different locations from your software.
• Asset management: The EMS system you purchase should have an asset management feature. This tool ensures that software-related tasks can be done from anywhere. This can be especially useful for IT departments.

ICS Can Help Ensure That Your EMS System Operates Smoothly

ICS is a professional IT services company in Austin that can ensure that your business runs smoothly by providing you with premium IT services. We offer a wide range of services, including cloud services, network security, server management, cabling services, mobile device management, among other services. Try us out first and enjoy 60 days of risk-free IT services.