The three things every CEO needs from an ERP system

I was reading through a research study by Korn/Ferry the other day on succession planning of CEOs.  In this [lengthy] study, there are a lot of pointers on succession planning, what constitutes a good CEO, what percentage leadership skills are DNA and what drives a CEO.

One of the biggest discussion points in this study is decision-making. Short-term and long-term decisions are made daily and one of the prerequisites for great decision-making is having the right information.

Getting the right technology and ERP system on your side is one of those decisions that can result in years of distress OR in a great return on investment.

So, when selecting an ERP system, it is important to keep the following in mind:

1.      Agility

According to Wikipedia we can define agility in the business as follows: Agility means the capability of rapidly and efficiently adapting to changes.

Constant economic change, globalisation and the ever-evolving needs of the end-user or customer, makes it absolutely necessary for companies across South Africa and the globe to become more nimble.

2.      Responsiveness and Customer Service

In our “quick-fix”, “immediate satisfaction” social environment, clients get impatient if they have to wait for an answer, a quote or anything else for that matter.  With this in mind it is essential to have the correct systems in place to increase response times.

This in turn leads to better customer service, increased loyalty and ultimately to greater customer retention.

3.      Profitability and growth

The no-brainer. But how?

If, like magic, we can have a clever and in real-time “push-one-button” overview of our financial and operational costs, we can make decisions based on the correct information.

It is great to know what we need but, how do we choose an ERP system

The ERP system must allow you to:

• Have a vision of where the company is going, not just of the next year's financials.

• Deliver financial and operational performance.

• Have an eye for detail without losing sight of the bigger picture.

Like CEOs, Sage ERP X3 and Synergy Group contain both the necessary DNA and developed experience and skills to grow companies.

 
http://www.synergygroup.co.za/sagex3.html

Mining: SA’s Soul

South Africa, the tip of the continent and truly the hyperbole of diversity, can thank mining for its growth, economy and a large portion of its history (including the two Boer Wars). More importantly, mining played a vital role in the development of the early South African Republic. 

When that Erasmus Jacobs guy found a diamond on the banks of the Orange River in 1867, the start of mining as the enterprise it is today began. The next step was the Kimberley pipes (and now Hole). Then came the gold rushes to Barberton, Pilgrims Rest and eventually the Main Reef Leader on Mr Oosthuizen’s farm in Langlaagte, 1886. Diamonds and gold are where it all started but certainly not the only place the path leads…

South Africa is a veritable melting pot of mineral wealth: being the world’s largest producer of chrome, vermiculite, manganese, vanadium, and platinum; the world’s second largest producer of ilmenite, zirconium, palladium, rutile, and diamonds; and the world’s third largest producer and exporter of coal.

This country is a cornucopian collection of plenty.

   

Microsoft Xbox Releasing Gaming Paradise

It has been almost a decade since the very first Microsoft Xbox console was launched. That’s 10 years of gaming happiness, technological advancements, sleep deprivation and completed levels; happy birthday Xbox (on the 14^th of March)!

To celebrate this milestone the exclusive anniversary bundle is being launched in Europe (the original playground for Xbox). This is not just a lucky packet kind of bundle… this one comes with a 250-gigabyte Xbox 360, a three-month gold subscription to Xbox Live, two wireless controllers, three digital games (Gears of War2, Fable 3 and  Halo: Reach) and a disc copy of Halo: Anniversary.  

It seems, unfortunately, that there will be no anniversary bundles making their way to South African shores. BUT something wicked-cool this way certainly comes: the Star Wars-themed Xbox 360.

Oh yes, you did just read that. The limited-edition, customised gadget is headed this way and has been decked out to look like R2-D2, comes with gold wireless C-3PO-style controllers (C-3PO), a white Kinect and the Kinect Star Wars game.

May the force be with you!

Winning Awards the Synergy Way

The weekend before Valentine’s Day was a perfect time to show some love. So Sage did at the Sage Insights 2012 conference.

Sage used the annual event as the official release of the Standard Edition of X3 as well as a celebration of the best solution providers. Synergy won their fair share of awards, including maintaining their decade-long standing as one of only six Sage Premier Partners in South Africa. 

For 2011 Synergy was awarded Best Performer for Sage CRM and won the Technisoft award for the highest sales of Report Manager.

Below are a few pictures of the formal awards dinner on the last evening.

Jonathan Smart (Synergy Group), Jacqui Scorgie (Sage) and Charl Haasbroek (Synergy Group)

Bob Reinking (Technisoft), Charl Haasbroek, Jonathan Smart, Mark Kornhauser (Technisoft)

Jonathan Smart, Jeremy Waterman (Sage), Charl Haasbroek

Charl Hassbroek, Jonathan Smart, Adrian Burney (ACDC Dynamics - Special Invite from Sage)

K2 – The Workflow Wunderkind

The very nice people at K2 are continuing the generosity and have been improving an already-excellent business process management (BPM) tool.

A workflow framework that’s all about simplicity, streamlining and enterprise efficiencies that can be integrated with Accpac and customised to do whatever you need it to?! We’ll take it!

Do yourself a favour and discover more about the K2 platform!

What’s Happening, People?

If you’re interested in finding out what’s what you can thank Microsoft’s information and entertainment network for msnNOW, the nifty new tool that stops you from having to jump all over the internet to gather information.

msnNOW trawls social media outlets to uncover the hottest internet trends, breaking news and conversations in real time.

The buzz from Facebook, BreakingNews.com, Twitter and Bing can now all be found in one place. Cutting through the clutter of the internet, this service provides up-to-the-minute trends and social bits and pieces: what’s being said and why.

Get msnNOW at now.msn.com and stay informed with relevant and credible news, thanks to exclusive technology that taps into trends and enables continuous updates with fresh content.

If you want the lowdown (anywhere, anytime), go to msnNOW now for:

• Breaking trends
• A variety of sources
• Biggest movers (the day’s most discussed topics)
• Topic pages (including a summary of why it’s trending)

Well played, Microsoft. Well played.

Random Facts about Coal

Since you need to open a coal mine to get rich in 2012, we thought some facts would fuel your interest. And give you something to talk about at that next dinner party.

·    Coal ash, a result of coal mining, can also make you money – as filler for golf balls, linoleum and tennis rackets. 

·   Coal has been part of international trade since the Roman Empire was in full swing.

·    The world average age for a coal miner is 50 (with 20 years of experience).

·    Coal is responsible for 37% of the electricity generated across the globe.

·    Coal has been used as a source of fuel since 371 – 287 BC.

·    Worldwide, China is the largest producer of coal, Australia the largest exporter and Japan the largest importer.

·    Coal reserves are spread over almost 100 countries and are estimated to last over 200 years.

·    In 2006 the total consumption of coal, worldwide, was 6,743,786,000 short tons.

·    Coal is the official state mineral of Kentucky and rock of Utah.

·    Coal comes in seven different grades (graphite, peat, anthracite, lignite, steam coal, sub-bituminous and bituminous).