Industry solution or standard ERP, special functionality for special requirements?

Racing for the most effective ERP processes, certain industries are challenged more than others. One of those industries is the waste industry. Highly specialised companies like those mostly have three options:

• implementing a standard ERP solution,
• going for a dedicated, proprietary industry software suite or
• choosing a standard ERP solution and enhancing it by an industry add-on.

What are the challenges going for a standard ERP solution? For example, the standard procurement process cannot handle scrap coming on site and receiving money simultaneously or vice versa. Thus, applying common ERP solutions will cause huge implementation efforts, as this is not the only industry-specific requirement not reflected by standard ERP solutions.

The completely different approach would be going for dedicated industry software suites. Thereby, companies get the best industry functionality while having more future risks. Why is it risky? Compared to large ERP suppliers like Microsoft, the research and development (R&D) budget of those companies can never meet the momentum of technological development. That becomes even more obvious when thinking of the last couple of years and terms like social interaction, internet of things or mobility and their recognition as basic technology nowadays. One might say it is like trying to win a formula one championship with a VW Beetle. Furthermore, those solutions are mostly available on a local market only.

This leads to the combination of a standard solution and an industry-add-on. COSMO CONSULT has decided to build its industry solution based on the rock-solid technology stack from Microsoft. The main advantage is that Microsoft provides all business applications from Microsoft Office 365 to ERP or business intelligence functionality. Being THE worldwide IT-company, Microsoft is the best choice for the ongoing digital transformation.

COSMO CONSULT brings in its unique intellectual property (IP) and embeds the specific industry features into the product. For assuring project success, industry experts who exclusively deal with the waste industry share their knowledge with an international customer base. Summing up, Microsoft provides best in class technology and FWI focuses on dedicated industry expertise.

Our customers can be sure that Microsoft will provide state-of-the-art technology even in 10 or 20 years. In addition, COSMO CONSULT continuously adjusts its industry solution to reflect the latest technological trends. As a result, customers have access to future-proof technology. This empowers them to react to the latest market requirements.

The certified industry solution also reduces the efforts involved in the development and customization of business solutions at the customer site. This is how we reduce both the hassle and the costs of programming compared to an off-the-shelf standard ERP solution.

In a nutshell, ERP decisions can never be easy but there are reasonable possibilities to mitigate future risks and reduce implementation and ongoing costs even in highly specialised industries.