Are you a consulting firm looking to optimize your internal management? An ERP is a real planning tool, centralizing project management, invoicing, HR and customer follow-up. Find out in this guide how to choose the ideal working solution and improve the efficiency of your management software.
What is an ERP adapted to consulting firms?
Before you can choose an ERPThe first step is to take stock of the consultancy, its size and its objectives. Unlike industrial companies, you need a flexible working solution that takes care of resource planning, scheduling and management. Project and teamand billing. It must also integrate an efficient CRM to manage your customer relationships.
Opt for a solution that adapts to your working methods, not the other way round, by taking business processes into account. The consulting firm’s operations mapping is one way of identifying the needs covered by an ERP.
Your ERP must therefore meet the specific challenges of your business:
- Advanced project management: monitor progress, allocate resources, measure profitability by mission.
- Invoicing and payment tracking: automate invoice creation and avoid late payments.
- Customer and prospect tracking: centralize interactions to maximize retention and business development.
- Consultant management: optimize planning, track time by task.
Before comparing work solutions and software packages, make a precise list of your needs and constraints. This roadmap will help you avoid using unsuitable management software in your consulting firm. Mastering the managing priorities at work with an ERP system will help your company evolve rapidly.
Choose a scheduling tool that adapts to your needs
Your business won’t stand still: it will evolve with the market, your customers and your objectives. That’s why it’s essential to choose the best ERP solution that can grow with you. A scalable solution should make it easy to add users, integrate new functionalities and adapt to changes, without high costs or complications.
Using a flexible planning tool gives you the agility you need to adapt to market changes. This means you can also respond to new market developments and requirements. On the other hand, rigid ERP software slows down your business.
By thinking long-term, you avoid changing systems too quickly, thus limiting costs and disruption. The integration of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, improves and secures your ERP planning tool.
A well-chosen ERP system does more than just manage scheduling; it also optimizes your productivity and profitability. It must be intuitive, easy to use and offer real-time monitoring. A good management solution helps you anticipate needs, improve decision-making and support your growth.
Ease of use: an efficient ERP for your consulting firm
The ERP you choose shouldn’t be a headache for your consultants. Complex, poorly designed management software requiring hours of training will not be well received by your teams. The interface must be clear, intuitive and designed to be quickly understood. A good ERP for consulting firm features fluid navigation, a personalized dashboard and quick access to the most frequently used functions.
Each user of the consulting firm (consultant, manager, accountant, HR) needs to see only useful information, without being swamped by useless options. Test several solutions with your teams before choosing. If the planning tool is too complicated, your investment will be wasted.
An efficient ERP must also be accessible everywhere, whether in the office or on the move. A cloud solution enables your teams to work flexibly, accessing data in real time. Compatibility with other tools (CRM, invoicing, HR management) is also essential for smooth, integrated management.
Security and compliance: protect your data
An ERP system manages your consulting firm’s sensitive data:
- Customer information
- Financial data
- Contracts
- Internal strategies…
A security breach or poor access management can have serious consequences. The management software you choose must guarantee a high level of protection, particularly in terms of data encryption.
A good ERP planning tool must offer options for managing access rights, so that each user can only view the information that is strictly necessary. Furious Squad offers an ERP designed to protect sensitive data with advanced security features. Its architecture guarantees high availability of information, while providing effective protection for your consulting firm’s data.
Evaluate cost and return on investment
The management software represents a significant investment, but what are the factors to consider when choosing the rightplanning tool and gain in efficiency? Here’s what you need to consider:
- Pricing model: some solutions are billed on a per-user basis, others on a monthly subscription basis. Evaluate the real cost over several years.
- Save time and reduce errors: an efficient ERP reduces the time spent on administrative tasks and minimizes human error, thus improving profitability.
- Hidden costs: data migration, training, technical support… Make sure your budget includes these elements.
An ERP should not be seen as an expense, but as an investment that improves productivity and decision-making within your consultancy.
Mobility and accessibility in real time
Your consulting firm already uses several tools: a CRM to manage your customers, an accounting package, a project management solution, or even specific tools for your services. ERP should not operate in isolation, but integrate seamlessly with your existing software packages. Good integration avoids data re-entry, reduces the risk of errors and improves productivity by automating the exchange of information between different solutions.
Before choosing an ERP system, check that it offers connectors with the software you use, to ensure smooth, intuitive operation. A poorly integrated ERP can lead to duplication, data inconsistencies and considerable loss of time. Benefit from a unified view of your business in real time, without disrupting the methods you’re already using.
In a consulting firm, consultants are often on the move, on assignment at the customer’s premises or telecommuting. Your ERP management software therefore needs to be accessible everywhere and on every device (computer, tablet, smartphone). Cloud-based solutions are a must today, as they enable real-time synchronization and secure access to data from any location.
Unlike traditional ERP systems installed locally, a cloud ERP system requires no heavy IT infrastructure, and guarantees automatic updates. It’s also more scalable, easily adapting to the growth of your practice.
Furious, the ERP management solution for consulting firms
To run a consulting firm, it’s important to have an efficient ERP. It will enable you to manage your projects more effectively, make resource planning and make your projects more profitable.
Furious stands out as a tailor-made work solution, designed specifically for digital service companies (DSCs) looking for an integrated, high-performance approach.
Where other ERP solutions require multiple complementary mechanisms, Furious offers all-in-one management software, reducing errors, wasted time and the costs associated with fragmented tools. Your teams gain in productivity and visibility thanks to its functionalities that enable them to replace up to 7 different tools. Request your free demo today.
