Checking your vitals: Is your business system healthy?

As an apparel/footwear business owner, having the right technology in place to keep your operations running efficiently is key. Technology continues to advance and making sure you have the latest systems and updates available can make a tremendous difference in your bottom line. Although you may not think so, your software and IT infrastructure is old in technology terms once it hits the 4 year mark. Outdated systems waste time, money and can slow down your productivity. For apparel manufacturers, this could mean the difference between streamlining your shipments to make room for more, or losing customers due to slow response times.

Why stay current?

For some business owners, it may be difficult to understand why there are continual updates to software. There’s a very good reason for that.

• First, if you have software updates, it means that there were some things in the previous version that could affect your productivity positively or negatively. This could range from security issues to a nice product enhancement. Staying on the cutting edge of your software can keep your business running smoothly, keeping you one step ahead of the competitors.
  
  
• Second, you want to avoid the potential, unexpected costs of not upgrading. If your software provider decides to discontinue support for your system, or you simply decide it is time to update, you may find a mountain of costs waiting for you. Jumping several generations of a software may require purchasing new computers, paying for a new operating system or updating support applications. Made incrementally, these purchases are managable. Trying to do this all at once, though, might become a serious budget speedbump.
  
  
• Third, you want to make sure your product is secure. Cyber threats and attacks are very real, and the larger your operation, the more vulnerable you become to these attacks. There are too many instances of data breaches to put your operations at risk. Any software running important business information such as vendor information, customer information, financials or inventory levels should always have the latest version of your software running for extra protection.
  
  

How can an up-to-date system benefit my business?

The apparel manufacturing business encompasses many components. Think about the functions that keep your business running on a day-to-day basis. You have sales, e-commerce, inventory, warehouse management, accounting, customer service and other elements that cannot be ignored. With an up-to-date system that can provide real-time information, you will always know what is going on internally and externally. Let’s face it – doing accounting by hand is not the way to go. You need a system that is quick, efficient and can keep you on the cutting edge of competitive services.

There are so many new, innovative products on the market that need a strong business system in place to work effectively. Customer kiosks, mobile capabilities and online service are all elements of a good system that must have periodic updates to function properly. How you present your business and its operations says a lot about you. Don’t lose business by not being able to keep up with the competition.

Will a newer system increase productivity?

Absolutely! Smart businesses use technology to maximize their products, processes and productivity in a number of ways. Up-to-date software opens the channels of communication, gives you a virtual edge in which to do business, helps to monitor and track business goals, pinpoint deficiencies, track market trends and analyze your overall business performance. Up-to-date systems help employees do their job better, which lessens the time needed to get things done.

Whether you are a small, mid-sized or large corporate entity, you can benefit from having an up-to-date business system. Being on top of your software and technology systems opens the doors to new business on an international level and helps to build your brand. Vendors like to do business with companies that have a streamlined operation that runs smoothly with no computer glitches, and customers appreciate businesses that have the ability to quickly conduct or locate a transaction in an expedited manner. It demonstrates the company’s commitment to excellent customer service.

Taking the time to assess your needs and implementing a system that can provide the best performance is a savvy business move. Although keeping your system up-to-date may become a yearly line item in the budget, it will be well worth the investment.

Stay ahead of the game by keeping your business systems up-to-date. In this era of technological advancement, you can't afford not to.