Asian SMBs 'turning to ERP solutions'

Mon Feb 22 2010 13:32

The use of supply chain management and enterprise resource planning software is growing among Asian businesses as they look to stand out from their rivals.

South Asian businesses are increasingly looking to harness the benefits of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.

With a Frost & Sullivan report noting firms in the region are seeking out "competitive advantages", the market for enterprise application software - which includes ERP solutions, customer relationship management (CRM) and supply chain management (SCM) - is growing.

And small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) account for the majority of this growth, with firms keen to use the technology to expand and improve customer service.

"Organisations are displaying a preference for an integrated CRM and SCM solutions with ERP especially in [the] SMB sector," Frost & Sullivan industry analyst Santosh Kumar Sinha says.

It was also revealed that ERP vendor focus in India is concentrating on vertical industries such as insurance and food.

Meanwhile, Mark Vickery, chief information office for Premier Foods, recently told Computer World UK that the use of ERP is helping his firm to introduce "more efficient and effective business processes".