Social ERP

One of the biggest developments in the world today has been the rise, continued resilience and popularity of social media. From Facebook to LinkedIn and beyond, social media has shown that it still has more to offer. Over the years resources and business tools have undergone the addition of some kind of social media component. Systems like CRM (Customer Service Management) have already gone social. What’s next? sERP (social Enterprise Resource Planning).

Since about 2010, there has been talk of integrating social media into ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems. The focus has been on the collaborative and communication aspects of social media. With ERP systems covering everything from finances/billing to customer relationship management (CRM), communication is key. It has to go from department to department, spanning an entire business. The social component of sERP stands the potential of making such exchanges easier. Sure, there could already be an interoffice communication system in place or one could be implemented, but it can be argued that such action would be overkill, given that a viable system already exists.

Take a look at the benefits. The potential for increased productivity and overall performance is fairly high. In terms of an entire enterprise, it can take some time for communication and collaboration to occur. However, with the social media aspect, such endeavors can be sped up. Thus, more time can be spent on planning and/or engaging in the actual project.  Another benefit is instant communication. With things like message boards and instant messaging, connections can be made that much faster. Added to an ERP system, this allows for a paper trail if anything is called into question.

One would think there would be more demand for software such as this, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Enterprises seem a bit wary of such capabilities, or they were as of 2012. Why? The reason may have to do with the fact that security issues have been reported with social streams. Using them opens up the possibility that important and sensitive information could be leaked. Yet, one has to take into account the fact that we all take that risk in our personal time.

Like most things, sERP systems are not for everyone. The business should definitely look at all the pros and cons when making a decision. 2010 may have been the year for talks, but it appears that as 2013 progresses it will become the year for action.