Challenge
“The trouble was that the alternative system seemed designed for businesses much, much larger than ours – and, as with our existing system, there wasn’t much of a UK user group,” says Nick. “Seeing as how we were going to have to migrate away from our existing system anyway, we began looking at other systems, from other providers, visiting their users to explore their experiences with the software.”
The problem, he explains, was that WCE had some very specific requirements. An active user group was important, for instance. So too was a software system that was continually being developed and improved, unlike WCE’s existing system, where development had largely ceased. And again, in contrast to its existing manufacturing system, a large UK customer base was also important.
A highly-evolved MRP II capability was also necessary, given the nature of WCE’s business. Moreover, he adds, as WCE continued exploring the enterprise systems marketplace, the merits of a comprehensive ERP system became increasingly compelling.
“One system, and one database – totally integrated together: the more we saw, the more we realised that this was an important step forward for us,” he sums up. “Forget legacy manufacturing systems: what we needed was a proper ERP system that could do everything that we required.”
And when WCE’s exploration of the marketplace reached Exel Computer Systems’ EFACS E/8 ERP system, the company realised that it had found the replacement that it needed.