Monday, July 14, 2003		Feature

HIGHLY competitive and fast paced economic environment has forced many small and medium enterprises to adopt technology to improve business performances. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or customised software solutions has therefore become invaluable asset for most of the companies who give due consideration to product quality, cycle time, cost, continuous improvement and organisational excellence.

ERP solution in India that were close to Rs 569 crore till last year are expected to grow beyond Rs 800 crore by 2006, says Sanjay Agarwala, Director, Eastern Software Systems, an enterprise resource planning solutions provider. With a huge potential to exploit the company is targeting industry in north India, especially Ludhiana. The focus so far has been the garment industry, both manufacturing and retail, auto ancillary, light engineering, chemicals and allied industries.

"The ebizframe, ERP solution of the ESS is cost effective, easy to implement and helps companies get five distinct advantages namely, increase speed of operations, improve quality, share resources and manage information, connect and communicate with customers and vendors and cut down business costs. The product pays for itself in a short period," according to Agarwala.

He says that Punjab has a tremendous market for ERP solutions because most business houses here started as a single owner venture, but now have grown into all sizes. "The second generation businessmen in cities like Ludhiana are MBAs and know that to survive in the current economic environment they cannot afford to continue to do business in the usual traditional manner.

They have to be committed to grow fast and focus on delivering value to their customers. They have realised that only an investment in ERP solutions is a way to run a successful venture."