Why Retailers Should Use an Industry ERP

In an industry where high customer expectations, complex business processes and fierce competition are the norm, retailers need a level of agility and adaptability that allows them to move quickly when it comes to shifts in the market and consumer demand. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software can help retailers maintain their competitive edge by consolidating core processes, such as finance, inventory, human resources and sales into one unified system. The end-to-end view of operations means managers can easily see any problems like bottlenecks and areas for improvement, all backed by data from real-time reports. But with the level of complexity involved in retail operations, an industry-focused solution may be the best option when it comes to integrating an ERP system. 

Built on D365 Business Central, NaviPartner’s NP Retail is an industry-tailored enterprise resource planning solution designed and developed to meet the unique needs of retailers with features that transform end-to-end processes, as well as customer experience. Below we discuss some of the key ways retailers can benefit from an industry-tailored ERP solution. 

Seamless Integration with Business Systems 

An industry-specific ERP solution like NP Retail can help organisations unlock a complete view of operations with seamless integration with other business systems, including in-store point of sale (POS) systems. This is a crucial element of an effective retail ERP solution as it allows retailers to gather data surrounding sales and inventory so that they can streamline reporting processes and identify customer preferences.  

Integration with customer relationship management (CRM) systems enables seamless data flow between systems, meaning sales and service teams gain a more comprehensive view of customers with easy access to purchase history and previous interactions with the company. This means teams can stay better informed during customer interactions and deliver more personalised responses that help improve the level of service. 

NP Retail can even be enhanced with NP mPOS (mobile point-of-sale), a solution that enables in-store sales associates to provide detailed product information without needing to check the shop floor or stock room. With a mobile device, workers can easily access information like product availability, process payments, and generate and email receipts to customers. This means salespeople can have more engaging interactions with customers and provide them with the information they need much quicker and easier, enhancing the customer experience. 

Improve Inventory Management 

NP Retail can help businesses keep track of inventory levels using RFID, or radio frequency identification, technology. This means that items that enter or leave the warehouse can be scanned and automatically recorded in the ERP system, which can then monitor stock and even notify businesses when stock falls below a certain threshold. Further, with sales and inventory data stored in the ERP system, businesses can easily uncover sales trends which can help improve inventory forecasting. These features enable businesses to consistently maintain optimal stock levels, eradicating issues with over and under stocking and ensuring orders can be fulfilled on time. 

Modernise Customer Experience 

An ERP like NP Retail provides businesses with a way to create more modern customer experiences with features like loyalty cards, vouchers and coupons that can be accessed by customers via a wallet app. NP Retail also facilitates click-and-collect to eliminate long queues and streamline the customer experience in stores. Creating more modern and seamless experiences for customers in this way helps retailers provide more positive brand interactions and elevate customer satisfaction. 

If you would like to learn more about ERP for retail, get in touch with one of our solution specialists today. 

Conor Flanagan, ERP Team Lead Jan 06, 2025