WBSRocks: Business Growth with Enterprise Software and Digital Transformation

Send us a textIf you are a startup, you will have several options in the QuickBooks portfolio to get your business up and running without requiring deep IT or accounting capabilities. As you grow, you might need to upgrade to several products in the QuickBooks portfolio and try add-ons such as FishBowl. However, while they have deeper capabilities functionally to support your small business, they are not designed to support the scale and transaction volume needed by a company with 8-digit revenue.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry experts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to discuss major stories in the ERP and digital transformation space and an objective and independent review of QuickBooks' and FishBowl's capabilities. We covered several grounds, including the overview of different product offerings from QuickBooks and their positioning in the market. Finally, we covered a deep review of FishBowl capabilities along with recent reviews from public sites.For more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs.rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Send us a textWhether you are pitching an initiative or getting pitched, turning down an idea is extremely uncomfortable for both parties. Although executives may be turning down the idea as they might not see how they might sell it to their boards, colleagues, or teams, they don't want to reject it as it could be a lifetime opportunity for their career. While it might feel counter-intuitive, the executives pay attention to every single idea in an organization. Still, most ideas get turned down as they could be perceived as overly zealous technical transformation, not aligned with organizational vision, or just a wish list that has very little business value.In today's episode, we invited a panel of cross-functional experts for a live interview on LinkedIn who brings significant expertise to discuss how to pitch digital initiatives to executives. We covered many grounds in this episode, including the interests of executives and what they like to hear in pitches. We also discussed how to identify the control points inside an organization and how to align pitches to various stakeholders' interests. For more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs.rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Send us a textMost people think of personalization strategies as the thank you note written on the post-purchase card sent to the consumer or a thank you video from the CEO. But personalization goes deeper when it comes to e-commerce. The personalized experience could include the products that are shown to the non-logged-in user based on their location or IP address. It could also include reminding users about a battery pack if the product box doesn't include a battery set.In today's episode, we invited a panel of cross-functional experts for a live interview on LinkedIn who brings significant expertise to discuss personalization strategies. We covered many grounds in this episode, including why personalization matters and different features related to personalization. Finally, we discussed tools and technologies available to enable personalization and how intent data could help boost the personalized experience for your customers.For more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs.rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Send us a textScaling an e-commerce brand is hard. And it's becoming harder with the expansion of marketplaces. While they offer significant opportunities and an easy way to acquire customers, each channel and the marketplace has fairly stringent requirements regarding their quality standards and what they like to see from the vendors. Also, the more you move your products and the longer your products have to travel, your supply chain costs increase significantly.In today's episode, we have our guest, Rick Watson, who shares how to plan for warehouse and logistics architecture for DTC brands selling through marketplaces. He also shares why SKU level planning and profitability analysis is critical for product and channel fit. Finally, he discusses his insights into concepts such as SFP and the difference between centralized distribution strategy vs. using retail locations as fulfillment warehouses for e-commerce channels.For more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs.rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Send us a textThe legacy warehouses were extremely rigid and imprecise. They had challenges in locating the precise location in the system. They also didn't map humans in the system. These restrictions limit WMS systems to accommodate real-world scenarios such as seasonality and dynamics recommendation of rearrangement of the warehouse based on demand. The modern breed of WMS systems is far more capable with the help of technologies such as machine learning and ultra-wideband.In today's episode, we have our guest, Michael Pytel, who shares how he can create a far more precise digital twin of the warehouse by mapping warehouse workers in the system. He also touches on the deficiencies of legacy WMS systems and their implications on warehouse processes and workers, and how modern systems would make their life easier. Finally, he shares his insights about several technologies, such as how different business systems and warehouse hardware technologies such as AMR and ASRS would interplay in his system and how indoor positioning and 5G would improve the warehouses.For more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs.rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Send us a textA machine is not a microwave where you can throw a piece of steel, push a bunch of buttons, and expect your parts to be done. The inner workings of machines are fundamental to account to be able to program cost-effectively. You need to take several things into account, starting from the fit between materials and machines. You also need to figure out the appropriate setup times to make sure that you can make the part in the budgeted amount.In today's episode, we have our guest, Jennifer Bannink Bloomer, who discusses how machines think and why that matters to the machine shops. She also discusses why a comprehensive understanding of materials, machines, and their applications is essential for making parts. Finally, she shares several stories about cross-functional collaboration between machinists and engineering departments that require open and transparent communication.For more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs.rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Send us a textChange management has become the new buzzword. Most ERP implementation practitioners talk about how important change management is and how that can save implementation failures. Also, most ERP implementation failure conversations are around exceeding the original estimations of the budget. But who pays for change management? Who is responsible for change management? Where does change management fit in the organization? How to budget for change management? Is there a finite amount or timeline that companies should plan while allocating a budget for change management?In today's episode, we invited a panel of cross-functional experts for a live interview on LinkedIn who brings significant expertise to discuss change management strategies. We covered many grounds in this episode, including why change management is important and where change management function fits in an organization. We also discussed how to identify change management projects in an organization and why the center of excellence plays an important role in managing changes. Finally, we discussed why the real need for change management is to bring that cross-functional perspective typically supported by CEOs in smaller organizations.For more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs.rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Send us a textWhile building your e-commerce site, you might be tempted to go for the cheapest option. But for your e-commerce initiatives to work, you need to perform a deeper analysis of customer journeys to provide them the experience they expect. This study requires you to go deeper than the five WHYs and to utilize methods such as management by walking around. Also, optimizing customer journeys is an ongoing process, which doesn't end with identification. In today's episode, we invited a panel of cross-functional experts for a live interview on LinkedIn who brings significant expertise to discuss customer journey mapping. We covered many grounds in this episode, including how companies can start on the customer journey and why performing as-is and to-be analysis is vital to identify customer journeys and behaviors. Finally, we discussed several other concepts related to customer journeys, such as touchpoints, cohort analysis, the importance of user research, and design thinking.For more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs.rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Send us a textMost machine shops are afraid of going for certifications such as AS9100 and CMMC due to the process overheads and compliance requirements imposed. They would rather invest that money in buying more machines and adding more people. While these certifications can be perceived as unnecessary, they can open up tons of newer opportunities for you. They can also make you efficient with your operations and provide the necessary controls for creating a sustainable business that will have much higher value when you are ready to sell.In today's episode, we have our guest, Aaron Theisen, who shares his journey to AS certification for his shop. He also discusses how AS9100 certification can open up newer opportunities for your shop and grow faster despite it being perceived to be expensive. Finally, he shares several data and reporting requirements that you need to get in a row before you attempt to acquire the certification.For more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs.rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.

Send us a textWhile several tax packages out there, such as Avalara and Vertex, can automatically monitor each state's tax rates and apply to each of your transactions, these packages rely on your data and accounting to determine your tax obligations. If you are not accounting for your product costs appropriately, you might be leaving millions of dollars on the table. You could save this money through tax recovery if you conducted a refund review. In today's episode, we have our guest, Jason Parr, who discusses the nuances of tax recovery of your purchases and why periodic refund review is crucial. He also touches on tax laws of different states and where you might have the opportunity to recover some of the taxes that you may be overpaying. Finally, he compares the sales and purchases side of tax obligations and any opportunities available through strategic planning of your facilities and warehouses.For more information on growth strategies for SMBs using ERP and digital transformation, visit our community at wbs.rocks or elevatiq.com. To ensure that you never miss an episode of the WBS podcast, subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.