Summary
- Bluekey Seidor has installed systems which have largely seen SMEs transform from manual operations to integrating different aspects of business such as procurement, market and sales into a single database.
- The software, technically called Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), enables managers to monitor operations at the click of a button from the comfort of their offices.
For more than a decade, Bluekey Seidor has been providing
business management software that helps small- and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) integrate and automate key functions in operations,
financials and human resource management.
The firm,
which has been operating in Kenya for 17 years, has installed systems
which have largely seen SMEs transform from manual operations to
integrating different aspects of business such as procurement, market
and sales into a single database.
The software,
technically called Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), enables managers
to monitor operations at the click of a button from the comfort of their
offices.
The demands and needs of businesses are,
however, changing rapidly driven by constant technical advances,
according to Bluekey Seidor, which puts the number of its largely SME
clients in Kenya at more than 100 firms.
Mala Bhatt,
the firm’s managing director, says the current market dynamics requires
businesses not only to install systems that automate and integrate
operations, but also incorporate machine learning and advanced
analytics. Such a software, technically known as intelligent ERP (iERP),
enables firms to forecast, track, learn, predict, report and manage
company operations.
“There’s tremendous innovation in
the industry and so we are looking at things like artificial
intelligence, machine learning and internet of things being integrated
into ERPs. We want to be the pioneers in this field,” Ms Bhatt said in
an interview.
“10 years ago, it was just an accounting
software and people were just starting to move to ERP. Now, we are
seeing that ERP is well-established and we need to move to the next
phase which is intelligent ERP that encompasses many dynamics.”
Such
software largely helps firms ensure businesses processes are followed
to the latter, thus reducing the risk of fraud which in most cases leads
to loss of revenue.
SMEs planning to transition to intelligent technology-enabled
operations and experience will, however, have to dig deeper into their
pockets to obtain between Sh3 million and Sh5 million it costs to
install a basic SAP Business One HANA software, which is an ERP
tailor-made for SMEs operations.
Ms Bhatt says most
SMEs in East Africa prefer to deploy the software on the cloud than at
their premises, citing experience from the firm’s 150 clients in the
region, a sign companies are getting less worried about risk of being
hacked.
By opting to deploy their business management
system on the cloud where they pay a monthly fee rather than invest in
computers at their premises, ERP charges have become more of an
operational cost than a capital investment.
“It’s
interesting to note that the uptake of cloud in East Africa has been
very good and more receptive than the developed world. Probably, people
are now more educated about the benefits of clouds,” Ms Bhatt said.
“When
you put your data on the cloud, the cloud providers also give you fully
managed service and that means you reduce your reliance on a head of IT
because all your data is being looked after, it’s being backed up, it’s
safe and anything that needs to be done is being managed by the person
who is hosting it.”
The ERP software industry has been
dogged by claims that providers install systems which delivers less than
what they promise when negotiating for a contract.
“We
are having to do a lot of education and learning in the market place
because a customer still finds it difficult to understand the difference
between an ERP and an accounting software,” Ms Bhatt said.
“The challenge (in the industry) is transparency in terms of disseminating clear value-add information.”
The
software solutions firm, which has workforce of about 50, has set its
sights on expanding into counties with Mombasa, Nakuru and Kisumu top on
its strategy.
Originally Bluekey, the South Africa’s
headquartered firm, partnered with Barcelona-based SAP Business One
provider Seidor in June 2016 to support Africa’s expansion.
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