SYSPRO, a global leader in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, is accelerating its domain in the Kenyan market by popularizing its services to manufacturing companies seeking advanced data automation and systems integration.
The most pertinent challenge that manufacturers face in Kenya is the inability to properly take stock of their goods leading to poor strategies of distribution, bungled-up inventories, and channels for fraud. Other related challenges include shifts in the regulatory environments especially on key issues such as taxation and legislation.
During a recent media roundtable, the company said that it is implementing both artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance its systems capabilities. SYSPRO’s ERP systems not only aim to eliminate errors and redundant tasks, but also reduce the need for manual labour in processing data thus relieving them to expedite other company’s functions.
In Kenya, SYSPRO says the food and beverages sector as the most recipient to the technology within the manufacturing industry – citing beverage manufacturer and distributor, KWAL, as a key beneficiary of its services. According to KWAL, implementing SYSPRO’s systems has led to a significant improvement in productivity and visibility. SYSPRO’s ERP systems not only aim to eliminate errors and redundant tasks, but also reduce the need for manual labour in processing data thus relieving them to expedite other company’s functions.
Based on its market operations in the region, SYSPRO has realized that companies are unique and there is demand for specific solutions, fostering the need for sector and even customer-specific feature building as needed. The company, founded in 1978 and headquartered in the UK and South Africa, foresees great opportunities in the Kenyan market due to Kenya’s regulatory certainty and the manufacturing industry’s willingness to adopt technologies.
The East African region as a whole has some unique quirks, such as the importance of delegation of authority and process approvals in enterprise systems. Another key factor shaping the current needs in the market is that Kenya is an import oriented market which makes import-related costs and processes such as landing cost tracking and margins important.
On taxation, which is a particularly sensitive issue for enterprises in Kenya today, the company retains tax consultants to advice on changes and modifications in response to tax laws. In the recent past, this has included proactive modifications to reflect changes in VAT and e-invoicing.
By streamlining workflow within companies, SYSPRO has helped manufacturing firms to integrate different departments such as sales, production, supply chain management, and Human Relations. In providing a coherent system for employee identification, companies are able to determine with ease everyone’s role and maintain co-ordination lines.
For resource allocation, ERP systems provide real-time data from multiple divisions of a company enabling managers to identify how scarce resources can be apportioned. This optimizes efficiency and minimizes costs, invaluable features for a good business.
When businesses want to grow, their needs become more complex and only automation can help save management costs. SYSPRO’s ERP can not only handle vast amounts of data, but also imparts a modular system for its clients. The modular system allows businesses to adopt new functionalities without disrupting prior operations.
SYSPRO has recently been acquired by Advent International, a private equity firm. The move will provide strategic realignment and financial infusion into the ERP provider, fostering its innovative capabilities.
