Types of Digital Enterprise Systems: All You Need To Know

For any organization with a complex structure, be it a large corporation, educational institution or government department, proper software is essential. There are different types of enterprise systems that ensure stable operational flow and make the management of assets easier. In this article, we will examine their major types and functions.

What Are Enterprise Software Systems?

Enterprise software systems are computer programs used by organizations to streamline their internal and external processes, data, reports and analytics flows.

These programs automate operations in different types of organizations, governmental bodies, civil societies, and other groups. Depending on the type of an organization’s activity, the software varies as well. Below we will consider the most widespread types of enterprise systems.

Types of Enterprise Systems:

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) plays an essential role in company management. CRM is mainly focused on data processing, interaction with buyers, improvement of marketers’ job. Companies process large amounts of data in daily work.

For optimization of all the processes, they enjoy great benefits from using CRM. Organizations use CRM for gathering details of their clientele, decrease the time employees spend on routine tasks, grow their businesses.

CRM Examples

Salesforce CRM

Salesforce is one integrated CRM platform that lets all departments in a company share data on clients. It is enhanced with robust reporting instruments, automation, user-friendly communication and reliable support.

HubSpot CRM

HubSpot helps marketers and sales managers reach out to contacts, nurture leads and monitor the results of campaigns. The work of both units is aligned since all information (for sales and marketing teams) is stored in one place.

Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is a single platform that unites the teams in order to make collaboration easier and more efficient. It helps automate routine tasks and optimizes the company’s efforts on the way to improved client satisfaction and stable revenue growth.

Marketo

Marketo offers highly effective automation and lead generation tools, as well as instruments for enhanced customer communication and the creation of unique promotional campaigns. Predictive analytics based on artificial intelligence helps create personalized content for each customer.

Drip

As a cloud marketing program, Drip allows smooth automated functions, multichannel marketing, personalization of email messages and detailed reporting on client actions.

Active Campaign

This solution helps in the effective optimization of all promotion activities. Thanks to it, companies can launch efficient campaigns, improve their content and provide multichannel support to their clients.

Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a CRM enhanced with rich features to improve work of marketers and business development managers. It helps track customer communication with the help of a clear and transparent display of all ongoing company processes.

CRM Functions

• Managing contacts
• Data collection
• Marketing policy management
• Driving more conversions
• Workflow automation
• Improved interaction
• Quote-to-Order option
• Report generation
• Analytical tools
• Forecasting
• Integrations
• Mobile-friendliness

CRM Types

Analytical

• Clients’ data collection
• Data analysis
• Improved business functions
• Better client relationships
• Improving CRM effectiveness

Operational

• Acquisition of new customers
• Dealing with existing customers
• Quote-to-Order management
• Marketing campaigns:
  • Email messages
  • Telephone verbal communication
  • Personal meetups
  • Social media advertisement
• Forecasting
• High-quality customer support

Collaborative

• Information distribution among a number of units:
  • Sales team
  • Marketing team
  • Tech team
  • Customer service team

Analytical CRM creates efficient processes to respond to customer desires. It provides thorough data analytics, giving organizations insights into how to build stronger customer relations and improve the quality of service.

Operational CRM contacts clients, stores all the necessary information on them, helps companies during the entire customer lifecycle. With this CRM, companies can optimize the performance of various units.

Collaborative CRM shares data among several departments. For example, marketing staff can use the information from the sales about the most frequent client’s needs, and the sales specialists can benefit from the marketers’ database.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Businesses implement Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to integrate procurement, finance, accounting, marketing, and human resources processes. In ERP, these modules are interconnected with the ability to distribute information. Each module uses several apps that can carry out certain actions. For example, it helps promote products via different communication channels, provides marketing analytics, data generation and reporting.

Companies can adjust the ERP system to respond to the needs of different industries such as healthcare, retail, finance, law, architecture, hospitality, etc. Within a given sector, it is possible to customize ERP to create account payables, reports and timesheets to facilitate routine tasks in the organization. Thanks to advanced data analytics tools, it is possible to optimize resource allocation and energy consumption.

What ERP Is Used For

Let’s look at the major functions of Enterprise Resource Planning systems that can benefit various industries.

Project Management

• Workflow optimization
• Data analytics
• Reporting
• Product life cycles optimization

Manufacturing

• Engineering
• Creating schedules
• Quality control
• Workflow and product life management

Marketing

• Marketing campaign management
• Data analysis
• Automation
• Reporting

Procurement

• Communication transparency
• Budget tracking
• Contract management
• Supplier database
• Quality assurance

Finance and Accounting

• Cash management tasks
• Accounting operations
• Real-time data display
• Business insights
• Legal compliance

Human Resources Management

• Data collecting, interpretation
• Training materials
• Recruitment enhancement
• Salaries, benefits for roles
• KPI measurement

Supply Chain Management Systems (SCM)

The supply chain is the entire production flow that consists of a number of actions performed by an organization to convert raw materials into finished products and services. Usually, it engages several organizations of small, medium or large size that work on orders and deliver the product or service to the end consumer.

Supply chain management includes numerous stages :

• Preparing raw materials
• Inbound logistics
• Goods in warehouse
• Manufacturing
• Outbound warehouse
• Outbound logistics
• Returns management

The supply chain management (SCM) system is software that helps streamline all these processes. It makes the routine work of suppliers, manufacturers, logistics managers and retailers easier. For all the parties, it helps in tracking and communicating with each other, establishing better procedures and delivering ready-made products to the customer more quickly.

Major Enterprise Applications

Enterprise application software can handle large amounts of data with a high level of precision. It ensures accurate information due to complex architecture. Let’s look at the most popular apps for businesses that implement this type of software.

• Marketing Messages Automation

Businesses use applications for efficient email marketing activities. Thanks to strategic email planning, they reach out to leads, communicate with customers and promote products. Email marketing software offers data interpretation option based on results from surveys, interviews, contact forms and comprehensive website activity analysis. It helps managers better understand how efficient their work is, and adjust it accordingly.

• Business Intelligence (BI)

Business intelligence apps are aimed at data analysis and the provision of accurate information for effective decision-making. This practice helps companies reduce expenses, learn what works best, and reveal the actions that should be replaced or eliminated. Business intelligence apps often include business analysis, data mining and visualization tools with a robust infrastructure.

• Payment Processing

With third-party integrations it is possible to make payment transactions safer, faster, and easier. Payment options like PayPal and Venmo can offer more flexible procedures. With these services, the program can adjust to large-scale business needs without decreasing high standards of performance.

Conclusion

Digital systems help organizations increase the efficiency of their activities, control the work of different departments better, share knowledge and enhance transparency in business processes. Enterprise software development offers great benefits to the regular workflow and elevates its productivity.

Each type of enterprise software solution focuses on specific goals and offers different functionalities. When deciding on which type of information system to choose, make sure it complies with strategic planning and major goals of your business.