PART A

Please I need good and quality answers. Also please I want good citation and good references. I want it in APA format.
This week we're talking about Enterprise Applications - Business Communications. Supply Chain management is for those organizations who need to source supplies from others - e.g. manufacturers, retailers, whereas Customer Relations Management and ERP are for everybody. In some of my questions below, I have "changed the examples to protect the innocent" but really, I've been trying to think of some different examples (rather than relying on the text book) to get you all thinking!
Supply Chain (SCM), Customer Relations Management (CRM) and ERP

Question:

If you are managing a restaurant, how could supply chain management benefit you? Can you find some examples of restaurants that have used supply change management and how they use it?

PART B

I need a reply/response to these discussion board answers. Just read the discussion board answers, and respond to the information you read by also adding your own point of information about each topic itself to each discussion board answers not about how to correct the person answers by saying he or she needs to add more information or saying you agreed without stating why. Just three to five Lines response each. Please I need good and quality response to these discussion board answers

Dawn Costigan

For Kelly's Salon, please consider the following:

1. Which loyal customers are good for the business? The loyal customers that are good for business are customers who visit regularly, pay bills in a timely manner, and take advantage of multiple services. (Using several services such as haircuts, manicures, purchasing supplies, etc.)

2. How do we hang onto them? First and foremost, offering top notch customer service that makes them feel special. Acquiring data about them allows the salon experience to be customized, Little things such as what chair they prefer, favorite products, perks that are free or don't cost much, etc. Secondly, any marketing or loyalty program that will keep them engaged and coming back. Whether it be a free service after their 10th visit, a discount coupon during the month of their birthday, or other reward for continuing to visit the salon.

3. How do we get more customers like them? Find out what the loyal customers value. Whether it's the flexible hours that other salons don't offer, certain services, or something else, chances are if loyal customers like it, other potential clients will as well. A questionnaire can determine a few points to highlight, and they can be used in marketing activities. Word of mouth is also important - customers like them could be their friends, family or co-workers. Offering an incentive for a referral to both the loyal customer and the new referral could make it a win-win situation for both of them.

Kendall Lollis

What are the key components of an ERP system? If you are a large business how would you go about getting one, installing it and implementing it? Find some examples of large organizations who have installed ERPs and find some internet article that report on their experience. Summarize the key findings of these articles.

According to the course text, "an ERP (enterprise resource planning) system is a software application with a centralized database that is implemented across the entire organization. It enforces best practices through the business processes embedded in the software" (Bourgeois, 2014). The key components of an ERP system are a centralized database, being able to switch between the modules (accounting, inventories, etc.) once the basic skills are learned, and being able to run an entire business. If one was a large business and wanted to install an ERP system it would need to transition employees to the new system, prepare to transfer all past data to the new system, prepare for costs for training and consultants, the installation itself, and allow possibly up to two or three years to implement correctly(Saylor Academy, 2011). A business needs to make sure that the system is installed and implemented correctly to make their money back, profit, and gain competitive advantage.

An example of a large organization that have installed and ERP was University of Massachusetts in 2004. As almost 27,000 new college students were about to start their school year, the university decided to implement an ERP that nobody was able to use right away because they hadn't learned to use it yet. This threw off things like classes, financial aid and scheduling (Wailgum, 2009). As I college student I know that this would be frustrating for students, parents, and the school. Not only was this system expensive to implement most likely, but also there was probably a lot of opportunity costs wasted and profits lost from financial aid halts, scheduling, and sorting everything else out in order to get things in line.

Cindy Martinez

If you were a smaller business, would you need an ERP? If you wanted to have an ERP, how could you do it? Find some examples of smaller organizations who have installed ERPs and find some internet article that report on their experience. Summarize the key findings of these articles.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a process which businesses manage and integrate areas such as planning, purchasing, inventory, sales, marketing, finance and human resource (Investopedia, n.d.). ERP is mainly used with manufacturing companies, however small businesses have begun to use it successfully to manage their departments. Each department in a business will have its own system and will be able to share information easier with ERP. ERP can get pricey depending on the number of users, applications required, customization level and where it's hosted (Forest, n.d.). Small businesses who want to use ERP software, should research to find an appropriate software for their businesses. For example, some ERP software's available for small businesses are Microsoft Dynamics GP, PeopleSoft, SAP Business One or Oracle EBS (E-Business Suite) (Lotz, 2014).

SAP is a software suite that mainly serve to small to medium sized business. At their website, companies review their findings of the software Sap Business One Software One review from Energy & Light, Inc indicate that what they like best of the software is the tools for manufacturing, inventory, management and accounting. Another company Skip from SkinResource.MD., enjoy SAP software because, "it is a very comprehensive system."

Frances Mcmeans

Would it make most sense for Kelly to start with a CRM, a SCM, or an ERP system? Why?

The goal of a CRM system is to help a business attract and retain customers and, since Kelly is competing with many other salons in the area, it is very important for her to retain her current clientele and attract new ones. Therefore, a CRM system would be the best system for her to start with. With a CRM system, Kelly would be able to improve her customer's experiences by creating records for each of them that would allow her to store their contact information, service history, and payment history. With a record for each customer, there would be no need to ask the same questions every time a customer wished to make an appointment as all the information needed would be available for Kelly to review. Another beneficial feature of a CRM system is the ability to integrate the salon's calendars. Kelly would be able to use a calendar to make her employee's schedules; thus allowing Kelly to easily schedule customers with a stylist of their choosing.

Additionally, Kelly would be able to communicate with her customers via email or text to remind them of any upcoming appointments or special promotions. By shifting her focus to the needs of her customers, Kelly is more likely to increase the chances of her customers always returning. Happy customers is always good for business.