Keep up with change: How Microsoft Dynamics NAV can help consumer packaged goods companies grow
Updated: November 14, 2005
It used to be that supplying the right product at the right time was enough to be successful. Today, your company must do more. Trends such as customer self-service, strategic sourcing, and fee-based services and pricing are challenging small and midsize businesses to think in new ways about their business, their relationships, and the value they provide in the supply chain. But for the savvy distributor and manufacturer, these changes and challenges are creating opportunities, too—to increase profits and grow their business.
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A cost-efficient solution for companies producing consumer packaged goods
Industry experts identified and analyzed the growth strategies of successful small and midsize consumer packaged goods companies. They found that the companies who grow successfully are the ones who are able to adapt and respond quickly to the rapidly changing demands of the industry, customers, and suppliers—and do so without increasing costs. They also found that a flexible and adaptable business solution, such as Microsoft Dynamics NAV software, was the cornerstone of their growth strategy. These successful companies are leveraging technology to build agile business processes so they can provide more and better service within and beyond their supply chain.
"Thanks to Microsoft Dynamics NAV Retail Supplier Link and Access IT, we're seeing a significant cost savings. We achieved payback in well under a year."
Michael Lowe, vice president, Bi-Lo Distributors
Grow your business with Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Microsoft Dynamics NAV is an integrated business management solution especially designed for growing small and midsize companies. It is ideal for companies looking for one solution they can implement rapidly, learn and use easily, and customize and maintain with minimal disruption to their business.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV gives your business an affordable way to adapt and respond to rapidly changing market and customer demands. Microsoft Dynamics NAV connects people, information, and processes across your organization and supply chain and includes functionality that supports:
| • | Supply chain management |
| • | Customer relationship management (CRM) |
| • | E-commerce |
| • | Financial management |
Build and strengthen relationships with new and existing customers
Adding new customers is one way to grow your business. But with new customers comes the need to accommodate their specific compliance requirements, which can often result in increased costs. Microsoft Dynamics NAV enables you to integrate and synchronize your supply chain so you can quickly adapt and respond to the changing demands of existing customers and exceed the expectations of new ones.
For example, Microsoft Dynamics NAV helps you leverage the power of the Internet to streamline your commercial interactions with customers and suppliers. It enables the electronic exchange of documents with other systems—regardless of the program your customers or suppliers use or the standards they require. It reduces the risk of errors and the amount of time spent on entering data such as purchases and sales orders.
Work proactively with customers and suppliers
Microsoft Dynamics NAV facilitates customer self-service and also allows you to work proactively with your customers and suppliers. You can easily provide your customers and business partners with access to an online Web portal containing relevant information and services needed to carry out commercial transactions with each other. You can share information (such as stock availability) with your customers and suppliers quickly and make changes fast.
Expand your offering of products and services
Providing new products and services to your existing customers can increase your bottom line—but only as long as you're able to handle the additional inventory and product-handling in a cost-efficient way.
Increase warehouse efficiency
Microsoft Dynamics NAV has distribution and warehouse management functionality that will help you reduce costs and increase efficiency in your warehouse. You can increase and maintain the accuracy of your inventory data with features such as item-tracking and an automated data capture system (ADCS). With user-specific alerts and notifications, you can maintain tight control over your distribution processes. For example, you can track and monitor mission-critical events, potential item shortages, production processes, and cash-flow issues.
Directed put-away and picking processes allow fast handling and shipping of goods. When you want to pick an item, you'll know its exact location. And when you receive items to be put away, Microsoft Dynamics NAV directs you to a suitable bin.
Your warehouse workforce saves time, and the accuracy and consistency of your picking and putting-away processes are enhanced. And because your customers know that all your distribution resources are geared towards serving their needs, you become more than just today’s supplier of goods, you become a long-term partner.
Respond quickly to new opportunities
Microsoft Dynamics NAV makes it easy to spot trends and gain insight into your business activities so you can respond quickly to new opportunities—at home and abroad.
Make informed decisions
Microsoft Dynamics NAV allows you to turn your data into business-critical information. It supports Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) services with interactive graphical views for analyzing key performance indicators and visualizing trends, patterns, and relationships. Microsoft Dynamics NAV presents information within a familiar Microsoft Outlook-style interface and provides easy-to-use tools that allow all users in your organization to perform dynamic analysis and reporting across all areas of your business.
Speak your customer's language
With Microsoft Dynamics NAV, you can pursue opportunities abroad, too. You can easily set up and maintain multiple currencies throughout the solution for a variety of application areas, including payables and receivables, general ledger reports, bank accounts, and resource/inventory items. Microsoft Dynamics NAV also makes it easier to run a multilingual company that meets the needs of customers, vendors, and employees. Multilanguage functionality allows users to select the language in which they communicate with customers, partners, and other business contacts.
Realize your growth strategy with a business partner who understands your business
Microsoft has a global network of Microsoft Dynamics NAV partners who help companies leverage the benefits of information technology. And they can help you, too.
These partners choose to specialize in the consumer packaged goods industry. They have the knowledge, experience, and expertise required to develop a Microsoft Dynamics NAV solution that fits the way you do business and that complies with the industry requirements specific to your region and market. They speak your language and appreciate the complexities of your processes.
What's more, they know Microsoft technology and Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Microsoft Dynamics NAV’s open development environment, developer’s toolkits, and industry-specific templates make it a flexible and scalable solution that is fast to implement and easy to use, upgrade, and maintain. So, you can adapt your solution as your business grows—without increasing costs.
"The best part is we now have a very clear view of what’s happening in each store, across all stores, and across the entire company. As a result, stock allocation to branches has improved, unauthorized price markdowns have been eliminated, and special promotions are easier to plan and execute."
Jeffrey Sim, general nanager, Finance, Human Resources, and Admin. Best Denki (Singapore)
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