Selecting A Business System for a Material Handling Distributor
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Tips for choosing the correct software system in the material handling industry.
Dewitt, NY: The Third Quarter 2010 issue of The MHEDA Journal (http://themhedajournal.org), the leading online magazine for the forklift, storage and handling, and general material handling equipment industries, features an article from Milind Bagade, president of e-Emphasys Technologies in Cary, North Carolina, about considerations for material handling distributors when selecting an enterprise business system for their companies. The Third Quarter issue was mailed to subscribers on July 15 and is now accessible online at www.TheMhedaJournal.org.
"In today's changing world, many technology-enabled opportunities present themselves to equipment distributors and rental firms," Bagade writes. "Modern business systems provide a powerful opportunity for distributors to integrate and optimize their businesses and position themselves for the future."
He lists 15 measures to evaluate the merits of a distributor business system. Among the criteria he mentions are solution completeness, dynamic flexibility, industry best-practices modeling, ease of integration and collaboration, on-demand deployment, open or proprietary systems, total cost of ownership, personalization, multi-site architecture, internationalization, scalability and robustness, application management, mobile deployment, migration tooling and implementation methodology. Many business systems offer some combination of these elements, and selecting the proper one involves finding the right mix for each distributor's business.
Read the full article, "Distributor Business Systems," here. The Third Quarter issue is the first to be showcased on a newly launched, redesigned website at www.TheMhedaJournal.org. The new look allows for more frequent updates and better reader interaction. The MHEDA Journal is published quarterly, in January, April, July and October. For more information, contact Chris Powers, editor of The MHEDA Journal, (315) 445-2347, e-mail: chris@datakey.org.
About MHEDA
Founded in 1954, the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA) is the premier source for manufacturing knowledge, education and networking. Through its member journals (www.TheMhedaJournal.org), e-magazines, newsletters and industry wiki (www.wikimheda.org), MHEDA connects the manufacturers of storage and handling, lift trucks and conveyor equipment and distribution leaders for the purpose of delivering optimal solutions to the users of those products. MHEDA publications are the industry's voice for all matters related to the latest technology and the most up-to-date processes spanning the movement and storage of all materials. A 501(c)3 organization, MHEDA members span all of North America.
