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Why Should you Upgrade Dynamics NAV to Business Central?

Business Central Implementation / Trident

It has been almost three years since Microsoft Business Central debuted. It was formerly known as Microsoft Dynamics NAV (NAV). The Business Central Upgrade offers modern technology, a more agile interface, tailored features, and so on. Hence, it is better to Upgrade NAV to Dynamics 365. It did not take too long to establish itself as one of the best Enterprise Resource Planning in the market for Small to medium businesses. Still, many businesses prefer to use legacy solutions such as Dynamics NAV or Dynamics GP. However, there are strong reasons for Business Central Upgrade. Some of its benefits include but are not limited to: Custom adaptability. Advanced mobile access. App integration. Reporting capabilities. Seamless upgrades. Affordability Those organizations that have been slow in moving from NAV to Dynamics 365 BC have to worry about implementation delays, associated costs, and other business disruptions. There is misinformation about the whole thing out in the market and this article aims to eliminate the noise. What is the Difference Between Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics Business Central? Microsoft Dynamic NAV and Microsoft Dynamics Business Central have similar functionalities. However, one of the major differences is that D365 BC is a browser-based software. 365 BC provides all the capabilities that NAV offers like Sales, Services, Operation Management, etc. but with a wider reach and more flexibility. The last difference has to do with licensing. Where Business Central is licensed for name-based users, Business Central is licensed for concurrent users. Why should you upgrade from NAV to Business Central? NAV’s functionalities are extensive and include supply chain management, financial management, service, marketing, sales, reporting, business intelligence, and a lot more. One of the biggest fears of current NAV users would be training their employees for the upgraded version and transitioning a great deal of data from NAV to Microsoft Dynamics Business Central. However, not many people know that the data structure of 365 BC is similar to that of NAV. Therefore, as long as your data is well organized and far away from corruption, the transition will be seamless. Apart from transition concerns, what about NAV updates? While most recent NAV versions are still mainstream, the older versions are not entitled to support. And those supported currently will be out of support by January 2023, with just security updates available for an additional five years. In addition, all updates will no longer include general advancements and modern technologies. Here are five reasons why you would want to upgrade NAV to Business Central: Microsoft Business Central Upgrade happens twice a year and therefore, letting you enjoy the latest and secure version. Since Microsoft Dynamics Business Central is cloud-based software, the user can access it anytime, anywhere at any device. They do not have to make further investments in hardware, maintenance agreements, and servers. Furthermore, security is the topmost concern of any organization and thankfully, Microsoft’s 3,500 cyber security professionals are working 24/7 to protect you from any cyber threat. D365 also integrates with other Microsoft Dynamics tools, including Office 365, Azure, and other D365 products. It also improves search capabilities due to data being cleaner and better organized in D365b BC. Instead of certain licensing fees and annual enhancements, you can pay per user every month. Therefore, letting you manage costs more efficiently. Updated Features of Dynamics 365 Business Central Application Update: Within the application, some of the most requested areas have been centralized that include supply chain and finance. Given below are some of the features included in this release: The user can add additional columns through personalization in various pages to get more insights. Add non-inventory items on requisition and planning worksheets. Bank and payment reconciliation. Couple reorders between Business Central and Dataverse in bulk. Modern Web Client: the primary focus on the update revolves around accessibility, usability, and stability. Given below are the latest updates: Seamless data entry throughout rows. Performance and usability improvement to the BC web client. Discovering reports and administration areas in Role explorer. Support for localized decimal separators on numeric keypads. Better Microsoft Dynamics 365 integration: It provides enhancements to the Microsoft team’s integration. New users who do not have a subscription can redirect and sign-up for a trial subscription. Multiple word search and special characters for looking up contacts while presenting improved search term capabilities. What is the Downside of Sticking to NAV? From a technical point of view, it is an upgrade. However, note that Microsoft Constantly invests its resources and time on Dynamics365 Business Central development. As mentioned already, it will not introduce future updates for NAV. Thus, for this reason alone, we recommend migrating your system to Business Central and remaining ahead of the curve to promote future growth. Conclusion When you Upgrade NAV to Dynamics 365, you avail your organization of exactly what it needs to operate more effectively and efficiently. Highly flexible, feature-rich, and adaptable, Business Central Upgrade is one of the best end-to-end business solutions a small to medium-size business can invest in. If you are looking for an implementation partner, you may contact Trident Information Systems.

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Why is Supply Chain Visibility So Important?

Supplychain management ERP / Trident

Supply Chain Visibility is the capability to track every product and/ or goods in transit delivering a clear view of inventory activity. This impacts customer services and costs for shippers. Via inventory in motion management, proactive status updates, risk management, and limited disruptions give them full control over them both. Therefore, making supply chain management a more agile and robust process. Manufacturers and retailers can achieve this with a Supply Chain Management ERP like Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Supply Chain. The objective of supply chain visibility is to provide meaningful insights into the functionality and motion of your inventory by integrating it with the user data. Therefore, leaving you with the most efficiently optimized supply chain. Third Party Logistics and Supply Chain Management Providers like Trident Information Systems, help you reduce costs, customer service, and build a more robust supply chain. Being a multi-layer process, supply chain management does come up with certain issues like Data sharing: it becomes hard for systems to provide relevant data across all supply chain tiers, and if that is not done, problems emerge. Therefore, make sure you enable real-time visibility across all the channels. Interruptions in Supply Chain: lack of visibility can lead to losing track of the inbound supply network and therefore making it a massive challenge to keep all aspects of the supply chain in mind. Lack of demand forecasts can lead to piling up of inventory and increasing stock holding costs. Inability to filter the necessary data: the inability to filter out the necessary data can cause complications even further. Having data of no use and ignoring the essential data that can impose positive effects on ten overall supply chains will add up to supply chain difficulties. Therefore, businesses need to adopt the right strategy to attain impressive supply chain visibility. Benefits of Supply Chain Visibility The benefits of supply chain visibility led to cost reduction, minimum wastage, and increased profit. Additionally, supply chain visibility cuts costs and impacts customer services in a positive way. There are some other benefits of supply chain management. Increased Bottom Line of the Company: The data extracted from RFID (radio frequency identification) and EPCIS technology are “breadcrumbs” following a product throughout the supply chain. This visibility can throw some light on the host of data and analytics while improving the bottom line. Avoid Disruptions: knowing where a problem is about to surface gives you enough time to plan a way out. Or at least reduce the impact of disruptions. Businesses can have deep-rooted insights, strong analysis, and communication while removing the roadblocks on their way to a smooth supply chain. Boosted Agility: With the ability to peep through every supply chain aspect can help businesses to figure-out processes slowing the chain down while making the necessary changes to boost productivity and agility regardless of circumstances. Increased Speed: Business owners can make faster data-backed decisions with knowledge of every supply chain aspect. They no longer must wait for input to make their next move. Instead, they can investigate the matter right away and make fast decisions. The verdicts become more effective since connected aspects are taken into consideration. Meet Customer Demands: planning inventory needs data on current demands. Supply chains need to change and evolve according to the evolving customer demands. They can achieve this with the help of supply chain consultants or a technology designed to manage supply chains, such as D365 for Supply Chain. Negotiate Better: Visibility enables more data to manufacturers/ retailers and hence equipping them to negotiate better about a product, cost, product placement, and timing. They can master the art of negotiation knowing where to utilize the right information. How to Gain Supply Chain Visibility You can achieve supply chain visibility through various mediums. The most common among them is boosted awareness from the top of the supply chain to the bottom. There are some tips to help you gain supply chain transparency. Adopt the Best Technology Visibility is not just about having eyes on everything but accessing it anytime from anywhere. It is about ensuring that everyone in the organization can access where everything lies and what measures to take when a situation backfires. With D365 for Supply Chain, you can get visibility of moving parts within the network. From there, advanced insight can help you resolve any sort of efficiency issue. Integrate all Supply Chain Functions By integrating purchase, sales, logistics, inventory, production, transportation, and warehouse businesses can get real-time visibility on every aspect of the supply chain. D365 for Supply Chain is one of the few software that enables this facility while seamlessly visualizing the complete cycle of businesses throughout departments, business entities, and geographies. In addition, you can also analyze operations based on KPIs and optimize cash flow. Upgrade Your Human Resource Since the supply chain is a multi-faced operation, limiting your staff to just one aspect of the chain is not enough. Binding them with strict specifications can put theoretical blinds on their efficiency. Your employees are your eyes and ears; thus, they should be able to manage other aspects too. Couple them with the latest technology and relevant training. Having supply chain visibility can transform your business to the next level. You may consider the latest Supply Chain Management Software for the same. Microsoft Dynamics 365 for the supply chain is one of the best software ones could choose. If you ever require a D365 implementation partner, you may contact Trident Information Systems.

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Ensure Employee Safety with Vision Intelligence System

visual quality inspection / Trident

Employee safety should be one of the major concerns of a business, especially in scenarios like todays. COVID-19 pandemic has driven this requirement to an extreme level. Factories are liable to comply with safety regulations set by the government. Inability to follow the same can lead to severe penalties on the employer. However, some employees might not want to comply with them for not being comfortable enough. This unawareness may lead to serious health issues as well as internal disruptions. Employee injuries might hamper operations. In small businesses, it is not so tough to monitor their employees. However, in larger firms where the employee count may reach 100+, it is not practical to keep an eye on every employee manually. These difficulties lead to the need to be assisted by Automatic Vision Detection. A machine system that detects if employees adhere to the safety regulations ideally. Trident Information system has developed Vision Intelligence System, which ensures employee safety. It tracks each employee and maps employee faces into the dataset who takes their safety measures casually. It is mandatory to comply with the safety regulations as its failure can land you and your firm into deeper trouble: Financial Penalties Industrial disqualifications Endangering lives Impact on the overall output Reputation Damage How Does the Vision Intelligence System Ensure Employee Safety? This technology ensures safety measures compliance by monitoring each employee, recognizing their faces, and reporting to the person concerned about each one who fails to do so. It ensures that the employees are maintaining the distance they have been asked for. Vision Intelligence System Conducts: Face Mask Detection And Safety Gadget Inspection Contactless Attendance Social Distance Compliance Detection Face Mask Detection The camera tracks each employee. In case an employee does not wear a mask, it immediately recognizes his face and maps him and his details on the database. Thus, providing the information to the person concerned. The employer is no longer burdened with the responsibility of checking every employee randomly as soon as it is done automatically. Safety Gadget Inspection Like the Face Mask Detection, it spots each employee and checks if they carry their safety gadgets properly. Even partially missing gadgets will be detected. Again, those employees will be recorded, and thus saving their details within the dataset. Thus, later it will be delivered to the person concerned. Contactless Attendance The system records each employee’s face at the entry and marks their attendance. The first entry is the arrival time, and the final exit is the departure time. This way, the employer ensures contactless attendance. It happens automatically and saves a great deal of time. Social Distance Compliance As an employer, you do not even have to worry if each of your employees complies with social distancing norms. The system records employees who violate the standards and reports it to the person concerned. Keeping an eye on employees becomes easier with automation. Since the employer does not engage with the employee, he can focus on other essential tasks focusing on the output boost. Employees are much safer and get a more hygienic environment to work in. hence, improving their capacity. What Does the Vision Intelligence System Offer Your Business? Vision Intelligence system ensures health and safety regulation compliance and keeps the employer away from all the fuss. He does not have to go on random rounds around the factory to ensure that everyone wears masks, safety gadgets, or maintains social distance. It ensures the following benefits to the firm: Protects your staff: Its primary job is to protect your employee from any injury or harm occurring in the workplace. It ensures the employees adhere to the standards and have their safety equipment like masks, harnesses, caps, etc. on to avoid COVID-19, back pain, head injuries, asthma, and so on. Reduces Absences: safe employees are present on-premises and barely take leaves due to injury, disease, or similar reasons. The employer saves costs of the direct absence, such as paying salaries. Boosts Productivity: Now the employer is not liable to keep a constant eye on employees to see if everyone is following what they are told, nor does he have to engage extra employees to fulfil this duty. Automation does all the work and leaves enough time and strength for the resources to focus on more important tasks. Tracking each employee all the time is a pain. Manually it becomes even harder. However, automation can save you. Trident Information Systems has developed and designed a Vision Intelligence system for defect detection while manufacturing and maintaining employee safety. Contact us for further information.

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Top Trends In 2022 That Retailers Need to Adopt to Transform Customer Experience.

Retail ERP Software / Trident

A decade ago, customer service was the key differentiator between brands ahead of the price and the product. Fast forward to 2021-2022, exceptional customer service is the primary agenda for businesses today. Physical stores never craved in-store customer experience improvement like this post COVID-19 era of mobile shopping, eCommerce. Most of them have already adopted solutions like LS Retail ERP followed by POS Software Solution to help them through difficult post COVID times. As things are getting back to normal, retailers are excited about the new opportunities that 2022 holds for them. In a study, about 74% of retail sales are expected to go in the favor of store shops. According to some studies – 86% of consumers are willing to pay 25% more for an improved customer experience However, due to the given stress in the past years, customers have become abrasive and will not stand any friction. One unpleasant experience may drive one-out-of-three customers away from the brand they were loyal to. Because of which retailers have a mounted pressure of providing an exceptional and eccentric customer experience. Retailers need to put frazzled customers at ease and build loyalty and engagement programs. Retailers need to reimagine their businesses for the new age of retail by integrating online as well as offline platforms and transforming their store experiences with a unified technology. Other than that, retailers must follow some trends that can make a whole lot of difference in their business in 2022: Integrate Online as well as Offline Channels Customers being busier than ever demand next-level convenience while shopping. They need the facility to decide while to purchase from the physical store or from online. Retailers might use a unified software solution such as LS Retail ERP that integrates websites, applications, third-party applications, etc., and provides a convenient shopping experience. Let them shop whenever they want, whether they want to shop while traveling in the metro, or on a vacation, maybe while cleaning the living room also. Having multiple shopping platforms and enough shopping convenience ends up boosting sales. Imagine how frustrating it will get for a customer if they travel all the way to a shop only to find their desired product missing. Inconveniences while shopping shoes away customers and they might not even want to come back. Make sure you update your product data online, so your customers can check it online so they can come to the store and collect it or get it delivered at home. Smartly Plan Inventory Plan your inventory smartly with the right technology. Avoid overstocking and understocking as both scenarios lead to profit drain. Retailers need robust data analysis to understand market trends and plan inventory accordingly and avoid increased costs, inventory imbalance, decreased employee productivity and ineffective decisions, etc. Forecast demands and tracks inventory status in real-time with Business Intelligence. Track each customer who contacted your business and understand the trend followed by the masses. In 2022, due to rapid changes in customer demands and trends, retailers need to plan smartly. Understand Each Customer and Connect Emotionally To thrive in the 2022 retail market, it is mandatory to connect with customers. Retailers should create loyalty programs, exclusive deals, promo codes, and other relevant offers for them. It is best to have a system that tracks customer data, understands their spending pattern and factors driving their spending through each transaction. You can even offer tailored deals for individual customers or divide them into segments and do the necessary. Either way, customers are happy. They will feel acknowledged and cared for and ultimately bond with your brand. Offer Cashless Payment and Self-Checkout Enable cashless payment options like debit, credit, and online payments. Also, enable checkout counters to bust long queues. Upgrade your POS to cloud LS Retail POS and integrate the front office to the back. Empower your employees with a mobile POS system that contains each product’s data and inventory reports. This way you can boost your employees’ efficiency and streamline customer experiences. For instance, a customer is having a tough time finding a specific product at your store. One of your staff can look that up in the mobile POS and guide the customer ahead. Apart from providing excellent product quality, customers demand excellent services as well. It is no more a luxury but a requirement. Businesses can integrate online and offline channels, plan inventory smartly, understand customers and connect with them emotionally, and offer cashless payment options with a unified software solution like LS Retail ERP. If you are looking for an Implementation partner, you may contact Trident Information Systems. We are the Gold Microsoft Dynamics 365 and LS Retail Implementation Partner.

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Ensure the Supplies are Delivered on Time

Supplychain management ERP / Trident

According to some estimates, procurement costs make up to 60-80% of the production costs for various manufacturers. Suppliers contribute to product innovation as well as help achieve more effective production. Given the high dollar value associated with procurement, various manufacturers focus on improving supplier performance. Having a Logistics and Supply Chain Management Software could be a clever idea as ERP for Logistics Services streamlines supply chain processes. Manufacturers opt for supplier performance management to measure and analyze suppliers’ work. Aiming at cost-cutting, consistent improvement, and better delivery performance, manufacturers are now contacting certified service providers who could help them streamline each supply chain process let alone managing suppliers. Large businesses have some ways at their disposal. For instance, Coca-Cola booked bulk vessels for supplies, Walmart chartered ships, whereas Gap switches to airfreights. However, small to medium-sized businesses do not have this many resources at their access. Still, they can seek assistance from supply chain management service providers like Trident Information Systems who deliver unified software and advanced technical resource fusion services tailored according to a business’s requirements. Procurement professionals must collaborate with professional supply chain management partners to align and strategize to secure supply on time. Strategies might include: Share Forecasts and Order with Suppliers For suppliers, many supplies are at peak all the time. The supply issues occur mostly during the festive season when the demand exceeds production unexpectedly leaving sellers deprived of their rightful opportunity. During Durga Puja 2021, businesses in Kolkata who used analytics with a unified software solution like Microsoft Dynamics 365, and forecasted demands made 40% more profit than those who procured according to their instincts. Manufacturers can use analytics to forecast their requirements and share with the supplier/ suppliers to keep stocks according. It is important to share forecasts to plan for input raw material in advance while coordinating with the operational needs concerning labor and equipment for timely delivery. Prioritize High Margin, Fast Moving Products Manufacturers may use historical data and analytics to prioritize Stock keeping Units (SKU). It is essential to ensure the correct product assortment in the store. This way they can fulfil bigger orders with more efficiency and quicker delivery. A stationary inventory impacts the bottom line, the holding costs, as well as the top line caused by loss of sales opportunities. Engage with Customers While Planning Have robust Customer Relationship Management like Microsoft CRM Solution to engage with your customers and understand their requirements, demand patterns, and habits to place orders accordingly with the supplier. For instance, a laptop supplier could understand a company’s hiring plan and prepare his laptop supplier accordingly. Communicating with your clients is essential as it drives demand forecasts. The supplier works better with visibility and supplies with a clear head. Understand Supplier Timelines There is a massive benefit of understanding your supplier’s work process and bottlenecks. Assume your supplier produces two substitutional products A and B. Product 1 takes up to 39 days (about 1 and a half months) of production while product B takes up to 20 days (about 3 weeks) of production. It is better to place an order on behalf of product B instead of product A to boost shelf availability. Utilize Economies of Scale Placing assorted orders can induce wastage and confusion on the producer’s end, as well as it also increases the production time. Instead, it is better to focus on the high-end SKUs and let the supplier maximize their production. Track inventory in real-time and analyze your requirements. Stock visibility leads to better inventory organization and sorted order placements. This is the best way to ship consignments in Full Container Load (FCL) while reducing the common waiting time in Less Than Container Load (LCL). Seek Local Sources Businesses like Benetton and RMP international have decided to switch their headquarters closer to their homes for supply security. Even though it may increase upfront costs but balances onshore and offshore supplies, which is necessary for the supply chain agility. It also cuts lead time and uncertainties involved in long-distance material transfer. Procurement managers are advised to conduct market assessments to understand the supplier base of other companies using the same or related products to find local sources. Supply and procurement involve multiple factors impacting overall cost, product quality, delivery duration, etc. large businesses have their ways. However, things do not seem as easy for SMBs. They might want to seek software implementation to help them with analysis and other relevant features. A unified software solution like Microsoft Dynamics 365 is recommended which integrates every aspect of your supply chain and drives robustly accurate analysis of the organization as well as the market. If you are looking for an implementation partner, Trident Information Systems can be the one for you. Contact us for further details.

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Make Your Restaurant Staff Happier and More Productive

Retail ERP Software / Trident

The Hospitality Industry mounts severe pressure on the management as well as the staff. With increasing customer demands, restaurants are innovating strategies to cope with each other and move ahead. According to Deloitte research, 67% of consumers believe that having an authentic and engaging environment is the most important part of the overall customer experience. One can achieve this with Restaurant Management Software that offers Restaurant POS Systems. However, frequent staff turnover is one of the most common issues in the F&B industry. Due to lack of staff, existing staff are expected to exceed more than the scope of their duties. This can lead to poor customer service, too much pressure on the staff, and exhausted resources. Thankfully, we have Restaurant Management Software available which assists restaurants to adopt the latest approach, shun staff load, and ensure maximum engagement to the customer. For businesses still working on outdated technology, things are not smooth: they encounter issues like: High staff turnover. Exceeding pressure on the existing employees. Discontinuity of operations due to hardware breakdown. Slow operations due to working in silos. Overstocking and under-stocking of operations. Hectic schedules, especially during peak times. The pressure of waiters to coordinate between customers and the chef. Technologies to Relieve your Staff and Endorse Better Customer Service Owing to the technologies available in the market, you can equip your employees with robust advances and boost their productivity. Enable them enough time to give it all to the customers. Cloud POS that Integrates Stock, Menus, and Prices When the time is gone the waiter would roam around with a piece of paper and pet to deliver it straight to the kitchen with the risk of smudging or losing it their way. They can now use a Point-of-Sale solution that works on both mobile and tablet. These devices are affordable, easy to find, and more convenient. Your staff can go to the customers and record their orders and transfer the data to the kitchen. Apart from this, on the one hand, they can take orders from a group chilling at the terrace, while on the other hand, they can receive payments from the same POS on some other tables. Things get way simpler with this technology. Additionally, they can also keep tabs on stock availability and avoid confusion where they must come back to the table and apologize for the inconvenience. They can also let customers know of the latest deals and offers on a specific meal, also they can suggest the most recommended dish so far to the customers. If you opt for a unified Restaurant solution like LS Retail and integrate head office, kitchen, and the front office, your staff can be sure that the information they are provided: from prices to ingredients to product availability, is completely up to date. Kitchen Display Systems Coupled with the modern restaurant management software and cloud POS, the kitchen is connected with a two-way communication system where the orders are directly sent to the specific kitchen counter. Since the kitchen is sectioned among grills, fryers, bakes, beverages, salads, etc. the orders are sent directly to the right kitchen counter. The Kitchen Display System (KDS) also enables additional facilities like customer comments, customization, and allergic altars to be marked specifically. Apart from this, it even enables manual customization so you could segment sections accordingly. All these features are the precious support your staff desperately needs, especially during peak days and festive seasons. An effective KDS will also decrease the risk of dishes being sent back to the kitchen. Shift Scheduling Communication and clarity are necessary to maintain a healthy relationship between an employee and the employer. Miscommunication can leave both stressed out and exhausted. No employee likes being called during their day-off and asked why they are not there at the workplace and similarly, no employer likes to make such calls. You can have restaurant management software that is equipped with built-in scheduling functionality and organize complex shifts while sharing clear expectations. A complete planning system also helps you apply up-to-date scheduling information to payroll, eliminating errors and ensuring you compensate everyone on time. Role-Based Interface Every staff member in a restaurant is assigned specific tasks and needs relevant information to comply with them. A waiter needs to know what dishes are available in the kitchen. Those working in the kitchen need to know the availability of the raw material, produce orders on time and know where each item is placed. As part of the management faculty, you need to make strategies to cut costs and provide maximum output. You can cut costs and time with a customizable system that gives exact information each employee needs to see; you can maximize your staff time with role-based interfaces that enable them to focus on tasks relevant to them to deliver faster and more efficient services. Intelligent Analytics and Report The output of a restaurant does not limit its dining tables and staff alone. The managers need robust analytics tools to get insights into how their business is performing and pull out if the specifics are even working. They can figure out where the business needs modifications? Are our loyal customers not coming back as frequently as before? Are our current facilities satisfying enough? Having such technology offers a glance over the prominent aspects of their restaurants. These days, restaurant managers no longer have to browse through their Excel sheets and find out the issues. Instead, a Restaurant Management System supporting Intelligent Analytics and reporting functionalities enable insights the manager needs to act on. They can track loyalty programs, outputs, and success of the business while offsetting changes in ingredient pricing, menu customizations, staffing and offers, etc. Restaurants need to get smarter and load their staff with less pressure. Equip your restaurant with a modern restaurant management system and optimize staff efficiency. LS Retail is one of the most renowned restaurant management software. Contact Trident if you are looking for its implementation.

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Ghost kitchens and Their Impact on the Restaurant Industry

Cloud Kitchen Technology / Trident

Popular folklore in India believed that food comes from heaven. These days, those tales have become reality since now food comes from the ‘cloud.’ The concept of ghost kitchens or cloud kitchens is as monumental as the discovery of fire. To support this trend, many business owners are implementing Cloud Kitchen Software. Cloud Kitchen Management Solution is necessary if a business wants to surpass the competition. We have seen a drastic change in our food consumption since the industry has flourished. We have shifted our preferences from wholesome home-cooked meals to dine-outs occasionally and now experiencing the fusion of restaurant delicacies in the comfort of our homes. According to Datalabs by Inc42: the food ordering market in India is expanding at a CAGR of 16% and will touch $17 billion by 2023. The projected market size of cloud kitchen would reach $1.05 billion by 2023. Many restaurant owners, instead of integrating with the third-party application, decide to expand their business with cloud kitchen. It might consist of nothing more than an area in their existing premises dedicated to fulfilling off-premises orders. Since its less capital demanding nature, restaurants with low budgets may choose to extend their chains. In this case they can use a unified Cloud Kitchen Software. Cloud Kitchen and its Potential The cloud-kitchen-craze exceeded demands during the COVID-19 pandemic, where customers could not go out and eat. Various restaurant businesses survived only because of cloud kitchens. That period allowed this revolution and made ghost kitchens flourish. Those restaurants who opted for a Cloud Kitchen Management Solution like LS Retail could handle things better as compared to those without these solutions. As compared to the restaurants, cloud kitchens are at the least risk of facing losses with minimum investments, exceeding demands, and infinite growth scope. Cloud kitchen is most likely to see a hike in business. Cloud kitchens are also considered profit-making machines, with low operational costs and minimum investments. They do not have to bear the opening costs. One thing that matters the most is the food quality. As the demand for delivered items continues to grow, the bright future of this trend is assured. Moreover, it could be an ideal solution for the established restaurants, as they would allow them to keep up with their dine-in while accommodating new delivery services. This ultimately frees the lobby from couriers, assisting the indoor dining experience. Extensively, it would simply operate while running a hybrid model with both take-out and eat-in at the same time. Ghost kitchens can be a great head start for newcomers as they require low capital investments. As soon as it becomes more common among restaurants, we can count on Advanced Restaurant Automation to draw more benefits. According to Euro motors, we can expect the ghost kitchens to automate their productions completely in the next five to ten years, including their menus and services to cut production costs. How to Get the Most Out of Ghost Kitchens As per Uber eats, its restaurant partners having a ghost kitchen can increase sales by 50%. Deliveroo is so certain of its growth that they are thinking of launching its own internationally. However, the question arises, how to get into action and get great returns on investments. Use Data and Strategize Research on demand and conduct gap mapping. In case you already run a Food and Beverages business, you may look through your customer’s data and find out what drives them to your business. Check if the market conditions are favorable and how you can modify your menu. You may also pick locations driving the maximum customer traffic (and close to you) Calculate the average meal preparation time and throughput to determine if you need more than one kitchen. You may also find ways to shorten up lengthy delivery. Keep up with the Dine-in Level Quality Make sure every dish you serve through your cloud kitchen must be as good as a dine-in meal. Make sure you deliver food items the way it does not spoil the food and make it soggy. To maintain the quality, you may as well have to hire staff from the restaurant who know your food and prepare it the way it should be. Get the Relevant IT Infrastructure This is one of the most important parts. You need to get the right IT infrastructure for your restaurant which can track the order and its source while transferring the details straight to the kitchen. This way the chef can avoid confusion and be certain about the orders: which one is to be prepared and for whom. If the customer has mentioned some add-ons, they may take care of that too. Get a Data Analytics Platform Having a data analytics platform is fundamental for you since it can help your business reduce waste, reorder ingredients appropriately and maximize revenue. In the long run, your business can get a hold of concrete data driving crucial decisions that identify your business’s return on investments. Thrive cloud kitchen with a Cloud Kitchen Management Solution like LS Retail. Integrate every essential under the same platform. Receive orders and analyze customer behavior. Customize menus and deliver quality meals fast. If you are looking for an LS Retail implementation Partner, contact us.

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Consider this Before Expanding Your Business Boundaries to a Different Country

Retail ERP Software / Trident

With intense competition all around the market, various businesses are scaling and trying to expand their boundaries outside their current country. It not only gives exposure to your business but also helps engage new customers with your business. It is best to implement a Retail ERP Software from suitable Retail ERP Implementation Partner. With the correct information, technology, and tactics, you can thrive in the international market. Having a unified commerce solution can open doors you did not even know existed. With Artificial intelligence, you can data, based on which the future of your venture depends. This is especially complex for small businesses to go global. Getting deep insights into their business, targeted market, and consumer behavior are necessary. We have compiled a few tips to help you establish your business internationally with more ease. Understand Your Market If you have noticed tourists demand more for your services or products, you may first understand the driving factors of this behavior, also if your business would flourish in their home countries. Thoroughly research your target market, see if there is a gap between your product and the market. What is the demand like, also check the factors causing lack of demand? You may also want to look up to the trends impacting demand for your product. Identify your target customers and understand their engagement with their favorite brands. Visit the county if possible and gain first-hand insights into how the market may impact your business. Create Localized Strategies As soon as you figure out the country you want to expand to, it is time to create relevant strategies. You have to be very strategic since this might become a more complicated process due to differences in location, currency, culture, regulations, and so on. You might have to tweak your offer a little to suit your international target audience. You may as well connect with the local advisors and listen to their sayings in this. Let them help you create the best fit for your brand with your target audience. Employ local talent familiar with your culture, and then present their ideas to find the best ways to engage more customers with your brand. You may also consider if partnering with the local brand would help you gain a foothold in the market. Pick Your Location After picking the preferred country, creating strategies, now it is time to choose the ideal location. Conduct thorough research to completely understand the locality and look at the area from the user’s eye. Now, what does “looking through the user’s eye” mean? Identify if it is easy for your audience to reach you? If you are thinking of establishing a store, explore how many people pass through the preferred location in a day and whether they fit your demographic. In the case of deliveries, check if it is easy for you to deliver easily, or do you have to push an extra to get it done? If you run home deliveries, go through the road maps and check if the routes are favorable, i.e., make sure the routes follow an effortless network with your warehouse, store, and target areas. Make Sure Your Software Favors Your Business You are thinking of expanding your business to international boundaries, in the near future, you may see yourself expanding even further. You need the right software to support your current and future business needs in every country. Make sure your technology delivers the product in detail in the customer’s language and lets them pay in their currency. You may also want to boost your employee efficiency. The best way is with a unified commerce solution that unifies every business aspect under the same umbrella, i.e., financials, POS (point of sale), inventory, or kitchen, it connects everything under the same platform. Your technology must help you adhere to the regulatory requirements of the locality. For instance, if you want to expand your company to a fiscal country like Russia, you need your equipment to adhere to the country’s certification standards. Engage Locally You may already have access to the digital tool to expose your product across the globe. Mobile apps, the internet, and social media provide an excellent platform for your product to read different customers internationally. Create loyalty programs, think of new activities to engage more customers in your brand. Present your product complementing the local aesthetics, in the local language, currency, culture. Develop a hunger for your brand among the targeted audience. Extract their data from the social media platform to understand their engagement and the factors drawing them. Expanding your business to different borders brings excitement, thrill as well as challenges along. You need the right data, technology, and strategies to thrive in the international market. A Retail ERP Software like LS Retail can tremendously help your business in the journey. If you are looking for a Retail ERP Implementation Partner, you may contact Trident, we are the gold implementation partner.

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How LS Central Transforms Retail?

Retail ERP Software / Trident

Thanks to LS Retail Software Solution, various businesses have shifted their approach from choosing multiple software integration over a single commerce platform. Retailers, hospitality businesses, and restaurants in over 140 countries are overjoyed to use this platform and enjoy the benefits that come along. LS Central Software Solution is a retail management software that guarantees retail and hospitality management with its set of tools dedicated to providing visibility, transparency, and a single view of the entire business. However it is essential to find the most suitable Retail ERP Partner. With LS Central Software Solution, businesses are now equipped with technology that not only streamlines business but also reduces IT load and cuts costs significantly. For instance, a large ski resort in Canada used to have 26 distinct software solutions which needed to be updated and managed separately, causing too much load on its IT. They then decided to embrace LS Central, and now they can finally operate as a unified brand, track loyalty, run promotions and see their data. Eventually, the business became even more successful and competitive. Here are some of the ways to keep your business ahead of your competition. Omnichannel Integration With omnichannel integration, you can let your customers shop wherever and whenever they want. LS Central connects to market-leading platforms such as Magento, Shopify, and Dynamic Webs. This integration guarantees two-way communication between the systems. Hence letting your staff and customers get real-time and updated information on each product. Be it product availability, prices, and offers on your online shop, they can always have updated data. Additionally, LS Central tracks every sale you have made on a single platform, so you can even offer click and collect options so they can purchase online and collect it at the store if they want. Contactless Options in Store Customers were demanding contactless services even before the pandemic hit. They were looking for mediums to make things even more convenient without having to contact store staff. By implementing self-service checkouts, you can ensure customers the autonomy they wish for while shopping in person while cutting the queues and saving time. ScanPayGo technologies minimize contacts even more. LS Central combines loyalty with the POS (point of sale) in the single app that can run on your customer’s device. Being a One-stop-shop app, it lets customers shop, save lists, save money, apply coupons, check their loyalty score, and much more. Drive Employees to Deliver Exceptional Services LS Central enables a medium for employees to serve today’s well-informed customers. With mobile POS, your staff can look up the product details- Its availability, alternatives, warehouse details, and even data on special orders. They can easily compare the size, color, and other details on their phone. The key to obtaining loyalty is to build personalized services. At POS, employees can access their store’s loyal customer’s details, previous purchases, and preferences. They can even use LS Central’s AI-based abilities to make relevant recommendations and product suggestions. Innovate and Go Beyond Industry Barriers Customers are attracted to services that stand out in the crowd. Offer services that differ from your customers. You can use this LS Retail Software Solution, to run food service, retail, and hospitality within the same platform. For instance, if you operate a mixed business like a garden center with a cafe, you can manage different segments within the same platform i.e., LS Central. You can easily align customers, offers, sales, food service, and a lot more within the same database. Furthermore, if you decide to expand and offer appointments with a garden designer, you can as well do it with LS Central’s robust LS Activity add-on. Clear Visibility and Data-Informed Decisions You can get a real-time view of your business with LS Central Software Solution. We recognize that data cannot help you make effective decisions. Thus, it offers intelligent functionality to make it easier for you to make relevant decisions. For instance, one of its AI-powered add-ons called LS insight addresses KPIs that need the most attention. It delivers all the information that is more important for your business to grow. Overstocking and understocking are some of the key issues businesses come across. With LS Retail Software Solution, you may get real-time visibility on your stocks and make more accurate, faster, and smarter decisions LS Central is one of the leading unified commerce solution providers out in the market. Trident Information Systems is the best Retail ERP Partner, and is reinforced with 150+ technical professionals. If you are looking for an implementation partner, you can contact us.

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Tips For Rapidly Expanding Brick and Mortar Retail Businesses

Retail ERP Software / Trident

According to Grant Thorton, e-commerce in India is expected to be worth US$ 188 billion by 2025. Despite having e-commerce contributing to a large part of our economy, there are still masses who prefer to purchase products offline in India. Many seek assistance of ERP Software for Retail from suitable Retail ERP Partner. According to the Economic Times, Nykaa has decided to triple store count in retail expansion. It operates as an e-commerce platform selling everything from global cosmetic brands to jewelry. However, Indian consumers still want to purchase products offline. Certain issues come along with offline stores. Customers might visit the shop and find the item they want missing. Managing an offline establishment requires more labor. Standing in long queues can infuriate customers. Digital disruptions might hamper operations. Inability to meet evolving customer expectations. Poor internal communication. Brick and Mortar stores need a lot more labor than e-commerce. Therefore, rapidly expanding businesses need to seek technological assistance. It is recommended to implement a ERP Software for Retail Like LS Retail. It offers a suite of all the tools required to run a retail business. Integrating everything under the same platform boosts synchronicities and a smoother business flow. For instance, integrating your website with CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) can help you understand trends better. Allow Customers to Check Product Availability Online Consumers are drawn where convenience is more prominent. Just imagine how frustrated a consumer can get if he drives all the way to a shop and finds the essentials he wants missing? It is important to enabling product information and availability online, so your customers save themselves time and labor. Additionally, retailers may integrate all touchpoints and allow customers to place orders online while collecting the item right on their way. Enable Contactless Payments Allow your consumers various payment options like debit, credit, mobile payments, and so on. Enable quicker and easy payment options to shorten queues while making cash handling the lead of their concern while checking out. And such transactions are even safer. Retailers may also enable self-check-out services at the counter and help themselves while freeing store staff. This way customers unburden the staff allowing them to focus on other activities like helping other consumers find a product or guiding them through product instructions or simply greeting them at the entrance. Personalized Services for Customers Track each transaction with customers, understand their spending pattern, and create customized services for them. You will need AI-based technology like the one LS Retail ERP Software for Retail offers to extract data from different touchpoints and generate comprehensive and actionable reports. This data is essential for creating personalized offers, deals, and promotions while making it one of the best ways to penetrate customers’ emotions. Delighted customers refer businesses or products to their friends, families, and acquaintances thus driving a robust referral promotion. Word of mouth is the most effective and cost-efficient promotion method; studies have shown that a person is most likely to purchase a product referred to by someone known rather than following an advertisement. Enable product Information on handhelds Enabling product information on handheld devices empowers store staff and extracts all their efficiency. They can locate each item anywhere in the store without having to hunt for it. They can organize item placements according to demand, size, and other features. Targeting and discarding expired products becomes a piece of cake. Since the staff is less burdened, they can shift their focus on other prominent tasks such as helping customers out, organizing inventory, and other manual tasks. Avoid Overstocking / Understocking Having an integrated system that offers a 360-degree view on inventory in the shape of insightful reports. With ERP Software for Retailers, you can track each item, its durability and easily discard the expired products. Additionally, they may also predict demands and make purchases accordingly. These insights can work wonders for inventory planning. Adopt a Unified Communication Platform One thing that bothers them most in multi-chain businesses is communication. LS Retail, ERP Software for Retailers ensures a unified platform that connects all the departments in an organization, such as sales, marketing, and IT, etc. Allowing your employees free flow of communication is not only time-consuming and labor efficient but also saves a lot of confusion in an organization. Since the competition in the retail industry is cutthroat, retailers have to find a solution that covers all their business needs while optimizing their resources. LS Retail is one of the most prominent B2B ERP Software for Retail having eligible implementation partners such as Trident Information Systems, the Gold Retail ERP Partner of LS Retail. Contact us for further information.

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