Long gone are those days where a business within the apparel industry was profitable based just on the basic knowledge of fabrics, trims, design, etc. To build a successful business in today’s apparel industry, it’s critical that companies also understand the importance of the business aspects and principles of the industry and costing.
Many fashion institution programs do not emphasize or give enough respectable time to the not so creative and exciting stuff such as costing, order taking, allocation, invoicing, logistics and accounting by using fashion business software referred to as “ERP”.
This leaves companies having to educate themselves about new business practices, delivery methods, social media and the latest and greatest technologies and devices on their own.
So what is ERP? The term Enterprise Resource Planning was coined in the early 1990s. But today’s professionals and students in the apparel industry have no clue what that acronym really means or entails. In a nutshell, ERP software is business software for manufacturing and production planning, which includes back-office functions such as order entry, production management, inventory control and financial management.
There are apparel software packages being offered nowadays that can help you manage your business better. Identifying an ERP apparel software not only requires pinpointing key functionality, it is also needed to find a one-stop packaged solution that is integrated, provides quick implementation, simple for anyone to use, does not require significant management, has easy educational training and most of all, cost effective for your business.
Companies should look for a software company that offers a customized solution to meet their business needs with high –level support and shouldn’t have to hire an entire battalion of IT specialists to make it run, managers to supervise them or to spend heaps of money on support. An ideal software solution should be simple for anyone to use, allow you to easily create and manage business accounts, implement SKUs, styles, designs, take orders, create pick tickets and run invoicing. Also, look for a solution that can easily integrate applications that will help your business run more efficiently such as an application that integrates for accounting and iPad apps that can showcase products, take orders, monitor sales, view order status, production and inventory figures all in real-time and from anywhere.
Keep in mind, when trying to select the appropriate apparel software you will also want to find a solution that offers continuous education or training to keep you and your staff up-to-date on the latest improvement and additions.
One of the key elements to running a smooth operation is learning how to use and manage an ERP system efficiently. Before you decide to implement an apparel software it is imperative to start with an understanding of apparel principles and procedures. You should have a good manual system and/or guidelines in place before you implement a successful software program. Programs like Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, are good, basic, essential tools that should be learned. Even a rudimentary understanding of General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and bookkeeping will help to the success of an apparel company. A good accounting program that business owners can learn to help manage their day-to day financial activities is QuickBooks. As you learn the fundamentals and implement these processes into your daily business routine, you will get a better understanding of what kind of software system will work best you’re your company.
Many schools and fashion institutions throughout the west coast are teaching and certifying students to understand ERP software by using an Apparel Information Management System (AIMS). And more and more companies are hiring them because of their AIMS knowledge. AIMS offers a complete training program for its clients as well as educational courses in many colleges and trade-schools for students interested in fashion apparel. But where do you find people who can implement and maintain an efficient system and help grow a company?
AIMS has been studying apparel companies for over 28 years, understanding business needs and has developed a one-stop solution with all the functionalities needed to give your business the cutting edge and being successful. Along with fully customizable apparel ERP software, AIMS offers QuickBooks integration, e-commerce solutions and iPad apps to take orders, track sales and view analytics all on-the-go. One of the leading and widely accepted ERP software companies for the apparel industry, AIMS is paving the way by training the next generation of leaders in entering the industry.
Always remember that owning and managing a brand is a business and if you don’t spend enough time on this side educating and implementing the right staff with the proper procedures, strategies and technology, you may not hit that profit you projected.
For more information about the AIMS apparel software or their education and training programs, please contact info@aims360.com or call 310-361-5710 ext. 722.
You may also visit them on the Web at www.aims360.com.
