ERP, or Enterprise Resource Planning (also known as SIGE, short for Integrated Business Management Systems), is the name used when all of a company's resources, results and actions are interconnected. As plataformas que oferecem esse serviço buscam otimizar empresas, integrando os dados das diferentes áreas de um negócio.
In other words, an ERP is software that brings together all of a business's information, generating data on every action each area may have taken and how that plays out in the results.
In this software, each area has access to modules suited to its own needs. An ERP for the food and beverage market, in that sense, would have the following modules:
Business Module for Employee Management and Administrative Information Records
The business module is the backbone of the operation. In it you can:
- Register new employees with the right access hierarchy so they can use the modules for their area
- Sign administrative and legal files to keep documents in order, make large deposits and more, using your digital certificate
- Register suppliers
- Select payment methods, such as which cards are accepted, checks or cash. If you have installed the TEF system (Electronic Funds Transfer), the only thing you'll need to do to generate the reports is keep the fees you pay up to date
- Set the acquirers and the fees that will be paid to them on each transaction. That way, you won't have to worry about checking whether the fees are being charged correctly — the reports will show you that automatically!
- Close the Cash Register
- Analyze the reasons behind voids and discounts, so you can check how many orders are coming out wrong or cold, or how often discounts are being applied to regulars
- Assign an accountant to receive the accounting reports
- View your operation's tax situation, seeing which taxes and fees have been paid, which are still outstanding, and how much you've contributed to the tax authorities, by category of the items or services sold
This is the central module in enterprise resource planning systems. Anyone with access to this module has access to all the others, so keep access to it limited.
It's not a matter of distrust, but of responsibility. This area of ERP systems can change every other module, and employees' access. The hierarchy the system uses is handy because of that: you can grant a manager access to the report for the area they run, rather than to the whole module.
So, they'll be able to analyze the processes in their own area and rank employees by efficiency, but not those of other areas. É entregar as chaves do reino dele, ao invés do palácio inteiro
With the right training, the data will be ready for analysis in no time. That way, targets can be set to reach a bigger goal, whether that's doubling profit, opening another location or cutting waste in half.
Purchasing and Inventory Module for Stock Management and Analysis of Services and Waste
Once you've registered all the administrative information, such as employees, fees paid, fixed and variable costs and more, it's time to fill the inventory. The module dedicated to inventory management is to your restaurant's kitchen what smart fridges are to high-impact entrepreneurs.
A successful entrepreneur doesn't spend every day daydreaming about what to eat; they plan ahead and set a routine so they don't waste time on it. Being able to set how the day starts affects results, the same way menu planning affects the financial health of the restaurant or bar.
Prices, quantities and quality of food and drinks should be chosen based on your value proposition, always aligned with the audience and the long-term goals of the restaurant, bar or nightclub. Reviewing and analyzing the ingredient costs of your dishes can open doors to constant renewal, changing the menu when an ingredient starts to cost you money.
It's swapping the gambas al ajillo (shrimp in a hot clay bowl, with olive oil and garlic) for a pulpo a la gallega (Galician-style octopus) when the right time comes, always staying true to the spirit of your value proposition.
Not to mention the recipe suggestions, whoever is in charge of this area will have all the data their area generates in the inventory management module. In this module you can:
- Break down the amount of each ingredient used in a portion, dish or drink. That way, the exact amount will be deducted from that item's total stock in the inventory when the dish is ordered, alerting you when levels hit a predetermined threshold
- See how many and which goods were received, according to the invoice (DANFE). If the supplier has entered the quantities and the amounts paid on the electronic invoice, you can add those values to the system automatically Using a barcode scanner
- Register new products and items in the catalog and organize them on the display panel in a way that makes them easy to find when waiters are taking orders
- Split inventory by area – kitchen, bar, back bar, among many others – to get alerts when it's time to restock each one!
Integrating each ingredient's price with the amount used in the dishes generates detailed reports, showing the profit per ingredient based on the dish's price.
Every detail you enter when registering products, dishes, items and ingredients will make all the difference when it's time to analyze the business. Over time, the information on price per ingredient, and how it fluctuates, will help you prepare for low-production seasons well in advance.
The data helps you know exactly when you'll need to rework the dishes, switch up the cocktails or order more wine instead of beer. By preparing ahead, no sale gets lost. By knowing how to read the numbers and turn them into your customers' consumption habits, you ensure both their satisfaction and the growth of your business, whether it's a restaurant, bar or nightclub.
CRM Module for Customer Management and Value Proposition
The CRM Module (Customer Relationship Management) helps you promote new offers and keep in touch with your customers. By knowing your customers, you can make a spot-on value proposition, especially if they're properly segmented.
Using the example above, with the CRM module you can send an email about your restaurant's new dish every time you rework the menu. That way, you kick off another cycle of offers, telling your most loyal customers about the new dishes according to their tastes (which you can see in your system!).
If the establishment is lounge-style, with individual tabs and email and phone registration, you can see in real time how many people are inside your place, from anywhere. With information on which customers consumed what, planning targeted promotions for low-sales periods becomes simple!
For example, if you have the inventory information, you can identify which ingredients are getting close to their expiration date. By cross-referencing that information with customers' consumption habits, you can create combos that drive demand for those items, running promotions or even discounts on bundled sales.
Not to mention the benefits for keeping a healthy environment in your restaurant, bar or nightclub, logging troublemaking customers on a blacklist to keep them from causing more trouble. In the CRM module, you can also:
- Create guest lists for events, setting the discounts and prices for the names on each one
- Manage barter deals with partners and service providers. That way, suppliers, partners and owners will know exactly how much they can spend per month at the establishment
- Issue discount or trial vouchers for premium customers, or for targeted promotions
The CRM module does exactly what the name says: Customer Relationship Management. That's why integrating your business's operation matters so much; with data on inventory, consumption habits and customer profiles, you end up not only succeeding at attracting new customers and building loyalty among the old ones, but also maximizing profits across every action.
Finance Module for Account Management and Results Analysis
The finance module for restaurants, bars, nightclubs and retail is the hub for every cost you have in your business, as well as for how much every cent is returning. From reports to the number of house tabs and barter deals, here you'll be able to see where every cent is going and what's being done with it to justify the investment.
Enterprise resource planning systems, for those who work in food and beverage, allow a complete analysis of the different cash inflows. From sales by employee to sales by city (if you're a chain with other locations), you can analyze exactly how much is being sold at each location you have open.
The information available in the finance module is:
- Sales reports by category, point of sale, employee, city, ECF, promoter, and any other way it's being recorded
- Cash movement reports, so you can track in real time the sales being made at each establishment
- Analyze the results of the cash register closeouts by day, week or month. By cross-referencing this data with your marketing campaign spreadsheet, covering promotions and bundled sales, you can analyze the return on each initiative. Se a promoção estiver sendo feita com um produto em específico, o relatório mostrará exatamente quanto aquele item rendeu (item, nesse sentido, é o combo ou preço promocional que foi criado) e, assim, a eficiência da ação promocional
- Accounts payable and receivable, from purchase orders with suppliers to individual cost and profit reports, by product or category
- View cash flow and the income statement (P&L) in charts
In it you can see your business operation in absolute numbers, knowing how much is coming in and going out of the cash register and where it's going, as well as the return on those investments. Payment approvals are also handled there, giving partners more control, in an organized environment.
Knowing how to use the financial module for restaurants, nightclubs, bars and retail businesses is essential to properly plan day-to-day operations and the changes needed to grow. Taking the training offered by enterprise resource planning system companies is vital to getting the most out of the software. Like it or not, the volume of information that ERP systems generate and organize is enormous, going deep into every detail of the establishment.
Since you'll have access to everything, it's good to know where everything will be, and how to access each process and piece of information. O mundo pode ter sido feito em 7 dias, mas garanto que o planejamento demorou muito mais!
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