July 26, 2024 Manufacturers Shift Expectations for Cloud ERP

Cost reduction and business agility emerge as the new top priorities.

San Ramon, CA – Rootstock Software, a recognized leader in Manufacturing ERP, continues its in-depth series with Part 4 of its comparative analysis of 2023 versus 2024 Manufacturing Technology Survey Results. This part of the study explores the evolving expectations manufacturers have for Cloud ERP solutions, highlighting the shifts in their priorities and desired benefits.

“This comparison underscores a clear change in what manufacturers want from their Cloud ERP. In 2024, the focus is now on an ERP’s ability to deliver savings and agility,” said Stu Johnson, VP of Product Marketing at Rootstock Software. “Rootstock is committed to delivering a cutting-edge ERP that continuously evolves to meet manufacturers’ changing needs. We aim to help them thrive in today’s economic landscape by supporting their desire for cost control, enhanced workforce productivity, and an ability to adapt to market volatility.”

The 2024 State of Manufacturing Technology Survey Results revealed manufacturers’ changing perspectives on what an ERP is expected to deliver in terms of benefits:

• Cost Reduction: Now the Top Expectation. Today, manufacturers expect Cloud ERP to help decrease costs. This expectation increased from 40.9% in 2023 to 56% in 2024. It aligns with manufacturers’ sentiments in other parts of the survey, where they emphasized a desire to support financial performance amid economic uncertainty.
• Focused on Business Agility. While agility wasn’t a top priority in 2023, manufacturers have seen the consequences of rapid shifts in customer demand, as well as disruptions to their supply chain. They see these factors as ongoing risks, and as such, 46% of manufacturers expect their ERP to help them adapt to market conditions.
• Security Remains Essential. IT security remains a consistent expectation in the ERP market, with a slight increase to 46% in 2024. Manufacturers want an ERP with a highly reliable and stable platform, as well as providing robust cybersecurity to protect sensitive information and maintain business continuity.
• IT Simplification. Manufacturers want to standardize their IT infrastructure—44% of respondents said they wanted this as an ERP benefit. Recognizing the power of Rootstock’s platform approach, many manufacturers chose Rootstock because it reduces infrastructure complexity by providing a unified data platform and cohesive user experience.
• Productivity and Workforce Optimization. Improving staff productivity and/or reducing the size of their workforce are emerging priorities, with 42% of manufacturers expecting an ERP to deliver benefits in this area. In light of today’s tight labor market and tech skills gap, manufacturers want an ERP that can optimize staff efficiency with automated tools, decision support, and improved resource management.

Conversely, while the outcomes above have taken center stage, other benefits have lost traction. For example, “improving compliance” and “driving innovation” were top priorities in 2023, but they dropped off the list of key ERP expectations in 2024. This shift is in sync with other areas of the survey where manufacturers expressed prioritizing cost-saving measures over strategic long-term planning. Rootstock Software remains committed to supporting manufacturers to achieve their most pressing objectives. The company continually updates its Manufacturing ERP to meet new priorities for manufacturers.

For complete 2024 survey findings, check out Rootstock’s study here: https://clouderp.rootstock.com/rootstock-state-of-manufacturing-survey. And tune into Rootstock’s press releases, where additional parts of this comparative analysis will be announced.

Methodology

In partnership with Researchscape, Rootstock conducted this 2024 research via an online survey fielded in February to April 2024. There were 508 respondents to the survey across 14 countries (Australia​, Belgium, ​Canada​, Denmark, ​Finland​, France​, Germany, ​Ireland, ​Japan​, Netherlands, Norway, ​Sweden, ​United Kingdom​, and United States) leading “digital transformation” in companies with revenues of $10 million or more.​

About Rootstock
Rootstock Software  provides the leading Manufacturing Cloud ERP, which empowers hundreds of manufacturers to turbocharge their operations in today’s dynamic, post-pandemic world. Natively built on the Salesforce Platform, Rootstock delivers a futureproof solution. With it, manufacturers gain the agility to continually transform their businesses to meet evolving customer needs, navigate emerging challenges, and accelerate success. In addition, the “connectability” of Rootstock Cloud ERP gives manufacturers 360° visibility to collaborate with suppliers, trading partners, and the broader value chain. As Rootstock continues to grow, stay tuned to hear about its new customers, career opportunities, and LinkedIn posts.

Subscribe to Industry Today