Inventory management and production planning can be a challenging task for greenhouses and nurseries. However, switching to a new system can seem daunting in terms of cost and implementation. But what if it could be easier than you think? According to Darren Murray, Commercial Sales Representative at ET Grow, an Operational Resource Planning (ORP) platform can help manage crop growth from seed to sale.
"The power of an ORP is being best at the critical part of an operational side of the business: the overseeing and growing of high-quality product. From production planning to seed planting and selling to order fulfillment and shipping, an ORP should manage all that expertly," says Murray.
ET Grow's ORP system focuses on understanding the stage of the crop inventory, its saleability, and its location, allowing employees to determine whether to treat, pick or ship it accordingly. Unlike traditional Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions, ET Grow's ORP system is focused on operational nuances, such as inventory management, crop growth, and labor task tracking. This system can come at one-tenth of the cost of an ERP system, making it an attractive alternative for mid-sized greenhouses.
Cloud-based systems more adaptable to evolving industry
Further, ET Grow's cloud-based platform and subscription model make it easy to integrate with other software solutions, and upgrades can be made quickly to meet customers' needs. ET Grow has made the solution adoption and implementation process more accessible by offering a four-week pilot project. During the pilot project, growers can see their own data and work with the system before committing to it, lowering the risk of onboarding.
Many of ET Grow's customers have found that their accounting needs have become more simplified after adopting the solution, as explained by Terry Vermeer, COO. The company works with greenhouses and nurseries of varying sizes across North America, and its ORP system is equipped to work with greenhouses of any size, provided they are willing to handle their financials in a separate platform.
"We can integrate with any software because we are a fully cloud-based platform, so we can integrate into any financial or ERP package. For larger growers who need an ERP either way, we fit really well for inventory management and are superior for tracking actual production," says Terry.
To help growers navigate the transition towards its ORP system, ET Grow first organizes a pilot project through which growers can work with the system using their own data before committing.
In conclusion, changing to an ORP platform like ET Grow's can be a solution for efficient production planning and inventory management in greenhouses and nurseries from seed to sale. With lower costs and subscription-based nature, a cloud-based system that integrates with other software solutions, and a pilot project to test the system before making a commitment, the switch to an ORP system can be easier than anticipated. And in the long run, being software-based means that ET Grow has the ability to upgrade to meet industry needs at a faster pace than other solutions.
For more information:
ET Grow
Terry Vermeer, COO
Darren Murray, Commerical Sales Rep
[email protected]
etgrow.com