With cloud computing now helping many companies protect their IT systems, James Mitchell, Managing Director for Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) in the UK and Ireland, looks at how it differs from on-site IT.

Amid supply chain disruption and more sinister and sophisticated cyber threats online, companies must continually streamline their operations, cut costs, and better secure their data to keep trading at a profit. The consequences of not doing so are stark. Several merchants with on-premises IT systems have gone bankrupt due to a cyber-attack where ransomware caused them to lose their ability to trade.

The good news is that cloud computing can help companies achieve efficiencies, improve customer service, and better protect their IT systems from cyber-attacks. Understandably, many in the merchant and distribution industry are now looking at securing and future-proofing their business, so this article outlines the five key benefits for businesses switching from on-premises IT to cloud computing.

Robust defence against cyber threats

Sadly, cyber warfare methods continually enhance and develop. Thousands of new viruses, worms, and other forms of malicious software (or malware) are created each day. Many dangers exist, from advanced persistent threats (ATPs) to malicious ransomware and phishing attacks, and it only takes one successful attack to stop a company from trading.

Research shows that most companies underestimate the length of time a cyber-attack will stop them from trading. Instead of days, it’s often weeks. Combined with the cost of the ransom, being unable to trade, manage stock, or issue invoices can be critical to their business in the long term.

Up to now, companies have been able to run their IT networks themselves, usually within a dedicated room ‘on-premises’. However, as more efficient and sustainable solutions become available, many businesses find this requires careful management and significant cost overheads.

In today’s competitive climate, such an investment of time and money looks increasingly expensive, especially since companies can now take advantage of cloud providers’ best-in-class technologies and expertise.

For example, cloud service providers like Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) invest heavily in their use of public cloud technology, creating secure environments beyond most merchant and distribution companies’ ability to afford. They are proactive about conducting research and always look to utilise the best security technologies and expertise, all so they can offer their customers an enhanced level of protection from cyber-attacks.

Better protection against data breaches

When a data breach strikes, companies suffer from criminals gaining unauthorised access to sensitive company data. Consequently, such incursions can lead to the theft of valuable customer information, including names, email addresses, and sensitive financial details.

Being unable to trade after a cyber-attack, such as a data breach, is only one problem, however. After the breach, companies can usually expect worse consequences over the medium to long term, such as significant fines and irretrievable damage to their hard-won reputation.

Cloud computing helps mitigate the risk of data breaches mainly through advanced, centralised data management systems. These systems enhance control over data access and provide sophisticated tools for data integrity checks and intrusion detection. Cloud providers typically also deploy multi-layered security strategies, including a physical security presence at their data centres.

Reduce your IT expenses

Maintaining on-site IT infrastructure can be very expensive and particularly problematic when a business is trying to cope with rising prices and issues within its supply chain. Companies usually shoulder the cost of maintaining hardware and software licenses themselves, while the cost of IT personnel can significantly drain budgets and resources.

Ultimately, cloud computing offers a cost-effective solution by shifting most of these fluctuating expenses to a predictable pay-as-you-go subscription model that stays the same.

Cloud hosting fees typically cover a range of services, including server maintenance, data storage, and increased data bandwidth capability. However, they also cover the maintenance costs for the server hardware, software security updates, technical support, and 24/7 backup provision.

Improve efficiency and scale

The ability to scale operations rapidly and efficiently is crucial in the building supplies industry, where demand can be unpredictable and vary according to fluctuations in season and geography.

However, cloud computing facilitates easy scalability. Using a cloud provider lets your business increase its IT resources without investing upfront in hardware, software, and infrastructure.

This scalability ensures merchant distribution companies can handle peak loads during high-demand periods without disrupting service or performance. Moreover, cloud platforms can integrate seamlessly with AI and machine learning tools, enabling better demand forecasting and inventory management.

Cut carbon emissions 

Sustainability is increasingly important in all sectors, including distribution. Cloud computing contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing the carbon footprint of IT operations. Centralised data centres, optimised for energy efficiency, consume significantly less power compared to traditional on-site servers.

Furthermore, cloud providers often use renewable energy sources and implement energy-efficient practices that far surpass what companies could achieve independently.

Additionally, the scalability of cloud resources means that energy usage aligns more closely with actual needs, avoiding the inefficiencies of underutilised on-premise infrastructure. By leveraging cloud computing, businesses move towards greener operations and align with global efforts to reduce energy consumption and emissions.

In conclusion

By migrating to a public cloud network, companies can leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance their operations, reduce costs, and secure their data more effectively.

KCS has seen the demand for its public cloud service, K-Cloud, grow as the pressures faced by on-premises operations have required customers to seek alternatives. In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, public cloud solutions give businesses the perfect secure platform to trade confidently and profitably.

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Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) has announced that it has partnered with Open ECX to expand the K8 digital ecosystem. Through this strategic partnership, K8 customers will gain access to the Open ECX Next Generation EDI platform, which is designed to optimise and further automate customer order importing and AP invoice management in the ‘Order to Cash’ and ‘Purchase to Payment’ processes within K8.

In delivering this integrated solution into its flagship K8 business software, KCS will help its users facilitate fast, secure, and paperless transactions for smoother daily operations.

‘Open ECX’s cloud-hosted solutions ensure an accurate, secure, and completely digital order transaction for distributors and merchants, adding another strong pillar to the K8 digital eco-system,’ says James Mitchell, KCS UK & Ireland Managing Director. ‘Through the sophisticated integration of K8 and Open ECX, we will deliver greater automation to key trading activities for our customers, significantly improving their processing speed and accuracy. This innovation reduces costs and enables our customers to redeploy resources within their business. As well as helping them further eliminate the unnecessary use of energy and paper, this brings them another step closer to a paperless office.’

Nathan Ollier, Open ECX CEO, further explains: ‘Entering into an official partnership with KCS allows us to build on the growing number of Open ECX and K8 users who already enjoy the power and flexibility of the two systems working together through seamless integration. Being able to offer our Next Generation Invoicing and Ordering solutions through the partnership will allow all K8 users to realise significant efficiency in the processing of documents in the P2P and O2C processes. With a proven history of processing documents with 100% accuracy in close to real time, Open ECX allows the customer to redistribute the focus of valuable resources away from manual tasks, enabling them to drive sustainable growth and efficiency while improving supplier relationships and customer experience.

Another key area of importance for KCS is how this integration not only streamlines operations but also supports environmental sustainability. ‘By reducing the need for paper-based processes,’ James Mitchell highlights, ‘we’re helping our customers become more efficient and save money. Importantly, this also helps them reduce their carbon footprint, as CO2 is imperative for all businesses, just as it is for KCS globally. We like to make a difference by giving our customers the tools to reduce their CO2 emissions, and we firmly believe that sustainability and profitability do go hand-in-hand.’

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Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS) has completed the acquisition of Klipboard. KCS’s strategy is to further develop its suite of vertical specific cloud software solutions and this acquisition marks a significant step forward in KCS’s commitment to delivering innovative field service management software globally.

Klipboard enables field service businesses to schedule and manage jobs with ease, provide superior customer experience whilst enabling them to streamline operations, make smarter decisions and supercharge their team with an all-in-one field service platform. Klipboard’s modern, user friendly, cloud-based field service management software gives an office and field team everything they need to manage operations and grow their business.

Draven McConville, CEO of Klipboard said: “I am thrilled to announce our acquisition by KCS. This significant milestone is a testament to our team’s hard work and dedication to bringing innovative technology to the field service industry. By joining forces with KCS, we are excited to leverage their extensive experience and resources to accelerate product development and market reach.”

Ian Bendelow, CEO of KCS said, “We are excited to welcome Klipboard to KCS. This acquisition enables us to empower businesses to manage jobs and streamline communications with personnel in the field. Klipboard’s expertise in field service management is particularly relevant for our customers who increasingly go to market with mobile work forces.”

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James Mitchell, Managing Director UK & Ireland at Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), has identified the ERP trends he anticipates being key for the electrical wholesale industry in 2024.

Recent decades have seen rapid technological change. Digitalisation, automation, and other technological advances have been identified as one of the major trends changing business and are transforming industries globally. The use of digital technologies has enabled companies to not just sell extra, but to reshape the business by optimising resource, increase staff productivity, work more efficiently, and optimise supply chains. This not only aids in reducing costs and increasing profits but provides businesses with greater flexibility and reactivity that contributes to an increase in customer loyalty and satisfaction, offering a better all-round customer experience.

1. Efficient inventory management

The triple supply shocks of Brexit, Covid and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have begun to fade easing the restrictions on demand and reducing the costs of inventory. While this is positive news for the industry, it does bring potential challenges for electrical wholesalers who have purchased items at increased costs during times of higher rates of inflation and when supply was restricted. “Keeping a tight rein on your stock is essential, with a strong ERP system, such as K8, a business’s entire stock is opened up to assessment and analysis. It’s simple to rebalance supply and demand, purchasing and sales, movements, and replenishments, allowing business to significantly improve their ability to respond to changes within the market. Prices can be electronically uploaded from suppliers to ensure they’re always up-to-date, customer prices are based on purchase prices to ensure you retain a profitable business. Being able to gain full visibility and track stock movements, transfers, and availability in an instant allows you to take any corrective action if required. You can even source stock at the quotation stage to ensure it will be available for your important contracts.” Explains James Mitchell.

2. Cloud and security

Businesses are becoming more and more vulnerable to the threat of increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks than ever before as cyber criminals harness the power of AI. Attacks can lead to complete loss of systems and data, exposure to hackers, and poor performance. Data security should never be overlooked, selecting a reputable ERP provider will ensure that best practices are followed with regards to data authentication, access control and encryption.

If you aren’t already using cloud software, then it’s time to mitigate these risks and make the switch. Running your business solution on-premise, your hardware and the operating systems used to run it could be outdated and be at risk of failure – especially if you haven’t upgraded in the last few years.

All KCS solutions are available as SaaS in the cloud. This offers enhanced data protection and real flexibility in how you work.

3. Advancements in ERP intelligence

As ERP solutions continue to evolve, they’re incorporating technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and robotic process automation (RPA). Once fully integrated, the ERP system performs tasks for businesses that once required manual operation. For example, in K8, electrical wholesalers can increase forecasting accuracy by analysing sales history and building in seasonable variables, safety stock and planned growth, avoiding overstocking or running out of stock. This development saves costs while freeing up time for employees to focus on the business areas that generate more revenue.

4. Maximising opportunity in times of low economic growth

Economic growth in the UK is predicted to be low in 2024, however the business sectors that we operate in are resilient and they constantly seek new and innovative ways in which to serve customers and ensure a positive business model. As a key provider of software and business solutions to the industry, KCS understand that ERP software is the driving force behind our customers business. Here are just a few ways K8 and digitising your businesses can help maximise opportunities and keep your business on track in 2024:

Sell for the right price every time

Selling prices can be linked directly to cost prices to protect your margins, K8 has in-built functionality that highlights exceptions should this drop below acceptable levels or into a negative.

Optimise your stock holdings.

Don’t let stock gather dust on your shelves. K8 highlights excess stock and can suggest internal sourcing and redeployment to ensure stock is never left on the shelves for too long.

Easy upload of data

Stop manually regularly uploading new supplier cost prices, you can schedule these to update on a specified date and time and avoid the hassle of late-night data maintenance.

 Dynamic stock maintenance

Keep on top of changing customer buying patterns, minimum and maximum stock holdings are calculated on the most up to date figures to keep you ahead of the curve in today’s volatile market. 

Keep your customers in the loop

Provide your customers with instant access to price and availability with an integrated online web solution that allows your customers to access your products and services when they need them, together with their own account details such as invoices, balances, and payments. You can also reduce time spent searching through prices and reports by emailing price lists directly to the customers you want.

Most ERP providers can – and should – keep up a continual level of investment in new features. Product development and ongoing investment help you thrive in today’s challenging marketplace.

But the same also applies to your organisation. From your ERP software to your web presence, finance and accounting, optimising your systems and processes through digitalisation strengthens your business model and improves customer service. By giving your staff the digital tools to stay ahead of your competitors, you can use the latest technology to streamline tasks and gain greater efficiencies.

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