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orterro study highlights a strong

New research has shown the potential cost of ERP downtime , with the average UK midmarket e-commerce firm expecting to lose £ 26,578.95 in a single day of ERP outage .

The study from European ERP provider , Forterro , also revealed that half of respondents foresee staff downtime if their ERP system goes down for the day , while 47 % anticipate reputational damage , highlighting the critical role of ERP availability .

The penetration of cloud ERP in the sector was high with 87 % using cloud-based or hybrid systems . The main benefits cited were ease of backup and accessibility ( 43 %), high availability ( 41 %) and greater processing speed and performance ( 40 %).

Despite the ubiquity of cloud ERP , almost two-thirds ( 64 %) of respondents say that cloud is an untapped opportunity for their company . Over two-fifths ( 41 %) believe their organisation ’ s lack of effective cloud usage means they aren ’ t seeing the benefits of technologies such as AI and IoT .

The lost revenue is one thing , but the long-term reputational damage could be disastrous , so constant availability is imperative .

“ E-commerce is one of the most competitive sectors , and those operating within it have to differentiate themselves with service excellence ,” said David Coste , President , North & Western Europe , Forterro . “ ERP is instrumental in helping deliver that excellence , and its importance to e-commerce is illustrated by the potential fallout should it not be available . The lost revenue is one thing , but the long-term reputational damage could be disastrous , so constant availability is imperative .”

ERP has become a much-valued technology for e-commerce firms . The key benefits of ERP mentioned were real-time data ( 59 %), increased efficiencies ( 57 %) and fast reporting and analysis ( 56 %). When it came to future technology priorities , 43 % of respondents identified security and safety as their top priority , reflecting industry concerns about the volume and severity of cyberattacks . More than one-third ( 36 %) said cost reduction was a major future priority , and 32 % said improving the supply chain .

The main challenges in UK midmarket e-commerce overall were the on-going global economic and political uncertainty ( 40 %), maintaining a strong sales pipeline ( 39 %) and talent retention and acquisition ( 36 %).

“ UK e-commerce firms are facing a variety of challenges that make their existence that bit harder , so business leaders must do all they can to protect themselves now and in the future ,” added Coste . “ Technology is a key element in that process , and cloud ERP can be fundamental for any e-commerce firm , helping to increase operational efficiencies and unlocking potential within other technologies .”

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