The Midwest and East Coast are the two fastest emerging markets for cannabis in the U.S., and as expected, are prone to growing pains. With over 5 years of experience working in existing markets such as California, we have learned the exact reasons why a cannabis ERP is a must have for operators under pressure to scale.
Let’s dig in.
1) Set Standards and Get Organized from Day 1
Entering into a new market, although incredibly exciting, is rife with challenges. The easiest way to navigate the currents and stay afloat is to create and maintain robust SOPs that help your team stay organized and on the same page from Day 1.
Common Problem: The industry is riddled with tales of cannabis operators getting stifled in their growth or even ending up non-compliant, with a key reason being the improper maintenance of records and procedures. By the time this became something really concerning, it was often too late.
Solution: You buy insurance before the flood, not during it, and a cannabis ERP is a part of that insurance policy. Centralizing all of your data into one software platform means you'll have easy access to your data anytime you need it. Software will also allow you to filter for specific information and create data reports for easy interpretation of the numbers.
2) Avoid Pigeonholing Yourself in A Mess of Spreadsheets
Speaking of centralizing data, let's talk about paper files and spreadsheets - what a mess! Running through files cabinets and chasing after your co-workers for information is a lose-lose game and belongs to a bygone era. Physically stored information travels much slower than digital information too, creating bottlenecks in your business when someone doesn't have the right information at the right time.
Common Problem: You’re selling bulk flower to a repeat customer, and want to know how much you sold them last time and at what cost per pound. The information is written “somewhere,” and now you’re chasing people down or scrolling through hundreds of files to find that one piece of information you need.
Solution: Set a foundation for your data management in the early stages of your business. A cannabis ERP will allow you to digitally record information, with options to export data and reports at any time. ERP software will become even more useful as your business scales and must naturally handle larger loads of historical data.
3) Easy Onboarding as Your Team Scales
It's important to plan for your future growth as a company from the beginning, even if it's coming down the line. Setting SOPs and getting organized is one great way of adapting to growth, but it doesn't actually help if the time it takes to train new hires is still slowing you down.
Common Problem: Hiring new staff means training them on the large stack of softwares your company uses. Without an all-in-one solution, you’ll be teaching them inventory software, sales software, finance software, and how to manage paper records. All of that time and money spent training could be saved if these tasks and information were all in one platform.
Solution: Cut down on as much unnecessary software as possible and train your staff to use just a few crucial tools. The purpose of a cannabis-specific ERP software is to give you that one place to organize all tasks and data, with features built specifically to make cannabis operations easier.
These are just a few ways that a cannabis-specific ERP system will help set a rock solid foundation and grow your business from Day 1. Distru has been helping the cannabis industry for over 5 years now, allowing them to save time and money during day to day operations. We are your central hub to manage cannabis & non-cannabis inventory, track your manufacturing runs, create and fulfill sales orders, and manage customer contacts. Our 2-way live Metrc integration, Leaflink integration, and Quickbooks integration were all built with you in mind, so you and your team don’t have to juggle double entry of data between multiple softwares. Let’s find some time to learn more about your business and show how we can help!
