Skip to content
The Growing Pains of Small and Medium Businesses
Every business has been there at some time or another. The big enterprises have all struggled and have encountered the same challenges that you may be going through, so let’s talk about the real struggles SMBs face when scaling up:
- Siloed Systems – you may have data that is scattered across different tools which makes it hard to get a clear picture of finances, inventory, or customer orders. You may have a plethora of different solutions with unique data sets in each one.
- Manual Processes – Spreadsheets and paper-based workflows slow things down and lead to costly mistakes. Human error is one of the major issues that plagues businesses who operate manually.
- Limited Resources – smaller teams mean employees wear multiple hats, often juggling admin tasks instead of focusing on growth.
- Cash Flow Challenges – Inefficient invoicing and payment processes create delays and cash flow gaps and not having the
- Lack of Visibility – Without real-time insights, any decision-making becomes more reactive instead of proactive.
You may have started operating on disparate spreadsheets, word documents and a lot of guess work. Then over time, you’ve layered a financial product like QuickBooks or Xero on top, added a few staff members, increased your customer base and all of a sudden, you have a cluster of inefficiency where trying to get to the source of truth on business performance is challenging.
ERP + RPA + AI: The Power Trio You Need to Know About
So my question is – have you considered three of the biggest game-changers right now? ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), RPA (Robotic Process Automation), and AI-powered automation.
For small and medium businesses, ERP has come a long way from being just an expensive way to track inventory. Modern ERP systems support the core elements of your business, integrating and automating key functions like finance, procurement, sales, inventory management, and HR.
If you have a well-implemented ERP, it can eliminate data silos, enhance reporting, and provide real-time insights to allow you to make better decisions. It also ensures you remain compliant with financial and operational regulations, reducing costly errors and inefficiencies.
But here’s your challenge; without integration and automation, even the best ERP can quickly become a burden, so you have to ensure you’re set up to succeed.
That’s where RPA (Robotic Process Automation) steps in. If you’re unfamiliar with the terminology, consider RPA as the ultimate efficiency booster that handles your repetitive, rule-based tasks that you and your teams really hate. Those tasks that you have to do but really slow you down. This means automating invoice processing, order entry, data validation, and even customer service inquiries. RPA doesn’t just speed up processes—it reduces human error, cuts operational costs, and gives your employees the headspace to focus on high-value work rather than tedious admin tasks.
If you then add AI-powered document automation into the mix, you’re suddenly eliminating manual data entry, streamlining invoice approvals, and enabling intelligent decision-making based on real-time analytics. Together, ERP, RPA, and AI don’t just improve processes; they transform how your businesses operates.
Combining ERP, RPA, and AI-powered automation brings optimisation and productivity, allows you to get to the heart of repeatable process and sets you up for success.
But why does this matter right now?
“Automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.”— Bill Gates
Business is continuing to be tough, the UK market particularly and the budget hitting in April is not going to be kind to smaller businesses. So optimising now is a sensible move. Other considerations also include:
- ERP is getting smarter. AI and cloud-based systems are making ERP more agile, scalable, and user-friendly.
- RPA is going mainstream. No longer just for big enterprises, companies of all sizes are using automation to cut costs and speed things up.
- AI-driven automation is redefining efficiency. Handling unstructured data, streamlining approvals, and making business processes more intelligent.
- The competition is levelling up. If you’re not leveraging these tools, your competitors probably are.
Enter Our New Partnerships: Enterpryze + Esker + Us
We’ve been working hard to identify the right platforms that we believe will enhance any small or medium sized business and recently announced our partnerships with Enterpryze and Esker—two powerhouse platforms designed to help businesses work smarter, not harder.
- Enterpryze brings cloud-based ERP solutions that streamline operations, automate processes, and scale with ease. Whether you’re a small business or an enterprise, it’s about making ERP simple and effective. With Enterpryze, businesses can track sales, manage inventory, and oversee financials in one unified system.
- Esker is a leader in AI-driven document automation, tackling everything from sourcing, order processing to invoicing. No more manual data entry or approval bottlenecks—just seamless, automated workflows. Esker helps businesses speed up accounts payable and receivable cycles, reducing processing times and improving cash flow, whilst also giving procurement/sourcing options.
What’s In It for You?
As I’ve mentioned, the combination brings with it huge advantages. You might think it’s a huge effort to get you to the end result but trust me, with the right support it’s easier than you think, and can deliver:
- Seamless ERP + RPA + AI integration (because manual data entry should be a thing of the past)
- Scalable solutions that grow with your business
- A smarter, faster way to work—less admin, more action
So, if you’re still wrestling with outdated, manual processes & clunky workflows, running your business from spread sheets and spending your time correcting mistakes, it’s time to rethink your approach. The future of work is here, and it’s powered by ERP, RPA, and AI.
If you want to explore the art of the ERP possible – get in touch with us today!
