August, 2025- A lot. That’s how Ben Lion, president for Enmark Systems, summarizes the number of new customers on-boarded annually by the ERP solutions provider. The Ann Arbor, Michiganbased company, through its flagship ERP product Eniteo, works exclusively with metal service centers.
With that kind of concerted focus, Enmark has amassed a number of tips during its 40- year tenure to help service centers select the right ERP solution for their needs. “Because we’ve worked with a lot of different service centers— of all sizes—we’ve probably already seen the challenge that a new customer is trying to solve,” says Chris Vaughn, vice president of product strategy.
There are several reasons why clients approach Enmark. “Customers are always looking for ways to solve business problems, create efficiency and improve their bottom line. That often means changing the status quo and examining processes they may have been using for years,” notes Lion.
A changing of the guard is another motivation. “Service centers will often contact us after a change in ownership, or when the next generation is assuming a leadership role. They are at a natural inflection point and are reviewing tools to get more out of their technology investments,” adds Lion.
Gaining a competitive advantage is another compelling driver for change. “As clients see other service centers engaging technology to become more efficient, they start taking a closer look at the limitations of their ERP system. The functionality of Eniteo can help drive competitive advantage,” reports Vaughn. Regardless of the impetus, there are several considerations for any service center about to secure and implement a new ERP solution.
Training is an important, and sometimes underappreciated, aspect of successful implementation of a new ERP system.
1. A TEAM EVENT
The biggest mistake a client can make in evaluating ERP solutions is assuming the project is an IT-exclusive task. “We see friction in an ERP launch when the client doesn’t get buy-in from other stakeholders who don’t see the benefits of the new system,” reports Lion.
Today’s ERP systems impact every part of service center operations. To be successful, Enmark advises clients to involve representatives from sales, production, purchasing and accounting. “These functions should be brought into the selection process early on and remain involved through implementation,” says Vaughn.
Other tools come along with an ERP solution. Before signing a contract for Eniteo, Vaughn encourages clients to understand how the ERP suite will enable other parts of the business. He gives examples like the impact of an analytics tool on the selling process and how barcode scanning capabilities can take the business paperless.
Including representatives from multiple functions, like the warehouse and shipping team, help service centers get the most out of their new ERP system.
2. START WITH THE END
Enmark starts by asking the client team what they hope to accomplish with a new ERP system. Increased efficiency, automated customer payments, enabling business expansion are all examples of expectations customers will have for ERP.
“When a client has a clear picture of the desired outcomes, they can get employees more involved in accomplishing the vision,” says Vaughn. He gives an example of a company seeking to double sales volume over a specific period. “A clear change in goals makes it easier for employees to lean into a new tool to help them get there,” adds Vaughn. “New goals often require new tools.”
3. IT’S A PROCESS
One way ERP implementation can go off the rails is when the organization views the change as simply replacing one ERP solution with another. “People are good at identifying what tool they need. They aren’t as good at recognizing whether process changes may also be necessary,” explains Lion. A client has to be open to streamlining and adapting internal processes to support the new ERP tools. “We sometimes hear, ‘Well that’s not how we did it with this old tool,’” Vaughn says. He stresses that new ERP tools may need a new process. “The ERP system is the backbone of a modern business. It’s important for management to adapt processes to support this backbone,” Vaughn notes.
Perhaps shop floor and shipping functions previously relied upon paper documentation. With Eniteo, sales, workflow and shipping are all interconnected, captured in real time and digitized-virtually eliminating the need for paperwork and manual entry.
An analytics tool can help with the sales process, while barcode scanning capabilities can take the business paperless.
4. ALIGNING METRICS
“People care about what gets measured,” says Lion. As an organization migrates to a new ERP system and revises internal processes, there is also an opportunity to capture more robust metrics. “When done right, the ERP system can measure things that were not easily captured before,” notes Lion.
Transparent metrics can also rally the workforce. “Once the ERP system is aligned with the business goals, everyone can see the same scoreboard—management, department heads and employees,” explains Vaughn. This transparency makes it easier to reward employees who achieve and surpass business goals.
5. LEAN INTO TRAINING
Another mistake businesses make in implementing a new ERP system is underestimating the importance of employee training in the process. “Be prepared to double down on your investment and time to train employees on the new ERP product—and on the new processes to support the ERP tool,” says Lion.
Enmark offers its clients a wide range of training options. Training is offered on-site during implementation and is facilitated in person by an Enmark representative. Employees can watch videos on the Enmark support site to familiarize themselves with Eniteo. Enmark also supplements training post-implementation.
“When an ERP implementation fails, we often find that the mistakes weren’t in the system selection, but in the implementation process,” says Lion. He adds, “Successful implementation comes down to establishing the core goals of the new ERP system and supporting those goals with processes and training to help the organization get there.”
Enmark Systems Inc., 734/669-0110, enmark.com.
