How To Unlock the Full Potential of Your Merchant ERP

Are you getting the most from your merchant ERP system? Are you realising all the return on investment (ROI) you expected? If not, you’re not alone.

However, identifying exactly why you’re not reaping the full potential of your software can be tough—particularly while you’re busy with your day-to-day duties. So, to help you figure out likely areas of opportunities let’s look at Brian’s story, a fictional example amalgamating all the issues our team sees on a regular basis.

Brian's been trying to run his business more efficiently for years now—like thousands of other merchants across the UK and Ireland.

Fed up with wading through paperwork, guesstimating stock levels and chasing for updates on customer orders, he bought an ERP system.

Trouble is, this ERP isn't the magic wand Brian thought it would be.

While it's helped with the basics, his staff are still working from spreadsheets, his reports don't quite tell him what he needs to know, and he has a nagging feeling he's only scratching the surface of what his ERP system can do.

Let's explore the ways in which Brian - like many merchants - might not be getting the most from his ERP software.

Brian’s Still Running Multiple Systems Instead of One Unified ERP

At the moment, Brian is trying to manage orders through his ERP system while his trade counter fills out paper order forms and the warehouse team maintains its own “special” delivery spreadsheet. It's like having a Swiss Army knife but still carrying a separate bottle opener, scissors and screwdriver.

Many merchants persist with a patchwork approach because they don't realise their ERP can handle all these tasks, or they're worried about moving everything into one place. But running multiple systems incurs extra subscription costs and creates blind spots that make it harder to see the full business picture.

Bottom line: stop running (and paying for) four or five systems that can be consolidated by merchant ERP software.

His Staff Are Clinging Onto Old Ways of Working

"But this system works fine," says Brian's trade counter manager, reaching for the printer instead of sending a digital invoice. This resistance to change isn't unique to Brian's business; merchant depots everywhere have filing cabinets overflowing with paper and staff maintaining backup spreadsheets “just in case”.

The cost of clinging to old workflows is greater than paper and ink. It’s the hours spent searching for misplaced documents, the inaccuracies that arise from double-handling data and the frustration from customers waiting for order updates.

Without proper training, full buy-in and confident use, even the best merchant ERP system won't deliver to its full potential. For real changes to happen, staff need to trust the software and understand how it makes their jobs easier, not harder.

He’s Only Using Basic Features When Merchant ERP Software Can Do More

Like many business owners, Brian only uses his ERP to process orders, create invoices and check stock levels.

He's still wasting hours each month updating supplier prices, even though his ERP could handle this in five minutes. He's also plotting delivery routes on Google Maps when his ERP could optimise these automatically to complete more deliveries using less fuel.

Brian's story is typical across the sector. Most companies use their ERP as a simple sales and inventory tool when in reality, merchant software can handle so much more. Yet many business owners don't realise these advanced features exist—or they haven't taken the time to learn them.

He’s Missing Out on Data Insights That Could Drive Growth

Before buying an ERP system, Brian often relied on gut feel when making business decisions. Now, he exports information into spreadsheets and creates his own reports. But while this gives him basic insights, he's missing the deeper analytics his ERP can provide.

With a proper reporting deep dive, Brian could identify his most profitable product lines to focus his sales promotions, track seasonal buying patterns to optimise procurement, and see which customers are reducing their spend before they switch to a competitor. His ERP can break down all this data by branch, helping him understand which sites need attention and where his biggest sales opportunities lie.

Most merchants are sitting on a goldmine of business information that could help them make smarter decisions about everything from pricing to purchasing. But like Brian, they're only seeing a fraction of what’s available.

Brian Believes a Generic ERP Can Do the Job of Specialist Merchant Software

Brian chose his ERP system based on price and baseline features. Now he's discovering what many companies learn the hard way: generic ERP systems aren't built for the way merchants operate.

Specialist merchant ERP systems can handle things like:

• Trade counter sales and integrated payment terminals

• Branch-specific stock and pricing

• Special order management e.g. call-off orders

• Trade pricing tiers

• Customer-specific product names

• Multi-site operations

These aren't just “nice-to-have” features; they're essential for running an efficient business. And while a tech company can customise generic ERP systems to meet merchant-specific needs, these bespoke developments can come with a hefty price tag—including ongoing costs like maintaining and updating custom features.

It’s Time To Get More Value From Your ERP System

Why aren't merchants using ERP software to its full potential? As Brian's story illustrates, it comes down to a combination of old habits, missing important features and putting up with software not designed for the sector.

The merchants getting the most from their ERP systems use specialist technology purpose-built for the way they work. They're processing more orders, taking tighter control of fulfilment and giving customers better service.

Ready to join them? Download our free guide: 7 Ways SMEs Can Boost Sales and Distribution Efficiency for practical steps to improve your operations today.

Or if you'd like to see how merchant business software can transform your business operations, book a Merlin ERP demo.