Some Hard Truths.
Recently, I attended a software conference with some of the biggest names in software: SAP, Oracle NetSuite, Infor, and Epicor. During the panel discussion A.I. came to the top of conversations.
Singing the A.I. praises I heard them say, “things are moving faster than we think”, “processes will be done by A.I. that are now done by people” & “information for faster and better decisions is at our fingertips”.
Knowing that manufacturers are not ready for this from an accuracy point of view, I had to ask, “What happens to A.I. with bad data?” Answers included “It doesn’t work”, “you are not ready”, and “evolve or die”.
To translate this, if you are poorly, partially implemented, or consistently have bad data entered in your ERP system, you are not ready and you need to fix this now.
The first hard truth is that A.I. will widen the gap between manufacturers that can control their data accuracy and those that cannot.
So, whose responsibility is it to fix it? The second hard truth is that this belongs with owners, CEO’s, Presidents, and top management. A relentless pursuit of discipline in the manufacturing system is necessary for accurate data and your survival. This starts at the top of your organization.
How do we fix this problem? Contact your software provider and IMEC to do an assessment of your data accuracy issues. Staff your team appropriately and start knocking down the problems one at a time. Build your ERP system around disciplined data entry accuracy from top to bottom.
The third hard truth is that if you want the benefits of technology, you must first invest the energy and resources to make the data accurate. The investment in resources will more than pay for itself in efficiency and decision-making abilities.
The last hard truth is that if you do not address this now, your company will be left behind as fast as A.I. grows.
