SYSPRO: Simplifying Business Complexity for Manufacturers and Distributors through Industry-Built ERP Software

“SYSPRO aims to be the heart of our customers’ businesses, and to help them demystify digital transformation.”

In a rapidly changing business environment, it is impossible for most of organizations to create and always update unique custom-designed software catering to all its requirements. This is the scenario across the globe and to help businesses, information technology firms have designed and developed ERP software, helping businesses simplify these procedures and technologies. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is a high-end business process management software for manufacturers and distributors that integrates all data and processes of a business. It is used by organizations to manage all aspects of their manufacturing or distribution business.

SYSPRO provides highly scalable ERP solutions in cloud, on-premise, and via mobile deployment models for more than 15,000 manufacturing and distribution companies in over 60 countries. The organically-built solutions offer a modular format on an integrated, contextual architecture with easy-to-use and flexible interface that allows smaller-sized businesses to implement gradually and larger ones to grasp the complete suite of vertical market-embedded features and functions.

Geoff Garrett: Interview Highlights

Can you brief us about the history of your company?

SYSPRO is an industry-built Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution designed to simplify business complexity for manufacturers and distributors.

SYSPRO’s strengths lie in a simplified approach to technology and a commitment to both customer and partner success. Over 40 years of solving manufacturing and distribution business challenges is built into our flexible ERP software and proven services. SYSPRO is easy to do business with and is focused on delivering increased business performance and reduced risk. The SYSPRO software solution aspires to exceed customer requirements, is highly scalable, and can be deployed on-premise, in the cloud, or accessed from a mobile device.

What is your company’s M&V statement?

At SYSPRO USA, we operate on a foundation of the following core values: honesty, faith, love, integrity, and family. These values were defined by members of the SYSPRO team to truly capture what it means to be part of this organization. We have always valued relationships over transactions, positioning SYSPRO as a customer-centric organization that will drive growth cohesively through our partners.

What were the biggest initial hurdles to building your business and how did you overcome them?

Change management. As the new leader for SYSPRO USA, I needed to work hard to create a belief in our company’s future potential and to also manage expectations along the way. We overcame this by first implementing a value system to instill trust as a fundamental. Second, we encouraged the entire team to participate in how they will help us make the vision come to life.We invested in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of our people and investing in them.

What is your greatest fear and how do you manage fear?

Fear of the unknown. Basically, fear of failure because we didn’t know about or couldn’t anticipate what was to come. I’ve learned to mitigate this risk by instilling a management style: teaching what metrics bring value, what’s relevant, and how to be proactive. There’s that old saying that rings true: “If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it.” But we can make the future predictable. When you measure the right thing, you are getting actionable insight as opposed to just information. As leaders, our management style needs to be openness and honesty of where we are as a business. I hope to teach and empower our team in order to bring value to these relevant insights.

‘It is difficult to start a venture, but far more difficult to maintain it.’How would you and your team interpret this saying?

The team you have in place is everything. You cannot truly build a business without the right team as the foundation. Without the right people, the right attitude, and the right values in place, businesses ultimately fail. I am grateful and quite fortunate to lead a talented team that believes in our mission and vision. They help drive SYSPRO forward.

What would you say was the single most influential factor in your business’ success?

I can’t narrow it down to just one as I believe the following three points are equally as important:

• Ethics
• Attracting the right talent
• An attitude of nothing is impossible

What other leaders do you look up to, and why?

Jim Rohn -- he was inspiring, honest, and was a God-led man who changed many lives. And Peter Drucker -- he taught that understanding business was easy. It is understanding people that is the secret ingredient for success.

What are your future focus areas?

We seek to shift SYSPRO from traditional product and ERP thinking to a focus of demystifying digital transformation for our customers.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Failing is learning. Never give up and don’t be discouraged by a few bumps in the road. It’s all part of the process as success doesn’t come easily.

What do you hope to accomplish in the long run?

I aim to create a company culture where the best talent in the world wants to work at SYSPRO; to be recognized as a business that succeeded through honesty and integrity; and for SYSPRO to be the ERP specialist known as the innovative leader in technology for Smart Manufacturing.

Geoff Garrett: A Visionary Leader

Geoff Garrett is Chief Executive Officer of SYSPRO USA. An accomplished technology and enterprise software leader, Geoff has over two decades of experience in driving accelerated business growth. Under his direction, SYSPRO USA has reinforced a customer and partner-centric approach.

Geoff is an established expert in improving sales performance and implementing a strategic vision for some of the world’s largest and most significant organizations. He was first introduced to the SYSPRO Group in 2016 as the Acting Global Chief Sales Officer. In this role, he was responsible for restructuring the overall global strategy, direction, and financial performance of the company. He also designed SYSPRO’s successful global partner program, called PartnerUP. With successful global execution, the program further positioned SYSPRO as a leader in the ERP industry.

“We have always valued relationships over transactions, positioning SYSPRO as a customer-centric organization that will drive growth cohesively through our partners.”