The story repeats itself over and over again: a growing company decides it needs to "professionalize" and hires an ERP. Six months later, the system is half-implemented, the team hates it, and we're still using Excel for the important stuff.
Why does this happen? Because most SMEs don't need an ERP. They need to solve specific problems in their operation. And for that, there's an alternative that few know about.
The problem with traditional ERPs
An ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is designed for large companies with complex operations. It includes modules for everything: accounting, inventory, human resources, sales, purchasing, production, and more.
For an SME, this means:
Paying for 20 modules when you use 3
Months of implementation that paralyze operations
Adapting YOUR process to the software (instead of the other way around)
Complicated interfaces that your team avoids using
Hidden costs of customization, training, and support
The result: a large investment that doesn't solve the original problem.
The alternative: custom mini-systems
Imagine that instead of buying a Swiss Army knife with 47 tools, you could have exactly the 3 tools you use every day, but designed perfectly for your hand.
That's a custom mini-system: a small application that solves ONE specific problem in your business, exactly as you need it.
It's not an ERP. It doesn't try to do everything. It does ONE thing, but does it perfectly for you.
Real examples of mini-systems
These are examples of solutions for SMEs that thought they needed an ERP:
Mini-CRM for construction company
The problem: They were losing track of prospects because each agent had their own Excel sheet.
The solution: A simple CRM with only 4 screens: lead capture, contact tracking, visit calendar, and conversion report by agent.
No inventory module. No accounting. Nothing they wouldn't use.
Quote generator for services company
The problem: Each quote took 2 hours because they had to look up prices, calculate margins, and format the document.
The solution: A quote generator that knows their services, applies the pricing formula automatically, and generates a professional PDF in 5 minutes.
Incident manager for maintenance company
The problem: Failure reports came via WhatsApp, email, and phone. Requests got lost and there was no way to know the status.
The solution: A simple ticket system where the client reports, the technician updates, and the manager sees everything on a dashboard. With automatic notifications on each status change.
Fleet control for distributor
The problem: They didn't know where their trucks were or if deliveries were completed on time.
The solution: A mobile app for drivers (check-in at each delivery with photo) + a real-time map for the manager + delayed delivery alerts.
Simplified invoicing system
The problem: The invoicing system was so complicated that only one person knew how to use it, creating a bottleneck.
The solution: An invoicing system with 3 buttons: customer, products, generate. Connected to tax authorities for automatic stamping. Anyone can use it in 10 minutes.
ERP vs Mini-system: The honest comparison
Let's look at the real numbers:
Traditional ERP for SME:
License: $500 - $2,000 USD/month
Implementation: $5,000 - $30,000 USD
Time: 3-12 months until operational
Training: Weeks of training
Result: You use 20% of the features
Custom mini-system:
Development: $2,000 - $8,000 USD (one-time payment)
Hosting: $20 - $100 USD/month
Time: 2-6 weeks until operational
Training: 1-2 hours (because it's intuitive)
Result: You use 100% of the features
When DO you need an ERP?
To be fair, there are cases where an ERP makes sense:
Companies with +50 employees and highly interconnected processes
Need to comply with strict regulations (pharmaceutical, financial)
Complex manufacturing with MRP (material resource planning)
Multinationals that need to consolidate information from various locations
If your company isn't on this list, a mini-system probably solves your problem better.
The modular approach: grow when you need it
The beauty of mini-systems is that you can start small and grow:
Month 1: You implement the quote generator because it's your most urgent pain point
Month 4: You add a mini-CRM that connects with the quote generator
Month 8: You add the project manager to track post-sale follow-up
Each piece integrates with the previous ones, but you only pay for what you need, when you need it. There are no "modules we'll use someday".
How to know what mini-system you need
Ask yourself these questions:
Which process gives you the most headaches? (Not the most complex, the most frustrating)
What information do you always have to search for in multiple places?
Where do things get lost? (Leads, orders, invoices, tickets)
What manual task do you hate doing?
The answer to these questions tells you exactly what mini-system you need first.
Conclusion: Less is more
You don't need a system that does everything. You need one that does well what matters for your business.
A custom mini-system:
Adapts to how you work (not the other way around)
Is so simple that your team adopts it without resistance
Costs a fraction of an ERP
Is ready in weeks, not months
Grows with you when you need it
The next time you think "we need an ERP," ask yourself: do we really need ALL of that, or just solve this specific problem?
Do you have a process that needs a solution?
At osom we design custom mini-systems for SMEs. In a free 30-minute consultation we analyze your operation and honestly tell you if you need an ERP, a mini-system, or simply organize what you already have.
No technical jargon. No selling you what you don't need. Just solutions that work.