Intelligent SME.tech Issue 22 | Page 9

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Mollie and Xentral to smooth e-commerce payments and ERP processes
One in three UK SMEs struggling with the cost of staffing
Mollie – one of the fastest growing payment service providers in Europe – and Xentral – a German leader in lean ERP systems – have announced the companies ’ collaboration . In the process , Xentral will integrate Mollie ’ s comprehensive payment services into its multichannel ERP platform .
The partnership between the two e-commerce tech leaders creates a solution for SMEs that makes both the payment and
order management process easier and smoother , significantly supporting the growth of numerous e-commerce businesses . The new service is available immediately to all current and future customers of Mollie and Xentral .
“ The partnership is based on concrete customer requirements ,” said Annett Polaszewski-Plath , Managing Director DACH at Mollie . “ In addition , both companies share similar visions : Mollie wants to simplify the payment process for small and medium-sized businesses , while Xentral centralises all business operations in one platform for precisely these companies , making them as simple and streamlined as possible .”
New research by NatWest Rapid Cash has revealed the employment challenges facing recruiters and SMEs and how current and future job market trends are creating new opportunities for employers and employees .
According to the research , 34 % of SMEs are struggling with the costs of staffing .
This has led to more vacancies across the job market . Over three-quarters ( 85 %) of recruiters say businesses are struggling to employ the talent
they need , with the challenge starkest in Greater London ( 92 % of recruiters ), the East of England ( 90 %) and Wales ( 93 %). The research has also identified that the shortage of candidates is particularly affecting the healthcare , it and technology sectors .
Rising operational costs and a squeeze on cash flow mean that offering higher wages cannot be the sole way for companies to fill their vacancies . Employers and recruiters need to find new ways to attract ( and retain ) the best candidates .
Report reveals gap to going green
Recent research by Oxford Economics and SAP SE has uncovered significant barriers to corporate sustainability initiatives .
The problems include a lack of communication and engagement by executives , ineffective use of data , siloed technologies that don ’ t share processes or information and a lack of cross-company and industry collaboration and partnership .
Yet while the value of sustainability initiatives is not being realised broadly , the study also shows that the business case for them is well understood .
Executives expressed eagerness for their organisations to become more sustainable , citing efficiency ( 58 %), improving brand reputation ( 46 %) and meeting customer needs ( 44 %) as top business benefits for sustainability efforts .
Overall , 63 % of the executives surveyed indicated that their company has a formal sustainability plan already in place .
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