Why Family Businesses Are Choosing CRM Over ERP
Outgrowing MYOB or Xero? Why Family Businesses Are Choosing CRM Over ERP
Family businesses are the engine room of the Australian economy. They’re loyal, practical, and deeply invested in what they do – often across multiple generations. But as they grow, many are discovering that the tools they started with can’t keep up.
That’s the big insight from the 2025 Family Business Barometer Report, which highlights the pressure family-run businesses are under to scale, stay organised and prepare for the future – without losing control of what makes them unique.
The problem? They’ve outgrown tools like MYOB and Xero, but a full-blown ERP is just too much – too expensive, too complex, and too disruptive.
That’s where Tall Emu comes in.
The Challenges Stacking Up for Family-Run Businesses
According to the Barometer Report:
- 48% lack clarity around long-term strategy and succession
- 47% are actively trying to improve operational efficiency
- 37% are navigating leadership transitions
- 36% are managing family dynamics inside the business
- 35% are struggling to keep up with growth
These businesses are often juggling stock, jobs, customer relationships, and admin across spreadsheets, inboxes and disconnected systems. It works – until it doesn’t.
Why MYOB and Xero Aren’t Enough Anymore
MYOB and Xero are excellent for bookkeeping and accounting – and most businesses want to keep them. But they fall short when it comes to:
- Managing inventory and stock across multiple locations
- Handling quotes, jobs, orders and fulfilment
- Automating customer follow-ups and reminders
- Tracking sales performance and team activity
- Getting a real-time view of what’s happening in the business
So, you start adding workarounds, bolt-on apps and more admin… and before long, the system is running you.
Why Go Full ERP When There’s a Smarter Option?
For many growing businesses, the next step looks like ERP — but it doesn’t need to be.
Tall Emu CRM is a smarter middle ground. Think of it as a “mini-ERP” that plugs into MYOB or Xero and runs the rest of your business – without the price tag or complexity of traditional ERP systems.
It’s made for family businesses that want to scale without losing the plot – giving you powerful tools to manage operations, sales, stock and service from one place.
Who’s Using Tall Emu?
Here are just some of the family-run businesses using Tall Emu to stay in control and grow without chaos:
- Manufacturers – using BOMs and job tracking to manage production and raw materials
- Wholesalers & Distributors – managing multi-depot stock, batch/serial tracking, landed costs and foreign currencies
- Importers & Resellers – automating quote-to-order workflows and tracking supplier pipelines
- Trades & Field Services – quoting on the go, managing jobs, sending invoices and tracking customer history
- Online Retailers & B2B Sellers – syncing inventory and orders, managing customer interactions and automating follow-ups
- Food & Beverage – managing perishable stock, batch tracking, multi-site inventory and customer orders
- Machinery & Equipment – tracking serial numbers, repairs and service jobs, with full customer history
All of these businesses had outgrown Xero or MYOB alone, but didn’t want the cost, confusion or rigidity of ERP.
What You Get with Tall Emu
- Automate the Busywork
Stop chasing spreadsheets. Automate quotes, orders, follow-ups and admin. - Simplify Succession
Store everything in the system – not someone’s head — so the next generation can step in without starting from scratch. - Grow Without Losing Control
See real-time data across stock, sales, ops and customers. Make faster, better decisions. - Keep Everyone on the Same Page
Assign roles, restrict access, log activity, and align the team – whether they’re staff or family.
Want to See It in Action?
If your family business is growing faster than your systems, it’s not your fault – you’ve just outgrown your tools.
Tall Emu CRM gives you the power to run your business like an ERP – without the ERP drama. Keep your accounting platform. Add real operational control.
Contact us to discuss your business needs
Watch a demo or start a free 14-day trial
Australian-made. Family-business friendly. Ready when you are.