In a recent survey conducted by Salesforce, titled “Trends in Manufacturing,” it was found that a staggering 95% of manufacturers anticipate a shift in their business operations due to the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. This shift presents an opportunity for manufacturers to reassess their strategies and capitalize on the digital transformation that was initially initiated by the Industry 4.0 revolution and has since accelerated in the wake of the pandemic.
In the face of impending digital disruption, the manufacturing industry finds itself at a critical juncture where it must either adapt or risk obsolescence. To survive in a competitive market, manufacturers must mature and become more customer-centric by embracing various software solutions. Recent trends have shifted the focus towards customer acquisition and retention, prompting traditionally operated manufacturing industries to move away from ERP systems and towards CRM solutions that combine ERP and other automation.
This has allowed enterprises to adopt lean manufacturing and automation strategies to satisfy future demand, while simultaneously addressing pain points such as:
Below are a few ways Salesforce CRM resolves Manufacturing industry problems easily.
Effective lead generation and management are essential for the manufacturing industry to increase sales and revenue. A robust CRM solution such as Salesforce enables manufacturers to identify and prioritize high-quality leads and streamline the sales process. The Sales Cloud feature provides a centralized platform to manage all sales activities, including accounts, leads, opportunities, and communication, leading to better collaboration and increased efficiency. The integration with the Marketing Cloud and Salesforce Pardot helps automate marketing activities, generating more upsell and cross-sell opportunities with real-time analytics. The CPQ (configure-price-quote) feature also helps create customized product catalogs and streamlines quotation management.
Customer satisfaction is critical to any business’s success, and CRM plays a crucial role in improving the overall customer experience. By gathering customer data, CRM provides a 360-degree overview of their buying behaviour and preferences, allowing manufacturers to better understand and serve their customers. The Service Cloud feature enables companies to track, manage, and resolve customer queries in one place, ensuring faster response times and reducing customer wait time. By utilizing CRM, companies can nurture customer relationships, improve communication, and enhance customer satisfaction.
Salesforce CRM’s capability to track customer orders helps manufacturers generate accurate sales forecasts. With Einstein analytics, manufacturers can determine each customer’s buying behaviour, and identify peak order periods, and long-term patterns, allowing for better production planning and timely delivery of orders. Accurate sales forecasting helps manufacturers stay ahead of the competition by enabling them to plan for future demand, optimize production, and reduce inventory costs.
In the manufacturing industry, detailed and actionable information about operations, inventory management, order processing, warehousing, and distribution networks can be obtained using a CRM. This provides better production planning and control, and efficient supply chain management. Workflows can be created, and procedures can be automated for more effective operations.
ERP is crucial for managing the sales process in the manufacturing industry. However, it is only effective if it is fully integrated with CRM. A connected system can streamline information across all departments, saving time and providing improved visibility of the process. Salesforce offers integration with ERP to improve the efficiency of essential operations, and integrating CRM and ERP can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the manufacturing industry.
CloudCache Consulting highly recommends Salesforce CRM for the manufacturing industry. With its comprehensive set of features and interconnected cloud platforms, Salesforce can help manufacturers improve their manufacturing processes, boost sales, enhance customer satisfaction, and increase overall productivity. Whether you are a small or large enterprise, Salesforce has something to offer.
By choosing Salesforce, manufacturers can experience the benefits of a customer-centric approach and stay ahead of the competition. With our expert guidance and support, we can help you leverage the power of Salesforce to transform your business operations and drive growth.
Contact us today to learn more about how Salesforce can help your manufacturing business thrive.