Manufacturing businesses were particularly badly hit by pandemic lockdowns of 2020, and early 2021 – with supply chains disrupted workplaces physically transformed and seismic shifts in consumer behaviour.
Coping with these changes while struggling to meet demand or find new product markets meant many manufacturers were forced to modify operations significantly.
Customer relationship management (CRM) is a significant business area requiring new thinking.
A CRM system can help manufacturers better understand their sales leads through a centralised customer database, making it easier to identify qualified prospects and focus on the best opportunities, know the status of sales leads in real-time without asking the sales team, and distribute tips to the right salespeople.
One such system is Microsoft’s Dynamics 365, and here are five reasons why firms need to invest in this tech.
Seamless processes
The beauty of a Dynamics 365 platform is its easy integration with other media and its ability to grow and adapt alongside your company.
Perhaps you’re using a few different systems within your company, but what if none of these systems talks to each other?
Wouldn’t it be better to have a platform that syncs with all your other systems and is even integrated with your website?
Better customer journey
Whether the customer is a business or consumer buyer, manufacturers can create a standardised process for managing the journey from that person’s first contact with their company to deliver.
Adding automation – such as quotes that generate sales orders and inform production schedules – can make the entire process more scalable.
Dynamics 365 also allows customer/client servicing teams to pull data on, for example, order history, shipping details or previous engagements at the moment it is needed.
Better sales management
A bespoke CRM with automated processes will save time and remove the element of human error. Relying on manual processes means you are more likely to miss those crucial enquiries and lose out on potential customers.
A sound CRM system also allows sales colleagues to look at available capacity to give clients and prospects reliable information on likely orders and timescales for delivery.
Better use of data
The sources of customer and client data available to manufacturing businesses are increasing almost monthly.
From tools and equipment connected to the internet to social media, data can be used for many business improvements, including managing supply chains, evaluating risks, researching markets, or customising product design, to name just a few.
How businesses use this data is crucial. Creating a single view of your business data on Dynamics 365, rather than storing it all on separate spreadsheets, will help you forecast product demand, spot market trends, get better insights on your customers and market to them more strategically.
Boost profits
The idea behind all the integrating, streamlining, and improving above is to make a business more profitable.
They do this by making the experience quicker, smoother, and more relevant for the customer or client. A happy customer is, after all, a loyal customer.