Manufacturers who are engineer-to-order, design and build products specific to a customer’s necessitate, have a huge opportunity to differentiate themselves in the market.
Customers are expecting a quick turnaround of quotes and orders with high quality, and the process of engaging sales, engineering, production and customer service, all running in harmony, is essential.
A fully integrated ERP, CRM solution provides five key benefits for ETO manufacturers:
Customers are demanding closer quotes and reduced turnaround time on orders. If you aren’t able to provide it, there are competitors who can. With an integrated CRM solution, salespeople have their pulse on what is happening in ERP and can provide updates and constant communication to customers. Engineers can design and create in CAD, and those designs can be quickly used in ERP to produce accurate quotes that are cutthroat and will maintain profit margins.
Some key frustrations expressed by customers needing custom engineered products are disconnects between what they need designed and the final products, postponed responses when asking about an estimate or the status of an order, and missed promised dates. A solution that eliminates silos of data and incorporates everyone, is crucial. Sales has access to key data to keep in front of customer questions and changes. Customer service can answer order status questions with the customer without delay. creation will have full insight into the materials and processes for manufacturing and can plan to eliminate material and capacity constraints. Lastly, engineering can push the most current designs and bills of stuff to production to ensure what is being produced matches the customer’s design.
When systems are integrated, separate silos of information are eliminated, ensuring each person is on the same page. Sales can provide true information to customers on the status of orders, how much is owed and see a quote that was sent. Production can see what has been engineered by having bills of textile, design documents and routings automatically created and updated from CAD and engineers can see item information, like descriptions and locations, by having an ERP solution that updates back to CAD.
Each person in an organization requires access to the most current, accurate information. Salespeople need to see the status of orders from ERP and offer current customer information to ERP. Shop floor workers need current access to drawings and work instructions provided by engineering. When integrated, each area will access correct information to eliminate questions, bottlenecks and delays.