3 Key Things All Thriving Manufacturers Get from Their I.T.

The manufacturing industry accounts for a staggering $3.17 trillion of the United States economy. Contrary to popular belief, the sector is on the rise, up by over 27% from 2009. Yet while things are on the upswing now, the industry has seen its share of difficulties in the recent past. From job cuts to offshoring, in the 21^st century, manufacturing has often been at the whim of international and economic trends.

The latest movement entails technology advancements and their effects on workforce demographics and factories. The many changes technology has brought to the sector start with customers who demand better products that are unique (sometimes personalized) and delivered more quickly than ever—and with new features or upgrades added yearly (sometimes monthly).

With the implementation of modern systems such as CMMS (computerized maintenance management systems), the manufacturing industry is now more efficient than ever before.  Technology has also generated other benefits, including a streamlined workforce, lower maintenance costs, fewer repairs, and better management of trend reports and historical data. 

1. Great I.T. Provides Customer Insights and Builds Rapport

 Maintaining a great rapport with clients is vital to building a strong manufacturing business.  According to a Sales-I study, 40% of salespeople use their relationships with present accounts as a basis for making decisions involving new clients.

Additionally, an insignificant 6% depend only on their gut instinct to drive decision-making. Although this might serve some sales experts in particular situations, the process of decision-making should include other elements. A strong strategy should combine data analysis, insight based on experience, and customer knowledge. When you take this approach to sales, it will yield superior results and help forge stronger business relationships.

An effective way of keeping track of client buying patterns as well as any cross or upsell opportunities is by using data analytics tools. This gives you greater visibility into market trends in addition to allowing salespeople to customize their efforts for improved results.

By having data-led insights guiding your sales strategy, you are able to predict when a client will likely order more goods. This way, you can decide on the best timing to offer them discounts or additional services.

Through data, companies can also learn if there is a sudden dip in terms of spending. By having this information, the relevant department can call clients proactively and solve any issues, which might have occurred.

 With the right data, there’s no need for cold-calls or guesswork. You don’t have to waste time trying to fill any gaps. Sales teams always know exactly what their clients need and exactly when they need it. 

As data visualization software becomes more intelligent, it’s easier to not only share but also understand these insights. With modern tech, marketing and sales teams of a manufacturing company do not need to have a data scientist to analyze and interpret the raw data. Rather, A.I.-based software produces user-friendly graphs and images to help the company process and interpret all the info with simple clarity.

2. Great I.T. Transforms the Workplace (for the Better)

Administrative and repetitive tasks are a common headache for every manufacturing business. Nevertheless, some tend to suffer more compared to others. Consequently, they lose valuable time handling tasks that could be automated easily.

For instance, studies show that more than 17% of employees grapple with manual data entry. On top of that, 9.5% utilize outdated spreadsheets for analysis and reporting. According to the same study, 6% feel that they are inadequately prepared for sales meetings.

Aren’t these statistics shocking?

Allocating employees and time to manage these tasks is, without a doubt, an inefficient use of resources. In fact, it is better to focus customer-facing teams such as sales and marketing on business-critical work. Their purpose in a company is to drive company profits. As a result, they need to be able to prioritize work like closing deals to hit targets, reassessing pricing structures, promoting the company’s brand, and building customer relationships.

In the modern manufacturing business environment, most software apps already utilize task bots for purposes of automating reporting and data entry, as well as collation of information needed for meetings. Moving forward, automation will further transform the workplace and free workers from the burden of administrative tasks.

 

3. Great I.T. Improves Business Performance

Great I.T. at a successful manufacturing company should be able to improve the performance of the business. For example, a good number of manufacturers are utilizing advanced software solutions such as:

• Manufacturing process simulation – This entails the use of software models to not only study but also enhance manufacturing processes.
• Product data management – Product data management is the utilization of electronic systems that are designed to cut costs and the time it takes to bring products to market.
• Manufacturing execution systems – Manufacturing execution systems use software that is designed to run factories efficiently, collating many factors, such as wastage and downtime.
• Supply chain management software – These tools manage the flow of products and materials from the supplier to you and from the business to clients.
• Computerized maintenance management systems – They use electronic systems to monitor equipment, assets, and even the entire plant.
• Enterprise resource planning (ERP) – Provides a bird’s-eye view of the manufacturing business using one piece of software to connect all operations in the company.

 Final Words

New technologies driven by cloud computing, the internet of things, data exchange, automation, and more are drastically changing distribution and manufacturing processes by creating what are popularly known as ‘’smart factories.’’

 Through technology, manufacturing processes are becoming more efficient. Machines are able to communicate and connect with human input. And yes, these technologies can also automate other areas of manufacturing such as customer service, marketing, sales etc. 

Although the benefits I.T. brings to manufacturing are obvious, it takes prioritizing and planning if you want to make the most of technology to improve your business.

JMARK helps manufacturers use technology to increase efficiency, reduce risk, increase profits, and plan for the future. We have been leaders in I.T. for high-performing businesses for over thirty years. We have offices in Springfield, Missouri; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Fayetteville, Arkansas, and clients in forty-two states nationwide. To discuss the technology solutions we can build for your company, call 844-44-JMARK, email JMARKIT@JMARK.com, or visit the Contact Us page of this website.