Manufacturing companies have a lot of manufacturing business operations going on at any given time. These include product designing and engineering, procurement of raw materials, inventory management, production, warehousing, testing and inspection, packaging and labeling, shipping and distribution.
With so much going on, it becomes difficult for manufacturers to manage their manufacturing companies. They have customers, wholesalers, suppliers, distributors, and various other entities to cater to.
To handle the business small manufacturing companies can invest in customer relationships management, or CRM for manufacturers that can be customized and integrated with various other tools to make it the only tool manufacturers will ever need.
Why CRM is Essential for Small Manufacturing Businesses
Other than making business supervision easy there are a number of reasons as to why CRM for small manufacturing businesses is necessary.
- Automating redundant tasks
One of the primary benefits of a CRM is its ability to automate repetitive tasks. For instance, you can automate follow-up emails, schedule inventory deliveries, and generate daily production reports.
- Business view at a glance
It will be far more efficient when you can know exactly what is happening in your manufacturing unit at a given instance. A CRM provides a centralized platform to manage, and track all manufactured goods and customer orders. You can further integrate other custom or third-party apps to enhance your business view.
- Personalized customer experience
A CRM allows you to track customer interactions, preferences, and purchase history, enabling you to tailor your approach to each customer. You can promptly address customer concerns by timely notification or by automated responses.
- Accelerated sales cycle
When you have so much to do, you can overlook some important aspects of your business, such as sales. With CRM you can efficiently manage your leads, track their progress, and assign them to the right sales representatives. By streamlining your workflows you can reduce sales cycle and boost revenue.
- Real-time inventory management
For a manufacturer knowing the level of inventory is the key to making its manufacturing business flourish. With CRMs, you monitor real-time inventory levels identifying stock levels and potential shortages. You can streamline the inventory supply chain by optimizing procurement and delivery processes.
- Data-driven decision making
A manufacturer knows the number game really well, cause it's all about numbers. Once you cross a certain threshold, that’s when you start to make a profit. A CRM leverages data insights to identify areas for improvement and make informed decisions.
Top CRMs for Small Manufacturing Businesses
The following listed software, CRM for small manufacturing businesses is well suited for this size of a company.
Salesforce
Salesforce is a robust cloud-based CRM, that offers cloud for every business operation like sales, marketing, support, commerce and so much more. It even has a dedicated manufacturing cloud for manufacturing businesses of any scale. Salesforce manufacturing cloud features include:
- A complete view of customer sales agreements, long-term projects, and accurate demand forecasts.
- Service automation for customer support.
- Automating workflows for claims, rebates, quoting, etc.
- Data insights at scale with AI
- Enhancing data visibility and insights.
Pricing:
Starts at $250/user/month. Can be a great option for small to large-scale businesses, dealing with a high volume of production.
HubSpot
HubSpot is a comprehensive CRM platform that integrates marketing, sales, and service tools, making it ideal for Small business CRM for manufacturing units looking to streamline their operations. Its features for manufacturing companies are the following
- Marketing hub to expand brand reach
- Optimizing landing pages
- Lead generation via live chat
- Sales hub for sales process
- Service hub for customer support
- Ticket and feedback management
- Robust analytics
- Customizable email templates
- Document templates
Pricing starts at $0. If you are a really small manufacturing business, that is run by a small team, you’ll greatly benefit from the simple, user-friendly layout and simple analytics.
SuiteCRM
A highly affordable open-source platform that is easily customizable with integrations of other apps as required. Its benefits for small businesses include
- Cost-effective
- Customizable workflows including order management, production scheduling, and quality control
- Inventory management with tracking stock and optimizing inventory levels.
- Integration with other business processes, such as ERP, accounting, and email.
- Community support through a large and active community
- Document management with storing and organizing such as product specifications, quality control reports, and customer contracts.
The CRM tool is free to download, but the price is available on a quote request.
Zoho
An affordable CRM that manages all business operations including, marketing, sales, and service. It's easy to work with and its simple design makes it a top choice for small businesses. Zoho CRM features include:
- Channel integration including phone, email, live chat, and social media
- Insightful data for estimating when to reach out
- Automation for repetitive tasks
- Meaningful customer interactions
- Focus on efficiency
The price of Zoho starts at $39. If you are a small business with just one person to oversee all business operations, investing in a tool for automation will smoothen out various processes for you.
Pipedrive
Pipedrive can efficiently manage sales operations for manufacturing companies. Tracking and managing inventory, orders, production schedules, and customer interactions. Pipedrive features include:
- Sales-focused
- Focusing on pipeline management
- Tracking and forecasting deal tracking
- User-friendly interface for non-technical users
- Tools for visualizing and managing sales pipeline
The price of Pipedrive starts at $13.
Benefits of Implementing CRM in Manufacturing
While often being associated with larger enterprises, a CRM can be equally beneficial for small manufacturing businesses. It offers the following advantages that can significantly improve overall business performance. These include,
- Improved customer relationship
A CRM builds strong relationships with customers by tracking interactions, preferences, and purchase history. This customer data enables manufacturers to send tailored and timely sales and marketing messages to customers.
- Increased sales efficiency
CRMs enable you to automate repetitive tasks, such as placing orders through live chats, confirming orders, sending emails, etc. It also keeps you updated on the sales pipeline, establishing where the efforts are required and in what form.
- Enhanced customer service
A CRM provides timely and effective customer support leading to enhanced customer satisfaction. When customers can quickly get their queries answered, they get highly satisfied with the customer support of manufacturers.
- Better decision making
When CRMs gather data, they put it to work by generating insights that enhance decision-making. Manufacturers can make informed decisions about product development, marketing strategies, and sales tactics.
- Improved operational efficiency
CRM is a tool that automates tasks, streamlines workflows by task assignment, provides support through live chats, and more. This improves the overall operational efficiency of the manufacturing business.
- Realtime inventory tracking
CRMs provide a holistic view of the entire manufacturing process. From production, manufacturing, dispatching, and deliveries, you keep track of everything.
Key Features to Look for in a CRM for Small Manufacturers
When you are choosing CRM tools for manufacturing companies, look for the following features:
- Contact management
To store and manage customer information,
- Sales pipeline management
Tracks sales opportunities from lead generation to closure.
- Customer support
Manages customer inquiries and issues via email, phone, and live chat.
- Document management
Store and organize important documents, such as contracts and invoices.
- Reporting and analytics
With CRM customer and business data you can generate reports and insights to assess business performance.
- Integration capabilities
To make the most of your platform, it should be able to integrate with other business applications, such as accounting and ERP systems.
- AI Capabilities
Out of the above-mentioned CRM for small manufacturing businesses, a few of them offer AI predictive and generative capabilities that enhance the working of your business.
How to Choose the Best CRM for Your Manufacturing Business
Making the right choice by picking the best CRM for small business operations, is crucial to save yourself from the added inconvenience of moving to another CRM, team technical incompetence, or resistance to adopting a CRM. The basic steps to choose a CRM are:
- Identify your specific needs
- Determine your budget
- Consider your team's technical skills
- Choose a CRM that grows with your business
- Prioritize Data security
Which Manufacturing CRM software is best suited for your small business
Despite the list of Best CRM for manufacturing provided above, not every tool will best fit your business needs. To make your decision easier here is which tool you should choose and why.
- Salesforce
This industry-leading CRM is a robust platform, great for small manufacturing businesses in the growth stage. If you’re dealing with a high volume of orders and have various channels, Salesforce automation, and AI capabilities will highly benefit you for smooth business operations.
- Hubspot
Hubspot is well-suited for small and medium-sized businesses having limited technical expertise, getting overwhelmed by data, and wanting a highly intuitive and affordable solution.
- SuiteCRM
SuiteCRM is a flexible and customizable platform tailored for specific manufacturing businesses. If you are always behind in assisting customers, you can greatly benefit from its strong contact management, sales pipeline management, and marketing automation capabilities
- Zoho
Zoho’s comprehensive suite of business applications, including CRM, makes it a versatile solution for manufacturing businesses. With streamlined inventory management, you can effortlessly manage deliveries and schedules.
- Pipedrive
As a sales-focused CRM, Pipedrive is great for manufacturing businesses that prioritize sales and pipeline management. It offers a user-friendly interface and strong features for tracking desks, managing sales teams, and forecasting revenue.
CRM Software Comparison for Small manufacturing businesses
| CRM Software | Core Features | Pricing | Best For |
| Salesforce | Sales Pipeline Management, Customer Relationship Management, Marketing Automation, Analytics, Integration Capabilities | Starts at $25/user/month | Small manufacturing businesses with complex needs and a high growth ratio |
| HubSpot | Marketing Automation, Sales Pipeline Management, Customer Service, CRM, Email Marketing | Starts at $0/month | Small to medium-sized manufacturing businesses with a focus on marketing and sales |
| SuiteCRM | Customizable CRM, Open-Source, Contact Management, Sales Pipeline Management, Workflow Automation | Varies | Small to medium-sized businesses seeking a flexible and affordable solution |
| Zoho | Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, Project Management, Inventory Management | Starts at $39/user/month | Small to medium-sized businesses looking for an all-in-one solution |
| Pipedrive | Sales Pipeline Management, Deal Tracking, Forecasting, Mobile Accessibility, User-Friendly Interface | Starts at $13/user/month | Small to medium-sized businesses prioritizing sales and pipeline management |
Conclusion
By investing in a suitable CRM, small manufacturing businesses can streamline operations, enhance customer relationships, and drive growth. Look for CRM features like contact, sales pipeline, and document management with advanced AI and reporting capabilities.
When selecting the best CRM for small business operations consider factors such as customization options, integration capabilities, user-friendliness, security, and scalability. These are essential as your business grows when you get features that truly matter.
To ensure a seamless implementation and maximize the benefits of your CRM, consider partnering with a CRM expert firm like RT Dynamic. Our team of experienced professionals can provide tailored solutions, customization services, and ongoing support to help you get the most out of manufacturing CRM software. Contact us today to implement your required CRM.
