The global manufacturing Industry is projected toward a substantial growth with a compounded annual growth rate of 14.86% during the next five-year period (2024-2028).

Manufacturers are increasingly focused on achieving a triad of objectives attaining the fastest time-to-market with the highest quality and lowest cost while providing the best service with greatest flexibility and contextual knowledge by operating in a green environment.

Despite remarkable achievements in manufacturing technologies many companies continue to grapple with fundamental challenges. These include optimizing resource utilization, managing inventory efficiently, production scheduling, smooth transitioning to service-oriented manufacturing from production-oriented manufacturing, precise supply chain plans, and personalized buying experiences.

What is Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud?

Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud is a cloud-based CRM solution specifically designed for manufacturers. It provides a robust toolkit to help manufacturers in enhancing, operational efficiency, fostering collaboration across teams, and facilitating informed decision-making.

This platform allows manufacturers to efficiently manage their sales and operations planning, optimize their production processes, and gain real-time visibility into their supply chain dynamics. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and analytics, Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud helps manufacturers drive growth, improve customer satisfaction, and stay competitive in the market.

Challenges Faced by Modern Manufacturers

In the aftermath of widespread market disruptions following Covid-19 and against the backdrop of Ukraine-Russia war crisis, manufacturers are grappling with complex supply chain, acute shortage of material and skilled labor, unpredictable fluctuations in demand, and the need to quickly adapt to market changes, increased competition, plethora of disconnected systems leading to siloization and unprecedented customer expectations. These challenges can make it difficult for manufacturers to efficiently manage their operations, collaborate effectively across teams, and make informed decisions.

To overcome these challenges digital innovation has become a top priority for the manufacturers.

How Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud Can Help?

Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud can help manufacturers address these challenges by providing a centralized platform for managing sales and operations planning, optimizing production processes, and gaining real-time visibility into their supply chain.

With Salesforce manufacturing cloud, manufacturers can:

• Capture a real-time view of accurate demand forecast and adjust production forecast and inventory level accordingly

• Keep track of current and future opportunities and sales agreements for their products

• Respond agilely to shifts in product pricing, generating accurate predictions of potential expenses

• Foster personalized, omnichannel experiences to customers

• Automate customer support practices, allowing a quick resolution of complaints and product issues, proactive recommendations, and other consumer concerns

• Collaborate more effectively with their partners, suppliers, and customers, leading to improved communication and better decision-making.

Overall, Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud empowers manufacturers to streamline their operations, drive growth, and stay competitive in the rapidly changing manufacturing landscape.

Which Type of Manufacturers can benefit from Manufacturing Cloud?

Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud is tailored to serve medium to large manufacturing companies that rely on a combination of both one time business and run rate business. It is particularly beneficial for organizations that operate on long term agreements, rely on accurate muti-year demand forecasting and function within an ecosystem of channel partners, distributors and suppliers, are the ideal candidates for Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud. This list includes but not limited to:

• Discrete manufactures

• Process manufactures

• Original Equipment (OEM) manufacturers

• Distributors/channel partners of OEM manufacturers

• Component suppliers /production suppliers

• Automotive suppliers

• Distribution or Aftermarket Manufacturers

• Oil and Gas producers

• Aerospace Manufacturers

• Food and Beverage Manufacturers

• Industrial Equipment manufacturer

Benefits of Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud

1. Improved Sales Conversion Rates: Track leads, opportunities, forecast demand, and manage run-rate agreements.

2. Improved demand forecasting: With account-based forecasting and advanced account forecasting, manufacturers can harness the power of historical data, market growth trends and customer insights and make highly accurate demand predictions. The real time accurate demand forecast leads to optimize resource allocation, production schedules, and sales strategies. This also leads to optimized production planning, efficient inventory management and cost reduction.

3. Reduced Service Costs: Automate workflows, resolve issues faster, and leverage AI for proactive service.

4. Enhanced Internal Collaboration: Manufacturing Cloud brings various departments together, promoting better teamwork and communication. This integrated approach enhances business processes and ensures a smooth flow of information throughout all departments and supply chains. This helps to break down silos between departments and business functions, enables increased transparency and better communication between departments

5. Boosted Customer Satisfaction: With Manufacturing service console, service process studio, warranty and claim management, manufacturers can have a 360-degree view of the customer, its orders, assets, cases, agreements, opportunities in one place along with a timeline of past interactions. This helps manufacturers deliver personalized service experiences, resolve issues proactively and quickly, and improve customer loyalty.

6. Data-Driven Decision Making: With CRM analytics and ready-made dashboard, manufacturers can gain insights on account health, revenue, product pricing, sales agreement performance, forecast accuracy, and order performance to make informed decisions.

7. Channel Partner Management: With Program based business, partner visit management, and partner portals, manufacturers can work in tandem with their channel partners

8. Respond to market changes through Eco-system collaboration: The manufacturing process is not limited to the shop floor of the manufacturer. Vital roles are played by the suppliers, channel partners, and customers. Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud shares the right amount of operational data within the eco-system by providing information visibility and thus enhancing collaboration within the ecosystem. In a collaborative ecosystem, manufacturers are better equipped to respond to market changes and deliver higher-quality products.

9. Streamline Quotation Process: Manufacturing Cloud’s integration with CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) enables manufacturers to create accurate and customized quotations quickly. This helps in accurate product selling, pricing consistency, error elimination, and improving customer satisfaction.

10. Seamless Integration with ERP: Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud seamlessly integrates with ERP systems, allowing manufacturers to align sales forecasts with production plans, procurement, and inventory management. This integration eliminates the risk of lost sales due to inventory shortages and improves overall operational efficiency.

In conclusion, as the manufacturing industry strides forward into a future marked by innovation and complexity, Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud stands as a beacon of efficiency, collaboration, and growth, empowering manufacturers to navigate challenges with confidence and seize opportunities with agility.