Whatever a company’s vision for the future is, it must include digital transformation in order to survive.
It’s no longer a secret that manufacturers need to step up their digital game or risk getting left behind. After all, this scary scenario is already a reality for a growing number of manufacturers. With massive amounts of data readily available on the Internet, customers have little patience for companies that aren’t innovative or digitally enabled.
Companies that lead the digital revolution will be the ones that survive and thrive. With this in mind, here are a few things that manufacturing companies need to know about digital transformation.
1. On-demand service is the new normal. B2B clients ask for the same service as in B2C
In the past, many B2B buyers preferred in-person contact with salespeople and were distrustful of digital interactions. The Covid conference has changed this mindset. As a result, B2B buyers are now more open to digital interactions. They expect an easy way to find product information, request a quote and get their questions answered with minimal effort on their part. This is especially true for younger generations of business buyers who grew up using the Internet for everything from shopping to banking.
B2B buyers expect a similar shopping experience to B2C buyers. This means B2B buyers expect the digital commerce platform to understand them and anticipate their needs as a sales representative might do. They expect better tools for quoting, researching and comparing products. They want to engage with organizations digitally without having to resort to a call or email to get a quick response and a good deal.
In the past, many B2B buyers preferred in-person contact with salespeople and were distrustful of digital interactions. The Covid conference has changed this mindset. As a result, B2B buyers are now more open to digital interactions. They expect an easy way to find product information, request a quote and get their questions answered with minimal effort on their part. This is especially true for younger generations of business buyers who grew up using the Internet for everything from shopping to banking.
B2B buyers expect a similar shopping experience to B2C buyers. This means B2B buyers expect the digital commerce platform to understand them and anticipate their needs as a sales representative might do. They expect better tools for quoting, researching and comparing products. They want to engage with organizations digitally without having to resort to a call or email to get a quick response and a good deal.
2. Only an excellent customer experience leads to more sales
The customer experience is the heart of a business, and it’s never been more important for manufacturers to excel at providing one. The smart-device revolution has given consumers far more power over their own experiences with products and services. They can easily switch from one company to another, and they expect the best from every interaction. They want to make an informed decision about their purchase and compare prices, quality and features.
In order for companies to compete in today’s competitive marketplaces, they must be able to provide customers with an exceptional shopping experience from start to finish. To do so requires understanding their customers’ needs and wants at each stage of the buying process, from research to purchase and beyond. It also means being able to optimize every aspect of the customer journey for maximum efficiency and effectiveness — including everything from website design and functionality.
The key is to make it easier for consumers to buy and use their products. This is not only possible but necessary. Manufacturers may now produce a real-time, comprehensive data stream of consumer input that they can act on right away to improve the customer experience. The result: happier customers and more sales.
3. Your new customer is not found on your local directory.
When you run a B2B company, you’ll have to fight for your share of the market. You will have to find new customers in order to grow and expand your business.
You can’t rely on word-of-mouth anymore. The people who know about your brand are already buying from you. If you want to reach out to new customers, you have to be where they are. The local directory is not enough anymore. A manufacturing web shop offers you 24/7 availability, a lot of additional marketing tools and more flexibility in the sales process.
The majority of B2B customers start their search for products and services on the internet. They use Google or other search engines to find information about products and suppliers. Only after this initial stage do they turn to local directories or company websites for more information about specific companies. In today’s digital age, it is not enough to have an online presence—you must also redirect your sales process to the Internet.
4. The Customer who gets better and faster service at your competitor will never come back
Customers expect instant answers and solutions. If they don’t get them, they’ll take their business elsewhere. In today’s digital age, customers are more likely to switch from one manufacturer to another in the blink of an eye.
According to Gartner’s Survey Analysis: “Digital Commerce Revenue Skyrockets with B2B Surpassing B2C” it is expected that by 2025, 75% of B2B manufacturers will sell directly to their customers via digital commerce. But the first to market will be able to breed a loyal customer base.
5. Sales becomes more and more a bottleneck in an overall automised production process
Sales and Marketing is the engine of any business. Without sales there are no customers, without customers there are no revenues.
The company has a well-trained workforce that can take care of all technical issues. The only problem is that these machines have to be utilized by sold parts first!
The most important bottleneck in the manufacturing industry is sales. Sales are still not automised and there is no streamlined process. While machines and processes are high technology sales still makes manual quotes. When it takes days for an offer to be prepared, customers may feel dissatisfied and lose interest.
Automated sales can improve the speed of selling and make it more efficient. It reduces human error, which is inevitable in a manual process. Automated sales will also reduce the workload for sales teams, allowing them to focus on high-value activities and other tasks such as customer service.
6. Sales Automation reduces costs
To be cost sensitive is key in the current demanding environment for manufacturers. Sales automation can help reduce costs in several ways. Automated sales systems can improve productivity and efficiency, which will lead to lower labour costs.
The technology reduces the amount of time spent on manual activities such as data entry and analysis, allowing workers to focus on higher value tasks. In addition, automated sales systems are often much more cost-effective than manual processes.
They can be easily scaled to meet growing needs, and they allow businesses to improve their operations without increasing headcount. Automated sales systems can also reduce costs by ensuring that the right products are being sold to the right customers.
They help companies avoid waste, such as overproduction or underutilization of resources. The technology helps manufacturers identify and retain valuable customers while reducing the amount of time spent on low-value activities. Automated sales systems can also provide valuable insights into customer behaviour and preferences, which helps businesses develop new products and services.
Here are the main takeaways for your manufacturing business
The question isn’t whether or not you will automate your sales, it’s how you will automate them. We hope that this article helped cement the fact in your mind that automation is a clear path towards strong sales and profit potential.
If you’re looking for ways to automate your sales and marketing, take heed: there are various ways to achieve the same results, and some may be better suited than others based on the position of your business. No matter what approach you choose, however, it’s always a good idea to implement some iteration of automation in order to drive growth.
Then again, it’s not easy to achieve that sort of growth without the right skillset and manpower behind you.
That’s where we come in. If your company is interested in getting ahead of the competition, or if you want to learn more about how Oroox can help, reach out to us today.
