Bespoke CRM systems can be designed and developed to meet the unique requirements of businesses of all shapes, sizes and sectors - including the manufacturing and engineering industries. Unlike their off-the-shelf counterparts, these customised solutions are built from scratch in a way that incorporates and enhances all of the organisation's workflows and processes whether that be managing production schedules, tracking projects, coordinating with suppliers or something in between. They can significantly help to simplify manual, time consuming and often complex processes, vastly improve efficiency and communication and strengthen customer relationships by providing features and functionality that align exactly with the companies aspirations.
Because the manufacturing and engineering sectors face specific and nuanced challenges, generic CRMs often cannot adequately address these requirements. Managing detailed project lifecycles that change regularly, integrating with bespoke ERP systems and handling technical customer requirements are examples of aspects that would likely not be possible or at least, a less than ideal workaround would be required, if using an off-the-shelf system. Choosing bespoke however can address these specific needs.
It's a well known secret! Custom CRM systems are well regarded as powerful enablers for growth in the manufacturing & engineering industries. These sectors are traditionally 'manual labour' intensive and have often not embraced technology innovation as much other sectors such as finance, media and professional services.
Bespoke CRM software solutions for these industries offer a wide range of positive benefits such as making efficiencies, utilising automation and providing a positive customer experience to clients and prospects alike through structured communication. Managing client relationships aside, custom CRMs also enable these organisations to integrate their customer data, contracts and projects with their existing systems which may be ERP systems, Supply Chain Management or Accounting Software - many of which in these industries, are also bespoke and therefore unable to integrate easily (or at all!) with off-the-shelf solutions.
Following on from the above, it is worth further exploring the integration possibilities that a custom CRM system can provide to organisations in the manufacturing & engineering industries. The CRM can act as a central data repository for all things customer and prospect and through integration, information can be pushed into and pulled from other critical systems within the environment. Let's a take a look at some of the most common software systems in these sectors.
We've mentioned ERP systems several times already so let's start here. These systems can be used to manage a number of core business processes within the manufacturing and engineering environment. Inventory management, production planning, supplier management and finances can all be managed through ERP systems and any good ERP system will also provide some form of analytics so stock levels, performance and production progression can be monitored.
By integrating a bespoke CRM system with an ERP system, data from sales, ops and finance can be exchanged ensuring new orders, production progress and employee timesheets are available in near to or real time.
Whilst supply chain management may be a feature within a different system, many manufacturing and engineering companies choose to have a standalone SCM. They are predominantly used for managing suppliers, procurement activities and logistics - essentially, the end to end lifecycle of 'materials' starting with the purchase of raw materials to the point the final product is delivered to the client.
Choosing to integrate a bespoke CRM solution with an existing SCM system, ensures customer demand can be aligned with actual supplier capabilities. This should ultimately provide a much better customer experience because expectations can be set up front.
CAD software is widely used in both the manufacturing and engineering industry and with good reason - it allows users to create digital versions of real products. CAD software may offer 2D drawing capabilities, 3D modelling or both and is incredibly useful in aiding visualisation of a product allowing users to review and refine designs as needed.
There are clear benefits of integrating CAD systems with CRMs namely the fact that individual clients can be linked to their specific designs - this can ensure accuracy, timely delivery an overall better customer experience.
A QMS essentially provides an organisation with the ability to track, refine and perfect their quality standards by providing a place to store and access all information relating to processes, procedures and individual responsibilities within the company. QMS allow businesses to be proactive rather than reactive in getting things right first time, reducing the time spent on correcting errors.
Integrating a QMS with a custom CRM can offer a number of benefits. Firstly, processes and procedures can be tweaked based on client feedback held in the CRM. Secondly, any certifications relating to quality standards can be shared with the relevant clients. In addition, if there are issues encountered, they can be communicated to the client with ease and the history logged in the CRM records.
Complex projects and processes, extended sales cycles and lots of stakeholders are the norm in many manufacturing & engineering organisations and so, effective and accurate customer data management is absolutely crucial - multiple spreadsheets, multiple systems and disjointed processes rarely cut it these days and can put companies at a major disadvantage and risk of loosing customers in their droves.
By having accurate, structured and easily accessible customer data, organisations are able to track, assign and manage enquiries, undertake personalised and intelligent prospecting, manage on-going client communications and deal with any support needs or issues that may arise in a cohesive manner. In addition, having access to both individual and collective client data can help manufacturing & engineering organisations anticipate demand and organise their resources in a way that best reflects that.
Now, with that all being said - let's take a look at some of the features bespoke CRM systems can incorporate and what they mean for manufacturing an engineering organisations with regards to their data management.
Having one centralised data platform that has the ability to consolidate all data relating to a client (even from different systems) including contact details, order history and comms history means that regardless of who is accessing the CRM and their role, they will have a full and complete history of all important information relating to that customer. This can really help the company ensure all of their client interactions are informed and personalised and lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction.
We've already covered integrations and some of the common systems CRMs are integrated with, within the engineering and manufacturing industry above. To recap - bespoke CRMs enable organisations to integrate with pretty much any other system they may already have and this integration facilitates data exchange between them.
Many bespoke software systems have been built to provide automation capabilities and CRMs are no exception. Automation can be used to streamline the sales process, generate quotes automatically, allocate work requests and tickets to the relevant people or department and send communication at relevant touchpoints throughout a process. Again, this can be extremely beneficial for customer satisfaction levels.
Although we have already touched on this, CRMs can be used to store not only client related information but also documents such as certifications, designs and compliance records. Whether these records are only stored in the CRM or are transferred to the CRM from another system such as a QMS, this gives organisations an efficient way to send these documents out to customers where required.
We all know - the work doesn't stop just because a client has the product and/or service they paid for. Particularly in manufacturing and engineering, things like maintenance, warranty and ad-hoc support all form part of the after sales service - a custom CRM can incorporate this and provide a structured approach to managing these on-going commitments.
Some form of analytics is useful if not absolutely crucial for organisations across all industries. Understanding business performance through metrics such as production efficiency, error rates, quote conversions etc provide organisations with the data they need to make better and more informed decisions to improve. Bespoke CRMs can be built with powerful analytical tools that provide real time insight into a companies performance through the use of dashboards which can be built to fit the users preferences.
Deciding between bespoke or off-the-shelf CRM systems can be a difficult choice regardless of industry although for many, it's a simple one. Off-the-shelf software solutions are arguably the default for companies because they are ready to use with lower upfront fees and offer generic features and functionality that meet the needs of many organisations. However, for companies in industries that tend to have more drawn out complex processes including manufacturing and engineering, the choice is not as straightforward. Let's take a closer look at some of the characteristics businesses should consider when deciding on whether to choose bespoke or off-the-shelf for their CRM.
The first and most obvious reason for choosing bespoke software over off-the-shelf is because it can be customised the fit specific requirements of an organisation exactly. Complex and nuanced business processes and workflows can be incorporated to work in the way they need to, the CRM can be integrated with other core business systems such as QMS, SCM and ERP systems and the software can be designed to work with and consolidate multiple file types such as CAD drawings, Word docs and Excel files to name a few examples. However, not all businesses have these complex processes or out of the norm requirements and so, when that's the case, off-the-shelf software may be a perfectly viable option.
Although touched on above, the integration capabilities of bespoke and off-the-shelf CRM systems do warrant further discussion. Custom software is designed and developed from scratch meaning it can be built in a way that ensures it integrates with other existing systems whether they be bespoke or not. On the other hand, off-the-shelf software is likely to be limited in terms of it's integration options, offering connections to some other off-the-shelf software systems but unable to integrate with lesser known systems or bespoke systems without the need for significant developer resource at the cost of the client.
As companies grow and evolve, it is common for them to 'outgrow' their off-the-shelf software. This is because, adding new features or functionality is usually at the discretion of the vendor and if it's not appealing to the masses, it likely won't happen. This leaves organisations in the position of having to find workarounds or paying for outside development resource to add the features they desire which can of course be costly. Custom CRM software however can be designed with the future in mind, incorporating any growth ambitions or expectations into the product, allowing for easy and cost effective future changes to be made.
Another core consideration on whether to purchase a bespoke CRM solution or off-the-shelf, is of course - the cost. Upfront costs for bespoke systems are generally higher than their off-the-shelf counterparts and this is because bespoke software is built from scratch which requires design, development, testing and implementation time. Conversely, off-the-shelf software is ready built and ready to utilise immediately and thus, there usually aren't any costs involved upfront aside from the set-ups costs. However, organisations should look at the bigger picture when determining which type of CRM system is the best value for money not just in the short term but the longer term as well. A monthly licensing fee may appear to be the most cost effective option initially but if that licensing fee is being paid out for a number of years, it often ends up being more expensive than the bespoke software would have cost.
Employee adoption of the software is arguably less well thought about but just as important when choosing between bespoke and off-the-shelf. A custom CRM system is usually built to digitise and enhance existing processes and thus, they are familiar to the users already and easier to adapt to. On the other hand, off-the-shelf CRM systems are not built to any one organisations specific processes and workflows which means that the organisation may have to change it's own processes to fit to the software which can be problematic with regards to users being able to use the system properly.
Bespoke CRM systems, specifically within the manufacturing & engineering industries are incredibly powerful tools for improving both operational and cost efficiency. Automating tasks, managing suppliers and clients, having access to inventory levels in real time and intelligent resourcing are all possible through the use of a bespoke CRM - crucial processes in these industries. Let's take a closer look at what sort of process improvements can be made through the use of bespoke CRMs and how they can help to cut costs.
Process: Data Entry
It's common knowledge that data entry tasks are time consuming, prone to mistakes and labour intensive. For manufacturing and engineering companies specifically, it can be a real headache as there are often multiple systems in use that require information to be taken from them - ERP, CAD and SCM systems are all prevalent in these environments and having to manually copy data from each of them to populate another system can be a real slog! However, these systems can all be integrated within a bespoke CRM so data is automatically pushed and pulled between them all. This means data is always up to date, human error issues are negated and employees can focus on other activities.
Cost Impact: Positive
The implications of centralising all company data into one unified platform such as a bespoke CRM can be very cost effective. Manual labour requirements are reduced, errors are vastly reduced (as is the time associated with corrections) and information is accurate which allows companies to get things right first time.
Process: Resource Allocation
The beauty of bespoke software in general is that is can do whatever a business needs it to do. For custom CRMs that means they don't have to be restricted to client management alone - they can be used for workforce management as well either via a WFM module or again, through integration with an existing WFM system.
Cost Impact: Positive
Improved resource allocation reduces downtime, prevents over or under staffing, and ensures that projects are completed on time and within budget. By maximising workforce utilisation and avoiding scheduling conflicts or inefficiencies, businesses can significantly cut operational costs while boosting output quality and delivery times.
Process: Client and Supplier Management
Managing supplier relationships and client communications can be incredibly complex, especially when multiple departments are involved (which they usually are!). A bespoke CRM centralises communication logs, contracts, delivery schedules and performance metrics, giving teams a complete view of each relationship which can improve response times, customer interactions and overall decision making.
Cost Impact: Positive
Stronger relationships with suppliers and clients lead to fewer disruptions, better pricing leverage and higher customer satisfaction - ultimately supporting both cost control and revenue growth.
For businesses in the manufacturing and engineering sectors, opting to integrate their bespoke CRM with their production processes can bring an array of benefits - increased productivity, cost savings and improved efficiency.
Custom CRM solutions can be designed to integrate directly with a companies existing workflows, linking customer demand directly to production schedules. This ensures that sales forecasts, order histories and customer specific requirements are instantly accessible to production teams, helping them plan more effectively and ultimately reduce lead times.
Bespoke CRMs are able to provide real time updates on order status, inventory levels and supply chain activity. This visibility allows production managers to make informed decisions, allocate resources in the most efficient way and adjust plans proactively in response to changing customer needs or disruptions.
By linking and subsequently centralising customer and production data, a custom CRM can promote collaboration between sales, engineering, procurement, production and customer support teams. This reduces silos and ensures that everyone is working from the same accurate, up-to-date information.
Vital in these industries, tailored CRMs can be built to track product specifications, compliance requirements and quality assurance processes.
With a CRM that reflects an organisation's unique production environment, they are able to offer customers accurate delivery timelines, personalised service and faster issue resolution. This leads to higher satisfaction and of course - retention!
Check out how a custom built CRM/WFM hybrid solution helped Leicester based, Westermans International transform their operations and combine their customer and workforce related management processes into a single, intelligent solution.
Whilst we have covered this elsewhere in detail, it is worth reiterating some of the core the benefits of bespoke CRM development specifically for the manufacturing and engineering sectors.
Process Alignment - Designed around the unique quoting, production and project management needs of an organisation.
Integration - Can be built to connect with a multitude of different systems including ERP, CAD and Inventory Management systems for unified operations.
Scalable & Flexible - Is able to adapt as the business grows or evolves.
Improved Visibility - Can be developed to offer real time insights through custom dashboards and reports.
Competitive Advantage - Enhances responsiveness, improves efficiency and promotes better customer interactions through automation.
Here at Cool Code Company, we have worked with the manufacturing and engineering industries for over 15 years and furthermore, we have developed and implemented custom CRM solutions for many of these clients. We understand the unique challenges businesses in these industries face and work with our clients to thoroughly understand their existing environment, what they want to achieve and ultimately - how to get there.
If you're a manufacturing or engineering business looking to gain better control over your operations, improve communication across teams and deliver more value to your customers, we'd love to help! Our CRM solutions are built to reflect the realities of your industry, supporting complex workflows, long sales cycles and project driven delivery. Come and have a chat with our experienced team today!
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