Technology has become the great equaliser, putting tremendous control in the hands of consumers and business buyers alike. Thanks to digital disruptors such as Amazon and Netflix, buyers expect you to know their likes and dislikes, regardless of whether you’re selling technology, energy, or equipment. Seamless transactions across devices and 24/7 access are the new norms across industries, and recommendation engines are leading even B2B buyers toward their next purchases.
It’s no longer enough to provide the best product or service. Many prospects won’t ever become customers if they’re turned off by their experience. Instead, delivering a great first impression and repeating that performance with consistency and excellence is the key to forming a relationship and gaining customer loyalty.
Sameness is the enemy of success
Setting your business apart from your competition begins with providing a customer experience that is consistently better and more memorable at every touchpoint. This is achieved through a deep understanding of customers’ needs as they research, evaluate, shop for, buy, and use your product or service.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has emerged as the solution for this customer-first transformation. When it comes to traditional CRM systems, those who have benefitted most often haven’t used it to its full potential with it being complicated and time-consuming to use. But modern CRM has come a long way from its more modest beginnings.
Modern best of breed CRM software facilitates capturing relevant insights about customers and using them to deliver high quality experiences. Modern CRM software can turn sales teams from reactive transaction agents to proactive relationship managers, in office, working from home, or on the go with easy to use mobile apps.
Why should manufacturers consider a best of breed CRM?
For manufacturers with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution already in place, using the ERP bolt-on CRM solution may like a simple solution. However, for manufacturing businesses with specific and complex needs, this can be a false economy due to the following drawbacks:
- Lack of flexibility and complexity required by manufacturers: From engineering and make-to-order functionality to demand and scheduling function for your shop floor, many fall short of what is needed. Companies often need to invest in multiple add-ons to make their ERP CRM support all of their critical manufacturing functions.
- Stagnation v innovation: ERP CRMs are often hosted in-house and require an endless programme of costly customisations. Best of breed CRMs can be hosted on the Cloud (or on premise) providing users with the advantages of ongoing upgrades and innovation.
- Manufacturing businesses need complex customer experience workflows: ERP CRMs often lack the complexity required to fully support the “product-as-a-service” model that many of today’s manufacturing companies rely on. A best of breed CRM can address the complex needs of modern manufacturers and enable them to deliver an outstanding customer experience.
- Industry specific experience: Best of breed CRMs are often adapted for the needs of specific industries such as manufacturing, whereas ERP CRMs tend to use a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
By James Frampton, SVP and GM EMEA at SugarCRM
About SugarCRM
SugarCRM is a leading global provider of best of breed CRM software for manufacturers. Its customers recently rated Sugar the # 1 CRM platform out of 95 CRM solutions reviewed in Software Review’s Emotional Footprint CRM Champion Report 2022. Sugar is also recognised globally as one of the best CRM solutions for small and midsized organisations and was named a Leader in the 2022 Nucleus Research CRM Technology Value Matrix for a second consecutive year.
Find out more about SugarCRM and download the CRM Buyers Guide for Manufacturing HERE.
