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Integrating CRM and ERP for manufacturing success

CRM&ERP 3_0.pngSales and marketing is an increasing focus for manufacturers. Firms are hiring expert marketers and salespeople and building whole teams around them. And they are investing in technology platforms to support those teams and make their work more effective. Why? Partly because of market pressures. The UK’s manufacturing sector may be worth £6.7tn and be the ninth largest industrial sector in the world, but it faces significant competitive pressures ranging from low-cost overseas imports to the weakening pound, and the rising tide of protectionism threatened by the White House and Brexit. In the past, British manufacturers could sell and grow based on reputation and sheer product quality. Today this is not enough. Hiring the right salespeople and marketers and then giving them the right tools to function most effectively can make a significant contribution to revenue.

When it comes to the technology, a growing number are discovering the potential of customer relationship management platform (CRM) to streamline processes, enhance the customer experience, make the workforce more productive, and provide better reports and forecasts.

These benefits are enhanced when the CRM platform is integrated with an enterprise resource planning platform (ERP). Where the first helps bring in revenue, the second helps the organisation fulfil the orders more profitably. For manufacturers that get it right, this can be truly transformative.

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So, how to get it right? Our latest white paper – “Why Integrating CRM and ERP can benefit your business” tackles this specific question head-on. It details the differences between CRM and ERP, showing what each individually can bring to an organisation and how when integrated those benefits are maximised. It also offers advice on how to implement and integrate these platforms successfully,

The manufacturers that recognise the value of CRM – that understand the differences between CRM and ERP, and successfully integrate the two – will be reaping the benefits in the months and years ahead.

For manufacturers who want to fend off the competitive threat from low-cost foreign imports and find a fresh way to increase both revenue and profit, it is essential reading.