Insight: 5 ways software helps manufacturers win more business

Being able to quickly respond to customer demand, inquiries, and requirements is a surefire way to win more business. MRPeasy shares five ways software helps you do it.

Quick quoting

In manufacturing, the speed of turning over a quote can be a decisive factor in winning or losing a client. Manufacturing ERP software significantly improves the quoting process in manufacturing by integrating real-time data across various departments. This integration provides immediate access to crucial information such as inventory levels, material costs, and production capacity, enabling faster and more accurate cost estimations.

“When I put in a customer order, I can confidently give the customer a date when the order will be ready while instantly knowing what materials I need to fulfill the order,” says Kent Holdeman, Founder of Covenant Millwork, a custom woodworking company from Louisville, Georgia.

Minimised stockouts

Manufacturing ERP software plays a vital role in preventing stockouts by providing precise inventory management and forecasting tools. It continuously monitors current stock levels and provides you with the historical data that enables you to predict future material requirements accurately. By automating reorder point notifications and assisting in purchase order generation, ERP software ensures that materials are replenished just in time, minimising the risk of overstocking and understocking.

“We’ve never had a material shortage after adopting MRPeasy,” says Colin Hart, Managing Director at Poweronics, a power electronics company from Bedford, England.

End-to-end traceability

Manufacturing ERP software ensures traceability in manufacturing via functionalities like lot and serial number tracking, which assign and monitor identifiers for all materials and products throughout the process. It also tracks shop floor activities, providing insights into material usage, order progress, and personnel involvement, crucial for pinpointing issues and evaluating productivity. Additionally, ERP systems generate reports essential for audits and compliance checks, ensuring that every aspect of the production cycle is documented and traceable.

“Everything we sell now matches up with specific ingredient lots, so we know what our products cost, where the inputs came from, and which customers purchased the products. We get complete visibility,” says Yoni Schwartz, President at Fresh Fizz Sodas, a beverage brand from New York.

Increased efficiency

ERP software boosts efficiency by integrating and automating core business processes. It optimises production planning and inventory management, ensuring that resources are available when needed without overstocking, thus reducing holding costs and minimising waste. Scheduling tools within these systems help allocate machinery and manpower effectively, avoiding bottlenecks and streamlining the flow of operations.

In addition, ERP software automates many routine administrative tasks, freeing up staff to focus on more value-added activities. This comprehensive approach not only speeds up production cycles but also improves the overall accuracy and responsiveness of the business, enabling manufacturers to handle more orders with greater precision and less effort.

According to Jan-Marc Pickhan, Director of Operations at UK’s Allied Global Engineering, implementing MRPeasy helped the company reduce administrative load by 70%. “It used to take at least 2 hours to launch something into production just because of all the data that had to be transferred in Excel. Because we didn’t have a sophisticated system, it was a lot of manual data moving, and that’s just asking for trouble,” he says.

Improved cost control

ERP software plays a pivotal role in improving cost control within manufacturing businesses by providing detailed and real-time visibility into all cost-related aspects of the production process. It tracks the costs of labor, raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods, ensuring that budget overruns are quickly identified and addressed. By accurately forecasting demand, ERP systems help manage procurement efficiently, avoiding both excess stock and urgent, costly purchasing scenarios.

David Altemir, Founder of Texas-based manufacturing consultancy Altemir Consulting, emphasises the benefits of MRPeasy’s cost tracking features: “Actual costing is particularly important for smaller companies that are ramping up production as they need to have a good understanding of their unit costs. Few people realise this, but actual costing gives a terrific advantage to many businesses.”

Additionally, the software improves resource utilisation by scheduling production runs that minimise downtime and optimise the use of machinery and labor. With comprehensive reporting features, ERP software enables ongoing analysis and refinement of cost control measures, allowing manufacturers to continuously improve their cost efficiency and operational decisions.

Read more MRPeasy customer success stories