A heads up to manufacturers: your sales reps are spending too much time building quotes. And it is hurting your bottom line. For many manufacturing teams, building a proposal is a complex, manual process. It involves juggling overhead, consumables, installer fees, and custom adjustments, while waiting on approvals from estimating, engineering, or legal. Much of […]
Most sales teams are laser-focused on landing new accounts. And why not? Their commission structure tells them to. When compensation plans prioritize new business over account expansion, sales reps chase fresh logos while ignoring the goldmine sitting inside existing accounts. This happens often in manufacturing and distribution. A sales rep works hard to secure a […]
Sales commissions are one of the most common ways to motivate a sales team. When structured well, they drive focus, energy, and results. But when they are based solely on revenue, they can unintentionally hurt profitability. Many organizations make the mistake of rewarding sales reps only for top-line revenue. While this approach encourages growth, it […]
Sales forecasting errors are more than a minor inconvenience. For manufacturers, they can disrupt entire operations—leading to mismatched inventory, wasted resources, and missed revenue opportunities. In one example, a manufacturer placed large orders based on overly optimistic sales predictions. When the deals did not materialize, they were left with excess stock tying up cash flow […]
Choosing a new CRM system can feel overwhelming. Demos often showcase flashy features, but the real decision goes far deeper. Especially for manufacturers and distributors, the right choice is about more than price or interface. The true value of a CRM software platform lies in how well it supports your business long term. That means […]
When businesses are asked about their CRM, the most common response is, “It’s working fine.” That answer often sounds reassuring. But it raises a more important question: How is your CRM helping you grow? A CRM should be more than a place to track contacts and log customer data. If it is only serving as […]
A company once spent over a million dollars on a CRM implementation that never even launched. It was not because the technology failed. The issue came down to a disconnect between expectations and execution. This is a common story. Many organizations treat a CRM as a software purchase, when in reality it is a business […]
When businesses ask how they can achieve faster sales cycles, higher estimation accuracy, and a more seamless buying process, the answer often comes down to one thing: sales proposals. A sales proposal is not just a document. It is the primary selling tool. The quality of a proposal can determine whether a deal moves forward […]
Many manufacturing companies struggle with deals that look profitable on paper but barely break even once the order is complete. The issue often comes down to one root cause: inconsistent quoting practices and unmanaged change orders. When customers request modifications after a deal is finalized, those changes may be small or significant. Without a structured […]
The word “workflow” gets used often, but many businesses do not fully understand what it actually means. At its core, workflow is about automation: when one action occurs, the system triggers the next step. Simple in theory. In practice, workflows can make or break business operations. The Old Way vs. the Automated Way Consider deal […]