No more business-to-business as usual

From years of experience with processes for manufacturers & wholesalers, we notice that the same digital challenges recur over and over again. In a world where data is the driving force behind successful business processes, as an organization, you notice that systems that are not integrated, such as ERP and CRM, are no longer sufficient. Below is our vision of the best solution for this.

Terms you know best

Before we can explain our vision to you, it's important that you know these terms:

• PIM or Product Information Management is a central place for all your product information. This information is not only collected, but also enriched, managed and distributed to other applications. Information includes product descriptions, specifications, prices, images, and inventory levels. The PIM system ensures that all data is consistent, accurate and up to date, regardless of the channel in which it is used. Read more about PIM systems here.
• ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning is software that centralizes important information about business processes. This information can include, for example, inventory levels, delivery times, orders, finances and staff.
• CRM or Customer Relationship Management is a system that helps companies manage their interactions with current and potential customers. The purpose of a CRM is to improve customer relationships, increase customer satisfaction and optimize business process efficiency.

An ERP and PIM complement each other. An ERP takes care of the internal processes; a PIM system ensures that this data is presented attractively and correctly, both to employees and customers.

• CPQ or Configure Price Quote takes care of online product configuration, pricing and the preparation of quotes. Often used for products that have many variants and where it is therefore not easy to find the right piece. Or products that have lots of options.
• Software as a Service: is often abbreviated as SaaS, but sometimes it's also known as software on demand. It is a model where software solutions are delivered via the internet as a service. You often pay for a license in the form of a monthly or annual subscription. It is not always clear in advance what the effective cost is because it is subject to many conditions, such as number of users, number of products, number of processing, etc...

Where it usually crashes

Typically, we see that data (products, stock, price lists, customers,...) is already present in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and a Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Data such as product information, inventory data, price lists and customer data is very valuable. But the problem is that this data is not centralized enough or not centralized at all. Nor are they unlocked or enriched for optimal use in internal and external business processes.

On the one hand, all this leads to inconsistent information: product data, stocks and customer data are not synchronized in real-time or, in other words, adjustments in one system are not automatically implemented in other systems, causing differences. On the other hand, limited scalability: ERP systems are sometimes adapted for functions for which they were not designed, hampering the growth and flexibility of the organization.

A direct consequence of this is the impact on the customer experience. If customers don't receive consistent and up-to-date information, this can lead to delays in order processing, erroneous pricing information, and unreliable inventory information.

The power of an integrated approach

The classic story where an ERP is directly addressed by a webshop, along with a separate CRM, is actually out of date. Contemporary B2B business operations mean that your various data sources will work together optimally and can be connected to your customers.

The ultimate goal is to eliminate as many stumbling blocks as possible so that your organization & customers can optimally connect and thus continue to grow together.

Concretely, in addition to ERP and CRM, a third component is needed: Product Information Management (PIN). The PIM is the part that was always missing in traditional business operations but is now here to stay. This system enriches the “cold” product data such as prices and stock info from the ERP with “hot” product data such as specifications, product families, fiches,... A PIM is also crucial for other modules such as a webshop, portal and (activation) tools, such as a Configure Price Quote (CPQ) to integrate.

Benefits of a integrated approach:

• Efficiency and Accuracy: Automatic updates and real-time synchronization ensure fewer errors and faster processing.
• Better customer connection: customers receive consistent, accurate and detailed product information, leading to a better experience and greater satisfaction.
• Flexibility and scalability: organizations can respond more quickly to market developments and customer needs, without getting stuck in outdated processes.

Conclusion

The landscape of digital solutions is also expanding every year, with customization at one end of the spectrum and at the other end. software as a service (SaaS), ranging from (AI) niche tools for one specific problem to all-in-one suites (e.g. SAP). It is not easy to make the right choice as an organization. In addition, there is the risk of being chained to one supplier (vendor lock-in), cyber attacks, having to comply with all kinds of regulations,...

Our vision on how to address the challenges of manufacturers and wholesalers has been made concrete in the form of Fonda, it Customer Enablement Platform (CELL). It is a combination of tried and tested digital tools and years of know-how. The ultimate goal is to eliminate as many stumbling blocks as possible so that your organization and customers can connect digitally as optimally as possible and thus continue to grow together.