Manufacturing Software Solutions for Discrete Manufacturers
At Creative Business Systems (CBS) we deliver manufacturing software that helps manufacturing companies grow and run their businesses with efficiency and tight control. Our customer’s success comes from working with a partner that understands manufacturers and manufacturing software.
We have helped many manufacturing / component assembly companies bring their processes and resources into line with the business goals and targets. We have effectively helped them grow their operational capability, without a related growth in staffing or software solutions.
Our aim is to help manufacturing companies gain agility and we believe that a fully integrated ERP and CRM Software that is designed for a Manufacturing company brings real results and real returns on investment.
Our software solutions are designed to help discrete manufacturing and assembly businesses. The benefits we provide fall broadly into the below categories.
Insight from Manufacturing Software
Manufacturing Software ERP and CRM solution have traditionally been great at getting information into their systems. Getting meaningful information out has always been tricky at best; reliance has been on reports – detailed reports with little actionable information.
Manufacturing software needs to provide immediate insight to promote agility. Our solutions bring Reporting, Business Intelligence and Data Warehouse solutions into smaller companies.
Whatever level of simplicity or sophistication is needed, we can provide a solution that matches your business and user requirements.
Insight from manufacturing software means giving you control over the information you want to see, giving access to view trends, business score cards and progress to targets (KPIs). So (for example) you can view performance against budget, which machines are running at what capacity, which customers are the most profitable, what your stock turnover is and much more.
With optional integrated Service Modules you can also see what problems your customers are finding with your products and pro-actively fix common issues. With this module you can also effectively manage contract billing and see the use and profitability of each contract as well.
Control from Manufacturing Software
All manufacturing businesses rely on being in control; in control of the production line, quality, meeting deadlines, outstanding orders, costs, warehouse utilisation, etc.
With our experience in delivering manufacturing software, specifically Manufacturing ERP and CRM software, we are expertly placed to understand how you need and want to run your business.
We take the time to understand your specific goals, business vision and areas of concern to help us ensure we offer you a manufacturing software solution with the capabilities you need. Our consultancy and integrity start from the first sales call, we will take care to ensure that we only promise what we can deliver and (as importantly) we only suggest what will benefit your business.
Our manufacturing software comes with integrated warehouse and inventory controls, so you can be sure your stock is kept accurate. Physical stock takes can be done and the system updated without having to freeze your business operations. Cycle counting will enable you to prioritise what should be counted and how frequently.
To gain more accuracy and to further automate your warehouse we can install and setup an integrated Bar Code system with handheld devices for your warehouse staff.
Agility from Manufacturing Software
In contention with control is the need for manufacturing businesses to be able to react to customer demand and changes. Sales are increasing forced to promise faster deadlines and better pricing. This means better understanding of what is in production and what is being demanded, so changes can be implemented quickly with a planned impact on existing orders.
Agility is helped with manufacturing software that is designed to change, one that expects customers to change their minds and allows for new orders to be slotted in.
Agility needs a manufacturing software solution that keeps you up to date ‘real time’ with the impact decisions have in terms of stock holding and delivery to promise; effectively taking the guesswork out of your decision making.
Planning from Manufacturing Software
Inventory (or Stock) control is vital to ensure cover for what is needed, without having space taken up with excess stock. Our manufacturing software is designed to help you plan; it aims to make planning easier and more accurate. What is does not do is force you into rigidity and rigid schedules, leaving you free to plan and re-plan as often as needed.
To help planning the sales team needs to be brought closer to the production plan. With Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions you can bring the demand in view of your production teams, so they can see what is in the pipeline and how likely it is to be won. And when it is won, what will be the impact on production.
Allowing the production team can to be proactive in planning so your existing orders will suffer from fewer delays and your customers will be delighted in your turn-around times.
Background
Many Manufacturing companies already utilise manufacturing software (Enterprise Resource Planning software (ERP)) to help control their production and help create efficiencies. Historically, we have seen fewer manufacturing companies utilising suitable Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions.
Maybe this indicates a (historic) disposition to focus on cost cutting and now manufacturing companies are starting to look at how manufacturing software can help them focus on maximising sales channels and opportunities
From our experience, many manufacturing companies have been "leaning on" software solutions that are out dated when compared to modern and more agile solutions. Leaving staff and managers struggling with systems that need ‘patching up’ with (often unsupported and not backed up) add-on solutions, spread sheets and databases. This reliance on ‘distributed’ or ad-hoc solutions often ends up unintentionally putting the company’s operational efficiency and customer satisfaction at risk.
There is normally a real need to update and consolidate systems and make them work as one, and then to gain meaningful information from the new ‘joined up’ systems. Information that will help make the decisions needed to plan for better profitability and place you in a better position to close new deals.
Related Software
Microsoft Dynamics NAV
Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Draycir Spindle
Agile and easy to use Microsoft Dynamics NAV provides a core manufacturing software solution enabling you to work the way you want to.
An easy to use Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and sales solutions that works within Microsoft Outlook, giving your sales force a solution that is used regularly and properly. Allowing production to trust the pipeline figures and plan pro-actively
Cost effectively sends your customer and supplier documents in professional looking e-mails (documents such as Invoices, Orders, Statements, Expected Deliveries, etc.)
