Manufacturing & Distribution Automation Case Study
How manufacturers cut order-to-delivery time by 50% while eliminating $2M in annual errors
The Supply Chain Nightmare Everyone Accepts
It’s 4 PM Friday. A major customer needs an order update. Your team is digging through emails, spreadsheets, and calling the warehouse. The PO says one thing, the inventory system says another, and shipping has different information entirely. By Monday, the customer has already called your competitor.
The average manufacturer touches an order 17 times from quote to cash. Each touch point is a chance for error, delay, or lost margin. One miskeyed SKU costs $5,000. One late shipment loses a customer worth $500,000.
Automation That Actually Works on the Factory Floor
Order Processing That Never Makes Mistakes
Problem: Customer PO arrives by email. Someone manually enters it into your system. They check inventory (in another system). Create pick lists. Update shipping. By step 3, there’s already an error.
Solution: POs flow in via email, EDI, or portal – the system reads them all. It validates against your catalog, checks real-time inventory across all warehouses, and creates the order perfectly. If something’s out of stock, it suggests alternatives or drop-ship options. No manual entry. No errors. Orders process in minutes, not hours.
Inventory Visibility That’s Actually Real-Time
Problem: “Do we have 500 units of SKU-12345?” Sales checks the system: yes. Warehouse walks to the shelf: no. Someone forgot to update after the last shipment. Customer furious.
Solution: Every inventory movement updates automatically – receiving, picking, shipping, returns, even damage. Barcode scans feed the system instantly. Sales sees exactly what’s available, where it is, and when more is coming. Promise dates become reliable. Rush shipping costs plummet because you stop making promises you can’t keep.
Vendor Coordination Without the Chase
Problem: You need materials from 6 vendors to complete one order. Three emails here, two calls there, a fax to the old-school supplier. Half confirm, half don’t. Production starts anyway and hopes for the best.
Solution: System sends POs to all vendors in their preferred format. They confirm through supplier portals or automated email parsing. You see a dashboard: “5 confirmed, 1 pending.” Late shipment from Vendor A? System alerts you and suggests pulling from safety stock or expediting from Vendor B. Coordination happens automatically.
Customer Updates They Don’t Have to Ask For
Problem: “Where’s my order?” The #1 customer service call. Your team spends hours giving updates that customers should be able to see themselves.
Solution: Customers log into branded portals showing every order detail – production status, shipping info, tracking numbers, even photos of their custom products being made. Automated alerts at each milestone. Your phone stops ringing with status calls. Customers feel in control and trust you more.
Real Results from Real Manufacturers
Results from manufacturers and distributors with $10M-$500M revenue across electronics, industrial supplies, and consumer goods. Specific improvements vary by current systems and order complexity.
Your competition is automating. Are you?
Let’s map your order-to-cash process and show you exactly where automation saves time and eliminates errors. Bring your biggest operational headache.