For a long time, customers have had to visit manufacturing plants in person to place orders for the production of various items. Products also had to pass through several intermediaries before reaching the consumer. But technology has made things more manageable, enabling manufacturers and consumers to interact seamlessly through the internet. Individual customers and businesses can now request manufacturing services and have the products shipped to their location, without ever setting foot on the manufacturer’s yard.
A report from Statista showed that the manufacturing industry amounted £188.1 billion in e-commerce sales in the year 2019. It’s the second largest sector in terms of e-commerce sales value, only slightly trailing behind the wholesale industry. This trend will likely hold in the future as more manufacturers are shifting to a customer-centric approach.
There must be valid reasons why both individual consumers and businesses of all sizes are turning to online platforms in such huge numbers. Here are some of them:
Convenience
Customers usually prioritise satisfaction when ordering manufacturing services, and many online manufacturers have proven that they can meet this expectation. For instance, if you’re looking for a CNC manufacturing service, all you need to do is upload your 3D model and specify all the properties you want—such as material, surface roughness, general tolerances, etc—and you’ll get a quote almost immediately.
In essence, ordering manufacturing online involves just a few mouse clicks or taps on a screen. That’s far more convenient than visiting the company’s physical location. In-person visits are never guaranteed, given how frequent appointments get cancelled or rescheduled because of delays in traffic or conflicts with other commitments.
On-time deliveries
Competition among manufacturers in the online space drives them to strive towards premium quality products and on-time deliveries.
Using a manual system might mean dealing with longer processing cycles. Moreover, travelling to and from the manufacturing plant to assess order progress is usually burdensome on the part of the customer. And if the manufacturer isn’t keeping up with their promises and hitting the milestones as agreed, customers might need to find better manufacturers to work with and start the process all over again.
Accuracy
Paper-based manufacturing orders are less accurate than automated online orders since placing purchase orders manually comes with the usual risk of human error. In fact, a study showed that 23% of all unplanned downtime in manufacturing is caused by human error. That’s why these archaic and ineffective systems typically lead to lower customer satisfaction rates.
On the other hand, automated online manufacturing orders are more accurate and ensure better visibility throughout the whole process. Furthermore, both sides will save time on data cross-checking, manual data entry, and catalogue updates and maintenance.
Market Changes And Technology
In 2020, the world experienced one of the most intense recessions since World War II. The global economy shrunk by around 5.2%, which caused many workers in the manufacturing industry to lose their employment. Most global value chain firms started using advanced technologies to deal with the worker shortage, especially during the lockdown.
This period is when companies discovered the importance of technology in production and customer service to keep them afloat. Manufacturers started to digitise their operations and services. Most of their workers started working remotely through a global virtual operations room. The Manufacturing & E-Commerce Benchmark Report from Sana Commerce showed that by 2021, 98% of manufacturers have started implementing or are working on an e-commerce strategy.
Indeed, the manufacturing industry is undergoing a revolution. Manufacturers have been incorporating digital technologies in production and ecommerce to improve the efficiency of their operations. After all, e-commerce comes with a host of benefits—customers can now access their account details and order history immediately. They can also get status updates in real-time, any changes to their order details can be communicated and implemented nearly instantaneously.
With technology making account management and product development more efficient, it’s highly unlikely for customers and manufacturers to revert to manual systems.
Speed and Reliability
There’s more demand from customers for manufacturers to process orders rapidly and accurately while maintaining efficient operations. With advanced manufacturing processes, robotics, and automation, manufacturers can meet this demand. Ordering online considerably reduces the product cycle time, making it an attractive choice among customers and businesses.
Conclusion
With modern technological advancements, the manufacturing industry hasn’t been left behind. Manufacturers have wholeheartedly embraced ecommerce, and businesses and customers can expect improved visibility and reduced costs for their orders. Online manufacturing order systems are rapidly evolving and will eventually become the new norm because they’re faster, more reliable, and more convenient than manual systems.
So, if you’re still relying on the manual method, it’d be wise to try the online option to discover its immense benefits.
