The manufacturing industry has faced a lot of new challenges lately. Whether it’s the labor shortage, supply chain disruptions, or rising costs — it’s a difficult time to be in the industry. But there are ways to overcome these challenges and be positioned for short- and long-term success. Properly doing so can get OEMs out of the mindset of just surviving and instead thriving.
It’s not breaking news that digital transformation is taking over nearly every industry. And while it’s easy to see why that trend makes sense for the future, it’s not always clear how it helps in the present. Digital self-service investments, like e-commerce, give manufacturers the ability to adapt to any problem.
We’re going to discuss some of the main issues facing the industry right now and the role e-commerce plays in solving them.
Problem: Manufacturers are facing record-high job openings right now. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “There were a record 9.3 million job openings at the end of April 2021, resulting in a record-high job openings rate of 6.0 percent.” This has resulted in delays when customers are trying to reach an understaffed call center, or a technician is needed, and one isn’t available right away.
This problem causes the speed at which you respond to customers to become constrained and ultimately leads to a loss in revenue. But the most obvious problem this causes is on the shop floor. The production of goods will inevitably be slowed as job positions remain unfilled.
Solution: Providing a self-service option for customers helps to alleviate some of the problems caused by labor shortages. Instead of having to call to find information, like product price and availability or to create an order, customers can use an e-commerce site or portal to find information on their own. Automating routine processes like this not only improves the customer experience but also lessens the strain on employees.
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