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The manufacturing process can be long and complex, but the right CRM can help manufacturing companies organize and streamline their processes. A good CRM software can also result in better customer relationships and sales conversion. However, there are a lot of CRMs currently available on the market and it can be hard to know which one will fit the needs of you and your company the best. To help make your choice as easy as possible, we have compiled a list of the best available CRMs for manufacturing businesses.

Upfront Conclusion

The best crm for manufacturing businesses right now is NetSuite and Salesforce

Top 8 Best CRM for Manufacturing Businesses

  1. NetSuite – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Supply Chain Management
  2. Salesforce CRM – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Versatility
  3. Sage CRM – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Sales Process
  4. CompanyHub – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Simplicity
  5. Zoho CRM – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Efficiency
  6. HubSpot CRM – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Growth
  7. FreshSales – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for AI/Machine Learning
  8. Pipedrive – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Automation

1. NetSuite – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Supply Chain Management

PRICING: By Quote Only – Contact NetSuite for details

An excellent cloud-based solution, NetSuite excels in product data management, planning and scheduling, production control, shop floor, supply chain, and quality management. NetSuite is also a flexible program. The software dashboard and configuration are completely customizable. It can be custom-made for each industry or even industry niche as needed.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Order Management
  • 3PL Management
  • Gantt/Timeline View

REASONS TO BUY:

  • User-friendly visual dashboard
  • Easily add data fields without help from IT professional
  • Training consultants available upon request

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Pricing contracts can be long, leaving you tied down for a set period of time
Try Netsuite

2. Salesforce CRM – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Versatility

PRICING: Basic Plan – $25/user/month, Complete Plan – S75/user/month

The best software with the widest array of applications is Salesforce. Known across the world, this CRM services both B2B and B2C businesses, which makes it perfect for anyone in the manufacturing industry. This software has capabilities in real-time inventory and process tracking, forecasting, marketing, and includes insightful analytics tools.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Mobile App (Android and iOS)
  • AI-Driven Insights
  • Channel Management
  • Streamlined Quotes and Invoices

REASONS TO BUY:

  • As it functions as a cloud-based service, you can access live data from anywhere
  • Suitable for companies of any size
  • Unifies the various business applications your company works with

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Intimidating for the newcomer or non-tech-savvy individual

3. Sage CRM – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Sales Process

PRICING: Free Trial Available, Base Cloud Plan – $39/user/month

For anyone looking to fully organize their sales process all in one platform, Sage CRM is a great option. This software excels in accounting, financing, and streamlining all sales conversions behind one easy to read dashboard. This makes scheduling, forecasting, closing, and all other aspects of the business run smoother. Sage CRM is a great tool for anyone looking to gain clarity in the sales department.

KEY FEATURES:

  • 360-degree-view of customers and inventory
  • Workflow Automation
  • Automated Reporting Capabilities

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Dashboard and reporting features provide in-depth visibility
  • Great 3rd party application integration
  • Ideal for collections accounting and sales view

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Interface is slightly outdated, but still functional

4. CompanyHub – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Simplicity

PRICING: Basic Plan – $12/user/month, Productivity Plan – $15/user/month

This is the ideal CRM for those looking for an easy-to-use, simple solution. CompanyHub comes with drag-and-drop functionality, so you can operate your CRM all by yourself – no web developer assistance necessary. With that being said, the company still boasts a number of customizable features for those looking to personalize their CRM platform.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Supply Chain Management
  • Reporting Functions
  • Mobile App for field techs

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Simplifies the process for every individual involved
  • CRM can be tailor-setup for any specific industry
  • Less time navigating interface, more time on important information

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Missing large number of landing pages that come with other CRMs

5. Zoho CRM – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Efficiency

PRICING: Starting Plan – $12/user/month, Advanced Plan – $20/user/month

This CRM software includes all the top-top-of-the-line functions and features, including those pertaining to management, marketing, forecasting, customer communication, and workflow automation. It comes with a virtual voice assistant to speed up any time spent data logging or navigating. It also has a built in AI that helps to make suggestions that could speed up and organize your process even more.
KEY FEATURES:

  • Lead Management
  • Multichannel Forecasting
  • Conversational AI
  • Behavior Analysis

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Advanced AI can speed up your processing over the long run
  • Comes with real-time reporting and analytics
  • Centralize all communication channels in one platform

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • The workflow automation capabilities are limited to Pro Tier (advanced pricing)

6. HubSpot CRM – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Growth

PRICING: Free Plan Available, Paid Plan – $45/user/month, Pro Plan – $800/user/month

Popular across the world, HubSpot CRM has a number of tools to help your business scale. For manufacturers in particular, HubSpot has the capability to seamlessly integrate streams of data into the production process, which helps with organization and efficiency. HubSpot will allow you to configure your CRM dashboard and processes to match the human behavior and workflow that is already a part of your organization.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Partner Relationship Management
  • Vendor Management
  • Cross-Functionality (for different teams)

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Does more than the average CRM with data and inventory management
  • Customizable to your company’s culture and work process
  • Highly rated mobile application

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Far more costly than most other CRMs

7. FreshSales – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for AI/Machine Learning

PRICING: Free Plan Available, Growth Plan – $15/user/month, Pro Plan – $39/user/month

This software is excellent at giving companies the power to utilize automation. Their powerful AI creates accurate sales forecasts and gives excellent predictive analysis. The data gathered through sales, marketing, and manufacturing activities are taken by the AI where it makes quality recommendations for future decision making. This allows teams to see gaps in their processes and helps them to improve productivity and efficiency in the future.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Pay-as-you-grow Pricing
  • Shallow Learning Curve
  • AI Recommendations
  • Advanced Data Processing

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Scalable pricing plan
  • Enhance your teams’ execution with AI
  • More than adequate sales and marketing capabilities

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Questionable customer support

8. Pipedrive – Best Manufacturing Business CRM for Automation

PRICING: Basic Plan – $15/user/month, Pro Plan – $29/user/month

This CRM has been renown for being especially fit for manufacturing companies because of its automation that helps decrease repetitive tasks and analyze for places of wasted effort. Companies who use Pipedrive have seen reduction in manual work and a unified working process. It is also great for firms looking to strengthen customer relationships and achieve a higher sales conversion rate.

KEY FEATURES:

  • 3rd Party Integration
  • AI Recommendations and Automation
  • Google Calendar Synchronization
  • Timeline Forecasting View

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Helps business owners see gaps in their production process
  • Easily set individual and team targets and measure real-time results
  • Has an ease-of-use factor that’s missing in many of the other top-tier CRMs

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Implementation to gain full scope of automation capabilities can be time consuming

References and Links:

  • https://www.salesforce.com/products/sales-cloud/overview/
  • https://www.sage.com/en-us/products/sage-crm/
  • https://companyhub.com/
  • https://www.zoho.com/crm/
  • https://www.hubspot.com/products/crm
  • https://www.freshworks.com/crm/sales/
  • https://www.netsuite.com/portal/home.shtml
  • https://www.pipedrive.com/