Salesforce releases its first Trends in Manufacturing Report
by CM Staff
77% of Canadian manufacturers say digital transformation is their top priority for improving operations and 44% of Canadian manufacturers consider legacy tools and dispersed data serious challenges.
A global survey analysis conducted by Salesforce of 750 manufacturing decision-makers, including 50+ Canadians, found that the changes brought about by the pandemic are expected to endure as the industry recovers. The report delves into steps manufacturers can take for the next decade to future-proof their business, including cloud adoption, strong relationships with channel partners and diversifying sources of revenue.
On Mar. 24, Salesforce published its first Trends in Manufacturing report, providing insight into some of the issues that global manufacturing leaders currently face and how they plan to adapt to a post-COVID era. It also spotlights the technological innovations that certain manufacturers have embraced in order to feel prepared for the future of their industry.
“As manufacturers recover from the pandemic, it’s clear that there is a digital divide that has left some manufacturers prepared for the future of the industry and others struggling to meet evolving employee, partner and customer expectations,” said Cindy Bolt, SVP, Salesforce Industries. “Manufacturers need to adopt the mindset of a technology company—moving operations to the cloud, leveraging automation, and creating digital experiences for the customer—to help position their companies for success over the next decade.”
The report details six key findings on the future of manufacturing:
- Manufacturers who were impacted by COVID-19 believe customer-facing changes to their business to be permanent
- Lack of data transparency and siloed teams are significant barriers to accurate forecasting
- Manufacturing leaders cite digital transformation as a key priority over next 24 months
- Manufacturers who feel “very prepared” for the next decade are already mostly in the cloud
- Future-ready manufacturers cite rise in channel partner collaboration and mutual benefits as a value to their business
- Nearly one in three future-ready manufacturers are expanding “servitization” services
Salesforce summarized its findings in a post published on Mar. 24.
