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Application of Social Media In Manufacturing Industry (B2B)

Article Written By: Aditya Zutshi & Shweta Jain

How Procurement Is Being Handled Presently

• Suppliers are selected depending upon the vicinity , quality and price offered
• Procurement agents visit vendors and procure raw material as per market demand
• Sales & Marketing executives update the ever changing market demands
• Quality Inspector verifies the procured items

How Social Media Can Be Used In Procurement

Take "Procurement Tries Social Networking" back to 1984 and it would read "Procurement Tries Personal Computer". Move it to 1994 and it reads "Procurement Tries Internet". 

LinkedIn or Facebook or something else could be used as a source of up-to-date supplier information that could be ported into an ERP or other business system. Social Media can be used to harness the power of buyer and seller connections by making them social. 

How Production Is Being Handled Presently

• Using global best practices/standards such as Lean Manufacturing, TQM, Six Sigma
• Mass production of commonly used components   
• Quality control systems are used for quality check

How Social Media Can Be Used In Production

Retailers have the opportunity to leverage social intelligence to assist in the design of their own private-label products, collaborate closely with consumer product companies to ensure proper product development and more important, keep a pulse on what consumers are saying about products. There is tremendous potential for retailers and consumer goods companies to encourage elite online communities to aid in the design and development of new products. 

How Supply Chain Planning Is Being Handled Presently

• Using Software like Supply Chain Event Management that monitor forecast, order, manufacturing schedule, inventory, shipments etc.
• Real-time visibility of material requirement and inventory throughout the value chain
• Improving productivity of suppliers by technology transfer and funding. 
• Further reducing inventory buffers and supply chain bottlenecks.
• Key Challenge is to align the different stakeholders along the chain - vendors, transporters, distributors and dealers

How Social Media Can Be Used In Supply Chain Planning

While using social media for supply chain collaboration helps to elevate data to information. Providing key suppliers, especially contract manufacturers, and customers limited access to the company’s planning systems helps them participate directly in the decision process. You will have then elevated raw data exchange (EDI and transaction systems) to information exchange (social media) to true decision collaboration. The final decision to the EDI messages and transaction systems, but the communication and collaboration required to reach a decision should be carried using internet technology. Decisions cycles are usually shortened dramatically where direct participation of key suppliers is there in the decision process.

How Sales & Marketing Is Being Handled Presently

• Major focus on Customer Retention  and Customer Loyalty Management. 
• Separate marketing set-up for every segment viz. OEMs, Replacement Market and Exports. 

How Social Media Can Be Used In Sales & Marketing

Social media allows companies to relate to one another and bypass the fluff. In a recent study done by KnowledgeStorm of B2B technology decision makers the following statistics were revealed: 90% Participate in Video, 80% Participate in Blogs, 80% Participate in Wikis, 69% Participate in Social Networks, 53% Participate in Podcasts. Social media can enable a company to share expertise and knowledge, tap into the, wisdom of your consumers, enables customers helping customers, engages prospects through customer evangelism.

How CRM Is Being Handled Presently

• Responsible for generating demand for vehicles and spares
• After sales service 
• Resolving customer complaints 
• Maintaining relationships with customers
• Monitoring dealers and other intermediaries.
• Currently using various CRM systems

How Social Media Can Be Used In CRM

Used effectively, social networking sites can enable marketing professionals, salespeople, and customer service agents to develop meaningful relationships with customers in new ways. Social networks, by bringing in otherwise untapped and unmanaged online conversations, also help organizations get closer to a true 360-degree view of the customer so they can further optimize their marketing, sales, and customer service efforts. 

Key Challenges in Human Resource

• Innovative recruitment techniques to attract talent
• Talent Retention
• HR Policy making and ensuring it is followed

How Social Media Can Be Used In Human Resource

Social Media can help Human Resource in various ways, ‘Social Recruitment’ being the most prominent of them. Ernst & Young uses Twitter and Facebook to hold public chats with candidates and Deloitte woos potential recruits through YouTube videos. Companies can even cultivate a great employer brand that may be different from the corporate brand and reach a targeted audience of younger applicants. This can help attract the best talent as it establishes a transparency and gives candidates a fair idea of the ideals & culture of the organization. Social Media also can be used to have a notify employees about the HR Policies and have an interactive discussion about the same.