Automation Beyond the Factory Floor: Where Manufacturers Are Finding the Biggest Wins

Automation in manufacturing usually brings to mind robotic arms and automated assembly lines. But today, the biggest efficiency wins for manufacturers are increasingly found beyond the factory floor. Front-office and back-office processes (think sales orders, customer service, inventory management, and finance) are ripe for automation, and forward-looking manufacturers are reaping major benefits by streamlining these areas.

One of the clearest examples of back-office automation payoff is in order processing. Shorr Packaging found itself in exactly this situation. Orders from Shorr’s B2B e-commerce portal were captured in Salesforce, but an employee had to spend 15–20 minutes re-entering each order into the ERP by hand. With a little (ok, a lot of) help, they implemented Salesforce Order Management and eliminated manual entry, creating an "auto-flow" for orders into the ERP. This rule-based automation eliminates delays and errors, while scaling easily with growing volume.

A global HVAC manufacturer also embraced front-office automation to solve a high-friction field experience. Their SharePoint-based commerce site left technicians frustrated with slow search and clunky order experience. With Saltbox’s help, they’ve now implemented Salesforce Commerce Cloud with Coveo-powered intelligent search, automated pricing pulled from Salesforce, and responsive design. The result? A self-service portal that feels more like a consumer-grade experience, but tuned for complex B2B needs. Field reps can now locate and purchase parts quickly, without back-office bottlenecks, and that’s a huge operational win for this manufacturer's service org.

Another area where manufacturers are finding big wins is in intelligent fulfillment routing and inventory management. With a capable Order Management System, you can codify fulfillment decisions into rules. The system will automatically choose the optimal fulfillment path based on your criteria (fastest ship time, lowest cost, available stock, etc.).

It's worth noting that you don’t need AI or advanced tech to get these wins. Most of the gains come from straightforward rule-based automation and integration, not AI. Shorr, for example, focused on the "happy path.” For them, this meant automating the most common, straightforward orders that met all the normal criteria. By intentionally limiting the initial scope, they avoided overcomplicating the project early on.

This approach—start with simple automation, get quick wins, then gradually expand—is something we at Saltbox Mgmt recommend to all manufacturers. Begin with a few high-impact areas (like order entry or part search), prove the ROI, and learn from the implementation. Then iterate and extend the automation to adjacent processes.

The takeaway is clear: don’t overlook the front and back office in your quest for efficiency. With the right platforms (like Salesforce) and a smart, phased strategy, manufacturers can help achieve agility, consistency, and customer satisfaction, without waiting years for ROI. The companies that recognize this are gaining a significant competitive edge that will continue into the future.