Unleashed has launched three software products for small and micro manufacturers in Australia, covering sales, marketing and warehouse management.
The New Zealand software company said the releases are aimed at businesses with one to 20 staff, a segment it argues has often been left choosing between manual processes and larger software systems that are more expensive and complex.
Unleashed cited Australian Bureau of Statistics data showing that small-to-micro businesses selling physical goods make up 20% of the Australian economy.
The new products are a Sales Growth tool for pipeline management, quoting and lead management, a Marketing Accelerator module, and a mobile phone-based warehouse management app.
Unleashed has already been targeting smaller manufacturers with a Material Requirements Planning tool priced at about one-fifth of comparable larger systems. The latest launch extends that focus into front-office and warehouse tasks.
Sales tools
The sales module was shaped by Unleashed's internal analysis of customer activity. Businesses using integrated email quotes recorded a materially higher quote approval rate than those that did not, according to the company.
"Time and again we hear from small firms that the tools they need are out of reach," said Jarrod Adam, Head of Product at Unleashed.
"The big name systems are incredible, but they're also very complex and require a large amount of customisation. So if you're an ambitious two-to-twenty person firm, for example, they're overkill on price and functionality."
Looking at quote activity over the past year, Unleashed said integrated email quoting was accepted 37% more often across one million quotes issued.
"Looking into our systems, out of a million quotes issued last year, integrated email quoting gets accepted 37% more," Adam said.
"This translates to about $361,000 extra revenue per business, which is significant."
According to Unleashed, Sales Growth is built into its main inventory platform rather than added through a separate customer relationship management system. That gives sales staff and owner-operators a live view of stock and future revenue without relying on separate inboxes or disconnected tools, it said.
"That's an overlooked but important benefit," Adam said.
"Having your sales people working in-system gives the whole team a clearer picture of future revenue instead of leaving it buried in inboxes. That means sales staff are pitching based on a live view of products you actually have in stock, instead of making educated guesses. And owner-operators get to keep an eye on pitches in real time."
Marketing module
The second product, Marketing Accelerator, is designed to help companies target existing customers using ordering history and product data. The tool is intended for companies that want more structured customer outreach without adopting a larger marketing platform, Unleashed said.
"This is a tool that really helps a company's Marketing Lead engage its customer base. For example, they can ensure they're reaching out in a timely manner with tailored recommendations and reminders that match historic ordering habits," Adam said.
"It's this proactive approach that can set a business apart and make sure they're not leaving revenue on the table through lack of outreach."
Warehouse app
The third launch is a warehouse management app that runs on mobile phones. Unleashed said smaller businesses often still rely on paper-based systems because warehouse software is usually geared towards larger operations such as third-party logistics providers.
According to the company, that can create problems with audit preparation, picking accuracy and speed. Adam said the aim was to keep the product simple and avoid the cost of specialist handheld scanner hardware.
"With WMS, we wanted to keep things simple and cost-effective for users. We stayed focused on the features Warehouse Managers and pick staff actually need, rather than overcomplicating the system. That helps keep costs realistic and, because it's mobile-phone based, users can avoid expensive scanner hardware too," Adam said.
Unleashed has priced the warehouse management app at AUD $149 per month, the Sales Growth module at AUD $161 per month, and the marketing module at AUD $365 per month.
The pricing reflects its effort to serve businesses that want to digitise operations but are too small to justify the larger systems used by bigger manufacturers and logistics groups, the company said.
"We're really focused on pricing and products that meet the needs of smaller companies. And that's a message I want the advisor and technology community to hear: Your clients are price-sensitive. They need reliable systems that actually meet their needs.
"We think it's a place where Unleashed can really help."