14: No budget, fewer staff – Why automation in sales for automotive suppliers is now vital

The automotive supply industry is under massive pressure. Rising costs, volatile markets and, above all, drastically reduced budgets are forcing many companies to take tough measures - often including painful staff cuts. But the reality remains: The work does not stop. Quotations have to be drawn up, prices calculated, negotiations prepared and reports delivered - even if fewer staff are available.

The key question is: how can the same tasks be completed efficiently and without errors with fewer resources?

The answer: automation.

The reality in sales: higher pressure, fewer resources

The situation is currently similar in many automotive supplier sales teams: budgets are being frozen or cut, vacancies remain unfilled or have to be eliminated. At the same time, OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) continue to expect precise and fast responses to inquiries, transparent pricing and a sound basis for negotiations. The contradiction could hardly be greater.

Without appropriate measures, this pressure leads to suboptimal results - with a direct impact on the bottom line. If sales employees no longer have time to prepare thoroughly for price negotiations or to calculate quotations accurately, it quickly becomes expensive. Errors in quantities, overlooked exchange rate fluctuations or incomplete CBDs can result in considerable profit risks.

The solution: automation along the entire distribution chain

Automation is no longer a nice-to-have - it is the only way for sales organizations to remain efficient under the current conditions. The approach is particularly effective if automation is not only used selectively, but supports all central sales processes across the board.

Here are some concrete levers for how automation works in practice:

1. Providing data in real time

Relevant data - such as quantities, exchange rates or calculation factors - is available when it is needed. No more manual searching, no more outdated values. This saves time and reduces sources of error.

2 Automated calculations and quotation processes

Complete pricing processes can be automated - including quotation and CBD creation. This makes standard processes faster and more reliable. Sales staff can concentrate on strategic tasks again instead of spending time on Excel battles.

3. Sales planning without Excel clutter

Volume and price planning are among the core processes in strategic sales. Automated tools create structure, consistency and transparency here. Changes in market assumptions or objectives can be simulated immediately and translated into concrete measures.

4. Data integration from upstream systems

Ideally, data should only be entered once - or even better: come directly from existing upstream systems via an interface. This creates a central data foundation that can be reused in all processes.

5 Automated reporting at the touch of a button

Reporting no longer has to be maintained manually either. Modern systems enable fully automated reports - up-to-date, error-free and in exactly the format that management needs. This not only saves time, but also enables more informed decisions to be made.

The right solution: Digital Automotive

The principles mentioned above are not dreams of the future, but are already a reality in the Digital Automotive solution. It was developed specifically for the requirements of automotive suppliers and covers the entire strategic sales chain - from planning and costing to reporting.

The software not only offers functionality, but also a deep understanding of the industry: it was built by experts from the automotive supply industry for precisely this target group. This means that the challenges are known, the processes are understood and the solutions are practical.

Modules such as:

• Volume & price planning

• Quotation & CBD management

• Calculation automation

• Interfaces to ERP and CRM systems

• Reporting & dashboards

... are ready for immediate use and bring measurable added value from day one.

Conclusion: Efficiency instead of overload - with the right automation

Particularly in times of cost-cutting and staff shortages, it is essential to automate sales processes intelligently. This is the only way to ensure that quality, speed of response and efficiency do not suffer as a result of cutbacks.

Automation is not a job killer - it is a survival strategy. It takes the pressure off your teams, creates new capacity for strategic tasks and secures your margins. If you invest now, you will be better positioned for the next market cycles - even if budgets are currently tight.

Would you like to see what this looks like in practice?

Then get a free live demo from Digital Automotive now:
👉 digital-automotive-supplier.com