The Manufacturing CX Problem

Manufacturing businesses serve multiple customer layers simultaneously, and each one has fundamentally different needs. Dealers need order status, account visibility, and fast answers on commercial queries. Distributors need supply chain clarity and escalation paths for fulfilment issues. End customers need technical support, spare parts guidance, and field service coordination. Most contact centres treat all three the same, with a single queue, a single routing logic, and agents who lack the account context to resolve any of them well on first contact.

The result is a persistent satisfaction gap that has proved stubbornly resistant to investment. McKinsey's State of Customer Care Survey 2025 (n=440) found that 70% of aftermarket customers are no more satisfied with the service they receive than they were a decade ago, despite significant and sustained investment across the industry. Customers now expect the same speed and personalisation from B2B manufacturers that they experience as consumers. One bad service interaction is often enough to put a long-term account relationship at risk.

Compounding this is a data silo problem. The contact centre is frequently disconnected from the ERP, field service platform, and CRM, which means agents handling B2B queries are working without the account context they need. A distributor calling about a delayed shipment gets a generic response. A dealer chasing a warranty claim gets transferred twice. An end customer reporting a fault gets a field visit that arrives without the fault history. Each of these failures is recoverable. Repeated, they erode the account relationships that drive after-sales revenue.

Untitled-design-_3_

This is for you if:

  Your contact centre handles queries across dealers, distributors, and end customers without channel-specific routing or account context

  After-sales and field service are disconnected from your contact centre, leading to repeat visits and misrouted dispatches

  Agents lack real-time access to order history, service records, and parts availability when B2B customers call

   You are investing in AI but concerned that a generic deployment will not handle the nuance of your channel relationships

   You want to turn after-sales from a cost centre into a measurable driver of customer retention and revenue

 

The Business Case for AI in Manufacturing Contact Centres

The revenue case for getting this right is substantial. McKinsey's research shows that manufacturers making meaningful progress on AI in customer care see 50% showing revenue growth, compared to just 8% of those lagging the field. The gap is not explained by product quality or pricing. It is explained by the quality of the after-sales experience and the speed at which customer issues get resolved. 70% of aftermarket customers say they would pay more for faster issue resolution. That is a direct link between contact centre performance and commercial outcome.

The efficiency gains from well-implemented AI are equally clear. According to the Freshservice Service Management Benchmark Report 2024, process automation reduces average ticket resolution time by 26.63%, with AI-based assistance reducing it a further 34.58%. AI enables faster first-interaction resolution in 77% of cases in manufacturing contexts. Gartner projects that conversational AI will reduce global contact centre costs by $80 billion by 2026, with B2B service operations among the highest-impact areas.

The distinction that matters: AI designed for B2C volume handles high-frequency, low-complexity contacts at scale. AI designed for B2B complexity handles account-level context, channel-specific routing, and escalation paths that reflect the value of the relationship. Manufacturing requires the second approach. Generic automation applied to dealer and distributor relationships does not just underperform; it actively damages the accounts that matter most. We design for B2B complexity from the outset.

Technology Investment (1)
it’s what we do best

Client reviews

separator-image
auto-finance-logo
Justine Long
Head of Operations,
CA Auto Finance

“Saved us from an expensive mistake”

We had vendors trying to sell us something we didn’t understand. Mark was different - he was completely impartial and focused on finding what we actually needed. He took all the techinical jargon and made it simple to understand the real business impact.

More importantly, he caught things we would have completely missed. On paper, everything looked similar, but Mark knew what looked similar wasn’t actually similar. The expertise probably saved us from making a very expensive mistake.

Ashtons-legal-logo
Ben Hallatt
COO, Ashtons Law

“Made complex decisions manageable”

We thought we just needed to upgrade our phone system. Mark helped us see we were thinking way too small. He walked us through what modern platforms can actually do, translated all the technical jargon into real business value, and completely transformed how we interact with clients.

What really stood out was how he made complex decisions feel manageable, instead of pushing a solution, he helped us understand what was actually possible - then stuck around to make sure we got real value from it. Without his expertise, we would have upgraded to another basic phone system and missed this huge opportunity.

What we help Manufacturing teams achieve

HarrietForrest-Iconsforrefreshforsocialproofstatstrips-256x256px-AKM-MK-12Feb2026-White-appgrid - 24173
HarrietForrest-Iconsforrefreshforsocialproofstatstrips-256x256px-AKM-MK-12Feb2026-White-Tech - 14485

Channel-aware enquiry handling

Dealers, distributors, and end customers should never land in the same generic queue. We design routing logic that identifies the customer type from first contact, applies the right account context, and directs the query to the right team with the right information already in place.

First-contact resolution rates improve because agents are not starting from zero on every B2B call.

After-sales and field service coordination

When an end customer reports a fault, the contact centre should already know the machine's service history, the parts that are likely needed, and the technician best placed to respond. We connect your contact centre to your field service platform and ERP so that every inbound technical query creates a structured, contextual task rather than a generic ticket.

61% of manufacturing leaders have already seen a reduction in onsite visits thanks to AI-assisted remote diagnosis. Fewer unnecessary dispatches means lower cost and faster resolution for the customer.

 

HarrietForrest-Iconsforrefreshforsocialproofstatstrips-256x256px-AKM-MK-12Feb2026-White-Deployment - 19255

Agent efficiency with full account context

B2B customers expect agents to know who they are and what their account history looks like. We eliminate the "let me look that up" delay by surfacing account data, order history, open cases, and service records at the point of contact.

Agents spend less time searching and more time resolving, with AI-assisted next-step suggestions for complex queries.

HarrietForrest-Iconsforrefreshforsocialproofstatstrips-256x256px-AKM-MK-12Feb2026-White-Analysis - 10724

Operational intelligence across the customer base

Every interaction is a data point. We help you aggregate contact centre data to surface account health signals, identify escalation patterns by customer type or product line, and flag revenue opportunities such as service contract renewals or parts upsell moments.

After-sales becomes a source of commercial insight, not just a cost to manage.

Use cases

CX and AI use cases for Manufacturing

Dealer and distributor support

Handle commercial and account queries at speed, with the right context in place from first contact.

Talk To An Expert

  • > Order status and delivery tracking integrated with your ERP, available 24/7 without agent involvement

  • > Account query routing that identifies dealer and distributor contacts and applies channel-specific handling

  • > Commercial escalation triggers for high-value accounts requiring relationship manager involvement

  • > Automated post-contact summaries and CRM logging so nothing falls through after the call

Technical support and after-sales

Resolve end customer technical queries faster, with fewer unnecessary field dispatches.

Talk To An Expert

  • > AI-assisted troubleshooting using product documentation, fault history, and technical knowledge bases

  • > Spare parts availability checks and order initiation directly from the support interaction

  • > Remote diagnoses workflows that resolve issues without a site visit where possible

  • > Escalation to specialist technical agents with full fault context and service history compiled

Field service coordination

Connect the contact centre to your field teams so technicians arrive prepared, every time.

Talk To An Expert

  • > Inbound faults reports automatically linked to machine service history and open warranty records

  • > Structured field tickets created from contact centre interactions, with part requirements and fault data included

  • > Technician briefing information compiled before dispatch, reducing repeat visits and wasted time on site

  • > Post-visit logging and customer follow-up automated after every field service interaction

Operational intelligence

Turn contact centre data into account insight and commercial opportunity.

Talk To An Expert

  • > Account health monitoring based on contact frequency, escalation rate, and sentiment patterns

  • > Product line fault trend analysis to surface recurring issues before they become warranty claims

  • > Revenue signal identification: service contract renewals, parts upsell, and upgrade opportunities flagged from interaction data

  • > Agent coaching opportunities identified from QA across 100% of interactions, not sampled calls

Use case

Dealer and distributor support

View use casearrow-image

Dealer and distributor support

Handle commercial and account queries at speed, with the right context in place from first contact.

Talk To An Expert

  • > Order status and delivery tracking integrated with your ERP, available 24/7 without agent involvement

  • > Account query routing that identifies dealer and distributor contacts and applies channel-specific handling

  • > Commercial escalation triggers for high-value accounts requiring relationship manager involvement

  • > Automated post-contact summaries and CRM logging so nothing falls through after the call

Use case

Technical support and after-sales

View use casearrow-image

Technical support and after-sales

Resolve end customer technical queries faster, with fewer unnecessary field dispatches.

Talk To An Expert

  • > AI-assisted troubleshooting using product documentation, fault history, and technical knowledge bases

  • > Spare parts availability checks and order initiation directly from the support interaction

  • > Remote diagnoses workflows that resolve issues without a site visit where possible

  • > Escalation to specialist technical agents with full fault context and service history compiled

Use case

Field service coordination

View use casearrow-image

Field service coordination

Connect the contact centre to your field teams so technicians arrive prepared, every time.

Talk To An Expert

  • > Inbound faults reports automatically linked to machine service history and open warranty records

  • > Structured field tickets created from contact centre interactions, with part requirements and fault data included

  • > Technician briefing information compiled before dispatch, reducing repeat visits and wasted time on site

  • > Post-visit logging and customer follow-up automated after every field service interaction

Use case

Operational intelligence

View use casearrow-image

Operational intelligence

Turn contact centre data into account insight and commercial opportunity.

Talk To An Expert

  • > Account health monitoring based on contact frequency, escalation rate, and sentiment patterns

  • > Product line fault trend analysis to surface recurring issues before they become warranty claims

  • > Revenue signal identification: service contract renewals, parts upsell, and upgrade opportunities flagged from interaction data

  • > Agent coaching opportunities identified from QA across 100% of interactions, not sampled calls

Want to find the fastest ROI in your contact centre?

We’ll review your current journey and highlight practical opportunities across customer experience, AI and platform consolidation - connected to the systems you already run. 

AI Agents, built around Manufacturing workflows

Helpful automation, with clear boundaries.

We help you design AI agents that handle specific manufacturing processes without creating risk to your account relationships or your brand. That means defined capabilities per customer type, documented escalation paths, and integration with your ERP and CRM built in from the start.

 

HarrietForrest-Iconsforrefreshforsocialproofstatstrips-256x256px-AKM-MK-12Feb2026-Purple-phonereturn - 41639

Enquiry Agent

Identifies the customer type at first contact, applies channel-specific routing, and surfaces account context for dealers, distributors, and end customers.

HarrietForrest-Iconsforrefreshforsocialproofstatstrips-256x256px-AKM-MK-12Feb2026-Purple-appgrid - 98836

Tech Support Agent

Guides end customers through AI-assisted troubleshooting using product documentation and fault history, then escalates unresolved issues to specialist agents with full context compiled.

HarrietForrest-Iconsforrefreshforsocialproofstatstrips-256x256px-AKM-MK-12Feb2026-Purple-clipboard - 17173

Field Coordination Agent

Converts inbound fault reports into structured field tickets with machine history, part requirements, and technician briefing data, reducing repeat visits and misrouted dispatches.

HarrietForrest-Iconsforrefreshforsocialproofstatstrips-256x256px-AKM-MK-12Feb2026-Purple-Tech - 21303

Intelligence Agent

Monitors account health signals, surfaces escalation patterns by customer type and product line, and flags commercial opportunities for after-sales and account management teams.

Always with clear guardrails: what the agent can do, what requires human review, and how account data is handled. High-value account contacts and complex technical queries reach a human immediately, with the full interaction context already compiled.

According to McKinsey, governance clarity is one of the defining factors that determines whether AI delivers at scale or stalls at pilot. We design governance in from day one.

 

What 'good' looks like

zoom-uk-partner-fortay-connect-response-icon

Faster response times across customer channels

zoom-uk-partner-fortay-connect-AI-icon

Less manual admin after calls and meetings

zoom-uk-partner-fortay-connect-CRM-icon

Cleaner CRM data without constant policing

zoom-uk-partner-fortay-connect-visibility-icon

Better visibility for leaders and team managers

A deployment approach that reduces risk

CX and AI Advisory

Before any technology is selected, we map the customer journey across your dealer, distributor, and end customer layers, identifying where the contact centre is breaking down and what good outcomes look like for each customer type.

Find out more

Technology Selection

We help you choose the right tool for each use case and each customer type, integrated with your existing ERP, CRM, and field service platform. Vendor-neutral, always.

Find out more

Phased Rollout

We start with a single customer type or contact category, validating routing logic, account context accuracy, and escalation protocols before scaling across your full channel structure.

Find out more

Ongoing Monitoring and Auditing

B2B account relationships are high-value and hard to recover once damaged. We establish a monitoring cadence that keeps AI outputs accurate, escalation thresholds correctly set, and account data clean as your operation evolves.

Find out more

Trusted by leading teams, delivered with leading platforms

Our Customers

  • alcumus
  • AVFC
  • Ashton
  • CA
  • PKF-Logo
  • severn
  • nottingham-forest.0594f24a

Our Technology Partners

  • zoom
  • ring central
  • goto
  • dialpad
  • nice
  • teams

Our Integrations

  • HubSpot
  • Salesforce Logo
  • teams
  • Dynamics 365
  • WhatsApp
  • ServiceNow
  • jira
  • zendesk

Our Clients

CA
image_ff
alcumus-logo-color
alcumus-logo-color

Put the team behind 100+ communications
transformations to work for you

True specialists

We decode communication tech daily. While platforms push monthly AI releases, we're already stress-testing real-world outcomes to ensure you get 100% value from these capabilities.

Battle-tested experience

Elite technical credentials matter. But what sets us apart? We'll challenge assumptions and flag risks before they become problems. We map technology to business processes, helping you redesign workflows to take advantage of modern capabilities.

Long-view partnership

Our clients stay 6+ years because we evolve with their needs. No quick fixes – we're architects of lasting transformation.

Frequently asked questions

Why is CX in manufacturing more complex than other sectors?

Manufacturing businesses serve dealers, distributors, and end customers simultaneously, each with different needs, urgency levels, and escalation paths. Most contact centres treat all three the same, which creates misrouted contacts, wrong-context handoffs, and frustrated customers across every layer of the channel structure.

What is the business case for AI in manufacturing contact centres?

McKinsey's State of Customer Care Survey 2025 found that manufacturers making meaningful progress on AI see 50% showing revenue growth, compared to just 8% of those lagging. 70% of aftermarket customers say they would pay more for faster issue resolution, creating a direct link between contact centre performance and commercial outcome.

How does AI handle dealer and distributor queries differently from end customer queries?

Channel-aware AI identifies the customer type at first contact, applies the appropriate account context, and routes the query to the right team with the right information already in place. Dealers get commercial and order handling. Distributors get supply chain visibility. End customers get technical support. Each journey is designed separately.

 

How can AI reduce unnecessary field service visits in manufacturing?

AI-assisted remote diagnosis guides end customers through troubleshooting using product documentation and fault history before a field visit is dispatched. 61% of manufacturing leaders have already seen a reduction in onsite visits thanks to virtual support tools. When a visit is required, the contact centre passes full fault context so technicians arrive prepared.

What is the risk of deploying generic AI in a manufacturing contact centre?

Generic AI treats all contacts the same regardless of customer type or account value. In a B2B manufacturing environment, this means dealers and distributors receive the same handling as end customers, account context is lost, and high-value relationships are damaged by interactions that feel transactional. The risk is not just poor service; it is commercial.

Case Studies

View All
ESI Technologies | Unified communications modernisation | Fortay

ESI Technologies | Unified communications modernisation | Fortay

ESI Technologies Established in 1919, ESI Technologies is a leading supplier of process equipment and engineering solutions for the biotech, pharmaceutical, chemical, food and energy industries in Ireland, UK and Benelux. It has...

Read More
Your World Recruitment | Global communications improvements | Fortay

Your World Recruitment | Global communications improvements | Fortay

Your World Recruitment, a global staffing organisation providing careers to experienced healthcare professionals worldwide,is set to better address the global healthcare staffing shortagewithan all-new UCaaS solution provided by ...

Read More
Garden Court Chambers | Modern communications for barristers | Fortay

Garden Court Chambers | Modern communications for barristers | Fortay

Garden Court Chambers Founded in 1974, Garden Court Chambers is the largest barristers’ chambers in London with leading barristers and expert QCs providing legal advice and services to solicitors, members of the public and...

Read More
Stay up to date

Latest news & blogs