How Tariff Discussions and Supply-Demand Challenges Are Forcing Manufacturers to Rethink Pricing, Costing, and Forecasting
- gregmalacane
- Apr 29
- 3 min read
Today's unpredictable economic climate is pushing manufacturers to operate smarter, faster, and more profitably than ever. Recent tariff discussions and global trade uncertainties have led to sharp spikes in material costs. At the same time, supply chain volatility and changing customer demands have made accurate forecasting a significant operational challenge.
At Endowance, we partner with manufacturers to navigate these realities head-on. Through our Duet360 OneOffice solution, we help integrate critical costing, pricing, inventory, and forecast information into Salesforce, eliminating manual processes and protecting margins.
We'll explore how tariffs, pricing controls, and automated demand forecasting work together to create a smarter, more resilient manufacturing operation. Examples follow each explanation.
The Tariff Challenge: Pricing and Cost Control Under Pressure
Tariff changes are no longer slow-moving events. A single trade decision can raise the cost of imported materials by 10–25% almost overnight. Without real-time costing visibility, manufacturers risk:
Selling products at a loss
Reducing overall gross margins
Breaking terms in customer contracts
Losing valuable market share to better-prepared competitors
Survey Insights from Endowance Customers: Our recent survey showed that 78% of sales leaders lacked real-time cost visibility during quoting, and 52% experienced at least one profit-loss situation in the past year.
Our Solution: Enforcing Cost Discipline in Salesforce
To address this, we've implemented a simple but powerful enhancement in Salesforce:
Real-time costing and pricing integration: Suet360 OneOffice integrates ERP data into Salesforce, including the latest material costs.
Sales workflow enforcement: If a Sales Rep attempts to discount below the cost basis, Salesforce pauses the sale and triggers an approval request to the VP of Sales or CFO.
Approval or revision required: Executives either approve the exception with justification or send the quote back for adjustment.
Real-World Example:
A heavy machinery manufacturer can recently avoid potential losses by implementing this pricing control. Before a feature like this was offered in Duet360, reps unknowingly would sell complex components below cost to win bids. No deal moves forward without executive visibility if it falls below margin thresholds.
Beyond Pricing: Supply and Demand Forecasting Automation
While controlling pricing is crucial, it's only half the battle. Manufacturers also need to understand what inventory they'll need to fulfill future customer demand—a task made harder by fluctuating sales cycles and supply chain delays. Until recently, many manufacturers relied on manual processes, such as email chains, Excel spreadsheets, and siloed ERP reports, to piece together demand forecasts. These processes often required 1 to 4 full-time employees (FTEs) just to maintain, especially across large product portfolios.
Duet360: A Smarter Way to Forecast
We bring inventory planning and sales forecasting seamlessly together inside Salesforce.
Key Features:
Inventory Visibility: Live ERP inventory data, including available-to-promise, on-hand stock, and incoming purchase orders (POs), is integrated directly into Salesforce.
Opportunity Forecast Marrying: Opportunities with a high close probability (over 75–80%, configurable) are matched against the current inventory.
Gap Reporting: Automated reports show where inventory shortfalls may prevent the on-time delivery of upcoming sales.
Proactive Action: Manufacturing and procurement teams are alerted early, giving them time to order materials, adjust production schedules, or manage customer expectations.
Real-World Example:
A mid-sized aerospace components company has a dedicated team of 3 planners who manually cross-reference Salesforce opportunities and ERP inventory levels. With Duet360, this company can reduce the time and effort required to prepare a more accurate forecast.
With Duet360, expect improvements:
Forecasting is fully automated inside Salesforce.
Send alerts when supply gaps are detected.
Planning teams now focus on strategic actions, not clerical work.
Reduce manual effort, allowing FTEs to reallocate to higher-value activities.
Why Duet360 Matters Now More Than Ever
The global manufacturing environment is under siege from tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and volatile customer demand. Waiting for end-of-month reports or manual reconciliations is simply not an option.
With real-time costing enforcement and automated demand forecasting in Salesforce, manufacturers gain:
✅ Profit Protection — Ensure no deal damages margins without executive approval.
✅ Customer Satisfaction — Fulfill orders on time by forecasting inventory needs accurately and efficiently.
✅ Operational Efficiency — Eliminate hours or days of manual data work, freeing staff for strategic priorities.
✅ Resilience to Change — Quickly adjust to new tariffs, supply shortages, or demand swings without missing a beat.
Conclusion: Moving from Reactive to Proactive
In a world where pricing and supply chain risks are changing weekly, manufacturers can no longer afford to operate in silos or based on outdated data. Integration, automation, and visibility are no longer "nice-to-haves"—they're essential tools for survival.
Endowance Solutions empowers manufacturers to protect profits, satisfy customers, and grow sustainably—even during disruption. Let's talk if your organization is ready to take control of costing, pricing, and demand forecasting inside Salesforce.
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