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The present-day chemical industry is complex and competitive more than ever. With the current demands from clients, a chemical company is obliged to cope with these interactions to be able to thrive. One instrument used by progressive chemical companies to deal with the changes in corporate milieus is sales management software, or Customer Relationship Management software (CRMs). With the fast-paced flow of demands, sales teams need to maintain their efficiency and dependability, which is where sales management tools come in.

CRM software was heralded as an innovative way to help chemical companies better manage their sales pipeline and customer relationships. Unfortunately, its launch was accompanied by a host of new challenges: configuration was complex, implementation pricey, and teaching new employees the intricacies of a whole new system proved time-consuming. Even after lengthy training, users were faced with tedious tasks and a disjointed experience. It’s no wonder, then, that many sales representatives at chemical companies still doubt the potential of this type of software. It just brought increased frustration to the workplace rather than fulfilling its original promise.

A firm that operates in the B2B space needs to have a website that is informative and also nudges the visitor towards making a purchase. It is unrealistic to expect someone who visits your website to become a customer right away. But if you can capture and retain the attention of potential clients, it is likely that over a period of time, many of your visitors will become paying customers.

Chemical companies have been slow to reap the benefits that digitalization has to offer. Many firms in this traditional industry realize that new developments in digital technology have the potential to help them bring about improvements in their businesses and serve their customers with greater efficiency.

Purchasing departments in chemical companies face increasingly complex challenges in procuring raw materials. While it is important to ensure that the chemicals being bought meet quality norms and are priced competitively, it is also essential to meet all the applicable regulatory requirements.

Chemical consumers face the challenge of identifying suppliers who can deliver raw materials of the required quality at a fair price. Once they have found a reliable vendor, buyers have a tendency to continue the association even if there is a possibility of finding alternative sources that are more economical.

The price volatility of raw materials can result in rising costs, lower profitability, and a desperate last-minute hunt for new suppliers. But finding alternative sources of supply for chemicals is a time-consuming process involving the verification of the seller’s reputation and its ability to honor its commitments.

Large chemical companies have elaborately designed supply chains that are capable of meeting fluctuations in demand for raw materials. They have several suppliers for each of their requirements.

Chemical buyers often have to perform a careful balancing act in the process of meeting conflicting priorities. Every purchase needs to be made at the lowest possible cost and from the most dependable supplier.

Supply chain management in the chemical industry can be a challenging task. Identifying a reliable supplier of the required raw material could take days if not weeks. Once this task is completed, it would be necessary to negotiate a mutually acceptable set of terms and conditions.  By the time an order is placed, the market situation may have changed. The firm that has placed the order may not require the material any longer. It could also be possible that the price at which a particular chemical is finally purchased has increased to such an extent that it makes the entire exercise uneconomical.