B2B Manufacturing Survey: Manual Quoting and Sales Processes Leading to Lost Revenue, Driving Investments in AI-Powered Commerce and CPQ Platforms

Survey of 200 decision-makers finds 88% have lost deals to manual processes, leading to an average annual 5% revenue leakage

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- B2B manufacturers are bleeding revenue due to outdated quoting and sales processes, according to a new national survey sponsored by Aleran Software and conducted by independent B2B research firm TrendCandy.

The survey of 200 B2B manufacturing decision-makers found manual sales and quoting processes are costing their companies an average of 5% of their revenue each year, with 88% of respondents reporting lost deals.

The results come as Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are reconsidering supplier relationships due to rising U.S. tariffs, providing an opportunity for some manufacturers to capture new accounts if they can make the discovery and buying processes easier for their customers.

“B2B buyer behavior is changing dramatically, with today’s customers expecting the same speed and self-service they experience in consumer commerce, even when purchasing complex, configurable products,” said Aleran CEO Alex Sayyah. “Manufacturers are recognizing that meeting these expectations isn’t optional, and they’re showing a real appetite to invest in modernization. And while AI and digital quoting platforms are critical parts of the solution, it’s also clear that success depends on more than technology. Manufacturers are pairing new tools with changes to people and processes to unlock the full value of their investments and improve the buying experience.”

The study found myriad explanations for the negative business impact from manual quoting processes. The top one is its incompatibility with complex approval processes, something that is common particularly at large enterprises, with 53% of respondents citing it as a reason why manual quoting was killing deals. In addition, nearly half (48%) said manual quoting prevented them from providing enough pricing flexibility, and 45% said it created misalignment with customer requirements, and 44% cited data entry errors.

The research underscores the critical importance of digital-first quoting and sales processes for B2B manufacturers, according to Brenda Nobleza, Vice President of Channel Solutions at Epicor, a global leader in ERP software for manufacturers. “AI-enabled quoting and buying experiences aren’t nice-to-have features—they’re business-critical. The data clearly shows that manufacturers clinging to manual processes are losing real revenue. That’s why Epicor partners with companies like Aleran to help businesses modernize their sales operations and compete effectively in today’s market.”

Survey respondents said they are taking a series of actions to improve automation to drive operational and financial impact, with six in 10 taking steps to implement AI-driven pricing tools, while listing digital commerce (54%) and digital quoting platforms (54%), including CPQ, as the top two priorities for modernizing sales.

Other findings:

• Respondents estimated that 5% of their revenue was lost each year to unsold inventory, suggesting an opportunity to improve demand planning.
• Quotes take at least a day to produce for 71% of respondents.
• 37% of respondents have fully automated their quoting processes, leaving nearly two thirds still navigating at least partially manual processes.
• In addition to AI-driving pricing tools, integrating CRM and ERP systems with sales processes was a top action for streamlining sales and quoting for 56% of respondents, and self-service customer portals was cited by nearly half (48%).

A complementary research summary with recommendations is available online.

Methodology

TrendCandy surveyed 200 respondents from decision-makers (manager and above) at U.S.-based manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors in July 2025. Respondents represented sales, marketing, finance, and operations and worked at companies with at least 100 employees. Companies represented a wide range of industry segments, including computer hardware, aftermarket parts and OEM components, plastics and chemicals, and electrical components and equipment. The margin of error for this study is +/- 4.6% at the 95% confidence level.

About Aleran

Aleran Software makes complex quoting and selling simple by providing a unified commerce platform purpose-built for discrete manufacturing, industrial distributors and wholesalers. Aleran Connected Commerce enables B2B manufacturers to simplify, unify, and accelerate sales online, offline and everywhere they sell. The platform includes AI sales agents, CPQ, PIM, digital catalogs, and customer portals. Aleran Connected Commerce provides an API-first architecture to make it easy to integrate back-end systems such as ERP and CRM with front-end sales channels with minimal IT help. Learn more about Aleran at www.aleran.com.

For more information, press and analysts only:

Aaron Pearson
Narratio for Aleran Software
aaron@narratiomarketing.com
1.612.716.9228

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/87d16914-efa3-4c87-8b68-ec610aae112a

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