The Launchpad: Powering What’s Next in Manufacturing & Distribution

Today’s manufacturing and distribution teams are balancing more complexity than ever. With rapid advances in AI, automation, and data platforms, the pressure to modernize is mounting across every part of the business - from operations to talent to tech. 

But while the opportunity is exciting, the path forward isn’t always clear. 

Business Challenges Facing Manufacturing & Distribution 

These industries are navigating a perfect storm of operational demands, shifting workforce expectations, and emerging technologies. Here are just a few of the most common roadblocks: 

• Systems Integration Connecting critical platforms like CRM, ERP, Payroll, and Timesheets is essential for operational visibility—but it’s often complex, costly, and time-consuming to implement. 

• Emerging Technologies Keeping pace with innovations like robotics, IoT, and AI can feel like a full-time job in itself, especially for mid-market teams without dedicated R&D. 

• Talent Management Attracting and retaining skilled workers continues to be a challenge, particularly as experienced workers retire and expectations shift across generations. 

• Unplanned Equipment Downtime When systems or machinery go offline, productivity and profitability take a direct hit. 

• Cybersecurity Threats As reliance on digital tools and connected devices increases, so does vulnerability to cyber-attacks and data breaches. 

• Supply Chain Disruptions Delays, shortages, and geopolitical friction are putting added strain on already fragile supply chains. 

How Data & AI Can Help 

While none of these challenges are new, the tools available to solve them are evolving fast. With the right data infrastructure in place, manufacturers can shift from reactive to proactive - spotting risks sooner, streamlining operations, and scaling smarter. 

Here are three ways data and AI can move the needle: 

• Unified Data Platform - A solution like Microsoft Fabric brings all your data sources together - simplifying integration, enabling cross-functional visibility, and creating a single source of truth across the business. 

  
  

• Embedded Power BI Dashboards - Make insights actionable by embedding real-time dashboards directly within your business applications. With Power BI integration, teams can track KPIs, spot trends, and make data-backed decisions without switching tools. 

  
  

• Smart Sync -  Interloop’s Smart Sync offering connects your operational tools to your data platform, surfacing key insights and attributes exactly where teams need them. No more digging for reports - just smarter decisions, faster. 

Real Results in the Field 

A material handling equipment company in Michigan faced a common issue: disconnected data between CRM and ERP systems made sales performance tracking manual, time-consuming, and reactive. 

The Challenge: Sales commissions were tied to different milestones depending on the equipment type, requiring data from multiple systems. Performance reporting was only available monthly, after hours of spreadsheet cleanup. Reps had no real-time visibility into their numbers and couldn’t proactively adjust course. 

The Solution: Interloop helped unify CRM and ERP data in Microsoft Fabric, then built a Power BI dashboard embedded within the CRM. This gave sales reps instant access to real-time performance data—no spreadsheets, no bottlenecks. 

The Result: What used to take days now takes minutes. Reporting is refreshed daily, reps are empowered to self-monitor and adjust in real time, and leadership has clear visibility across the board. 

Need Support on this Data Journey? 

Our Fast Dash solution helps teams move from insight to impact - fast. Whether you need to streamline reporting, centralize data, or activate AI, we’ll help you stand up a real-time dashboard tailored to your business. 

Ready to get looped in? Let’s get started.