What If Your Supply Chain and CRM Were Connected?

Every business has front-office (sales, marketing, service) and back-office (manufacturing, accounting, procurement, logistics) functions. For decades, organizations have invested in optimizing these functions independently. Yet, increasingly, we see major exposure points where these outward- and inward-facing functions fail to connect—and the result is often felt most acutely through customer experience.

Customer expectations have evolved toward real-time transparency, personalization, and reliability. Supply Chain Management (SCM), though traditionally a back-office discipline, directly impacts that experience—from accurate delivery promises to stock availability to proactive communication. And yet, most CRM systems still lack the visibility and intelligence needed to connect front-office decisions with back-office realities.

Imagine a world where sales, marketing, and service teams can all see and act upon the same supply signals that drive operational decisions. This article explores what becomes possible when CRM and Supply Chain are connected, using Salesforce and ketteQ as the foundation for integration.

Use Case 1: Product Availability with Available-to-Promise (ATP)

Available-to-Promise data in Salesforce is the foundation for uniting demand and supply signals. By surfacing simple, powerful information such as “when will this product be available,” teams can improve satisfaction, prevent order cancellations, and optimize revenue realization.

Practical Examples:

- Opportunity Management: Reps can instantly see accurate delivery timelines and manage expectations accordingly.

- Revenue Realization: When quarter-end closes in, managers can prioritize products that can be delivered and invoiced within the period.

- Next-Best Product: ATP data informs reps of suitable substitutes based on availability and customer history.

- Sales Management: Managers can monitor risk indicators, such as trends in on-time delivery or forecast exposure when demand outpaces supply. –

- Customer Service & Field Service:Agents and technicians can communicate accurate delivery or repair schedules through portals, chatbots, or AI agents.

By integrating ketteQ’s advanced supply planning capabilities with Salesforce, businesses can ensure these ATP insights are not static—they dynamically update as supply, demand, or capacity shifts.

Use Case 2: Agentic Support for Dynamic Allocation Decisions

ATP visibility informs decisions, but integrating agentic intelligence transforms them. When demand exceeds supply, human decision-makers are forced into complex trade-offs. What if an AI agent could model those scenarios in seconds?

Consider a high-tech manufacturer launching a popular new product. Orders surge beyond available inventory. An Agentforce-powered assistant could:

- Identify all at-risk orders and the gap between demand and supply.

- Retrieve contract terms, OTIF incentives, and margin profiles.

- Model multiple allocation scenarios and recommend the most profitable or strategic choice.

Instead of hours of spreadsheet triage, managers gain rapid, explainable recommendations. Better yet, each decision becomes a recorded learning asset, strengthening future scenario planning. Together, Salesforce and ketteQ create a feedback loop that combines CRM intent with supply chain intelligence—turning reactive fire drills into proactive, data-driven decisioning.

Use Case 3: Connecting Advertising and Trade Promotion Budgets to Inventory

The most sophisticated marketing plans fail when shelves are empty. By connecting supply chain data into Salesforce Marketing and Trade Promotion Management tools, brands can orchestrate spend where it truly drives ROI.

Trade Promotion Optimization: Retailers and CPG manufacturers negotiate trade funds tied to ROI, lift, and redemption rates. With ketteQ integration, promotions can be targeted at regions with healthy inventory levels, promoting what is in stock and avoiding discounts on items likely to sell out organically.

Advertising Optimization: With the addition of media and market intelligence (e.g., Publicis CoreAI integrations), campaign planners can dynamically adjust ad spend to match supply conditions. Imagine pausing ads in understocked markets while increasing promotion in well-supplied regions. The outcome: higher ROMI, fewer stock-outs, and a more consistent brand experience.

Additional Benefits

- Reduced Working Capital: Aligning sales and production reduces excess inventory and markdowns.

- Improved Forecast Accuracy: Real-time demand signals enhance planning precision.

- Sustainability Gains: Less waste, lower emissions, and optimized logistics.

- Cross-Functional Alignment: Shared visibility brings sales, marketing, and operations onto the same page.

- Resilience and Agility: Real-time data allows proactive responses to disruptions.

Conclusion: From DataSharing to Decision Orchestration

Connecting CRM and Supply Chain is more than a systems integration effort—it’s a shift from siloed execution to orchestrated intelligence. By combining Salesforce’s customer-centric platform with ketteQ’s supply chain precision, businesses gain the power to turn uncertainty into opportunity. Every interaction becomes informed by operational reality; every operational move aligns with customer intent. The result is a more resilient enterprise—one that delivers not just on time, but on promise.