Advocacy Starts on the Factory Floor
This article appeared in the February 2026 issue of MiMfg Magazine. Read the full issue and find past issues online.
Organizations like MMA play a strong role in representing manufacturers at the state and regional level. That work matters. At the same time, manufacturers advocate for their future every day through decisions about systems, workflows and customer experience.
Yet another form of advocacy deserves attention, and it happens inside the business.
It shows up in how easily customers can place repeat orders, how sales teams spend their time, and whether operations teams work from clean data or from emailed spreadsheets and copied quotes.
These internal systems shape competitiveness just as much as external policy.
Where Advocacy Meets Daily Operations
Many manufacturers still rely on email, PDFs, and manual quoting to handle repeat business. Customers search old invoices. Sales reps rebuild quotes that already existed. Operations rekey orders into ERP. This is not caused by poor effort. It is caused by process gaps that grow over time. The result is predictable:
- Slower response times
- More pricing errors
- Higher workload on experienced staff
- Lost orders when customers choose easier buying options elsewhere
When leaders advocate for manufacturing, they are also advocating for the people who carry these burdens every day.
Workforce Retention is Tied to Process
Manufacturing faces real hiring pressure. Yet retention is shaped by whether teams feel supported by their tools.
Sales professionals want to sell, not chase down order history.
Operations teams want stable workflows, not last-minute data cleanup.
Customer service teams want clarity, not daily exceptions.
When ordering and quoting flows are unclear, stress rises and morale drops. Improving those workflows is a workforce stability decision.
That is advocacy in action.
Digital Readiness Protects Local Manufacturing
Global competition does not only come from labor costs. It comes from convenience.
Buyers expect fast reorders, clear pricing and predictable fulfillment. When those expectations are met by distributors or overseas suppliers with simple portals and fast quoting, local manufacturers lose ground even when product quality remains strong.
Investing in repeat order paths and quoting tools helps protect domestic manufacturers by removing friction that pushes customers elsewhere.
Advocacy is not only about protecting jobs. It is about protecting relationships.
You Do Not Have to Wait for the Perfect System
Many companies delay improvements because they are evaluating ERP, CRM or ecommerce platforms. That pause is understandable. Yet progress can happen before any software is selected.
Teams can map repeat order workflows, identify where data breaks down, define quoting rules and clarify which orders should self-serve and which should route to reps. This shortens future implementations and lowers project risk.
Preparation supports both budget discipline and staff capacity.
Advocacy Is Both External and Internal
Manufacturing advocacy is often discussed in terms of legislation, workforce development, energy policy and supply chain stability. Those areas matter.
When manufacturers reduce internal friction, they strengthen their ability to grow, hire and compete. That benefits both individual companies and Michigan’s manufacturing economy.
Advocacy starts in Lansing. It also starts on the shop floor and inside the systems that move every order forward.
About the Author
Adam Renico is a Fractional Director of Ecommerce at Ecom Growth Advisors. He may be reached at 616-710-2500 adam@ecomleadership.com.
Ecom Growth Advisors is an MMA Basic Associate Member and has been an MMA member company since January 2026.