Order fulfillment is a goal and a challenge for any company – the promise of purchase as well as the potential pitfalls of order fulfillment.
By following these 7 easy steps to boost your e-commerce order-fulfillment process, that’s how:
Demand seamless integration
Enable end-to-end order visibility
Choose the proper shipper
Enable exception-based order management
Be sensible concerning your warehouse locations
Communicate along with your client
Accept returns & refund
A quick definition of order fulfillment
To begin, let’s review the quality steps that comprise fortunate order fulfillment for several companies, it's one thing like this:
Receive on-line order
Process orders in your back-office system (example: An ERP)
Notify the client that the order has been received
Send request for fulfillment to the warehouse
Order is picked
Order is packed
Order is shipped
Shipping notification is shipped to the client
Order arrives
If all goes we tend toll, the customer’s purchase arrives on time, unimpaired, and includes the proper item(s). So, however, will your e-commerce company come through this trifecta? Here we go
Step 1: Demand seamless integration
Most likely, your on-line goods are sourced from numerous distributors, keep in warehouses and so drop-shipped to your customers.
If this can be the case for your company, then it’s unbelievably necessary to integrate seamless connections along with your suppliers through an order management system (OMS) that communicates swimmingly between your systems and your suppliers’. Finally, you'll say sayonara to the fearful “typically ships in a pair of to four weeks” message!
Step 2: Modify end-to-end order visibility
You are joined in the period to your suppliers, via your OMS. Now, you wish to take care you'll see everything throughout your offer chain.
In straightforward language, this suggests that each of you ANd your suppliers ought to be able to access a similar catalog, inventory, and order fulfillment processes — to envision precisely what things are available, their quantities, and their locations. Additionally, your browsing e-commerce customers should be able to see whether or not an item is available and, if quantities are low or amount matters, what percentage items are available.
This clarity is understood as end-to-end visibility and is a crucial side of each client's satisfaction and correct order fulfillment.
Step 3: Opt for the proper shipper
Okay, thus currently that your product is ideal and your back-end operations are running smoothly, it’s time to appear at the main speedbump of e-commerce order fulfillment: shipping. Bottom line, if your shipper is a smaller amount than stellar and/or underperforms daily, your customers can put off their frustrations on you — on your company’s reputation. Not the shippers.
Enable regular audits of your current shipper: Do they provide real-time, correct order tracking? Has your shipper seen a recent dealing in late shipments, delayed shipments, lost shipments, forgotten shipments, or broken deliveries? If so, then it’s time to take a position time and resources into finding a brand new and higher shipper to satisfy your fulfillment expectations.
Step 4: Modify exception-based order management
While we’re on the subject of order shipment, end-to-end visibility conjointly permits you to modify exception-based order management. What will that mean? That rather than simply notifying clients that orders are delayed, you'll instead mechanically upgrade shipping strategies to satisfy your original delivery promise.
Yes, exception-based order management can price you a touch further in shipping, however, it'll prevent a headache (and money repercussions) of angry customers and lost business. This machine-driven method may instill whole loyalty and increase the probability of repeat purchases.
Step 5: Be sensible concerning your warehouse locations
Today’s e-commerce shoppers with their orders, and that they want them quickly. There are 2 ways in which your company will fulfill this desire:
1. Choose warehouses and shippers that may meet quick-picking and quick-shipping requirements; or
2. Store product in several warehouses, settled throughout your delivery space and so about to your customers’ locations, to confirm quick however cheap ground shipping.
Finally, take care to use sensible shipping algorithms, which can facilitate determine the best shipping technique thus you don’t overspend however don’t under-deliver, either.
Step 6: Communicate along with your client
Throughout this complete process, you must be in shut communication along with your customer. And we tend to not talking a few straightforward “Thank you for your order” emails, either. No, what we mean is up-to-date, on-demand, period communication relating to order status, from order received and in process, to order shipped and cargo delivered.
Step 7: Settle for returns & refund
Returns happen. (In fact, concerning 30% of on-line purchases are returned.) Refunds are due. It’s a part of each business, however not every business features a sensible angle about it. Be the exception. keep cool.
And forever, always be efficient. attempt to work solely with suppliers that settle for comebacks, charge zero restocking fees, and might method refunds and replacements. Be clear concerning your return policy, yes, however conjointly develop swish processes to handle returns, manage reverse supply, and issue refunds.