Be upfront about your ability to meet these expectations. Offer flexible shipping/delivery optionsĬustomers demand flexibility in shipping and delivery – from one-hour and weekend delivery to in-store pickup and next-day delivery. Here’s where to focus your efforts - and make a few cost-effective tweaks - to provide a stellar order management experience. They help determine whether a customer completes a transaction and becomes a loyal customer, or clicks over to the competition. Why? Because the moments that these systems orchestrate can either annoy or amaze customers. Next-generation order management systems are customer-centric and integral to the front office. Order and fulfillment are at the heart of an exceptional shopping experience. Transform the customer experience with great order management For example, when a customer receives the new sofa they ordered, you can send them a personalized email suggesting matching end tables or chairs.ĥ Predictions for Retail in 2023: See What’s In Store You can even use this step to trigger new marketing efforts. With a flexible, integrated order management system, your last-mile fulfillment is quick, reliable, and transparent. This final step of the process is known as last-mile delivery. Once the items have been picked, packed, and prepped for shipping, payment is captured, and the goods are finally on their way to the customer.

When your shipping and order management systems are integrated, order data is quickly and easily shared - which means faster delivery for customers and lower operational costs for your business. And B2B buyers now expect the same options: 2020 saw a 44% global increase in online B2B orders. In fact, 57% of consumers said that same-day delivery will make them more loyal to a specific brand. Make sure your shipping process is integratedįast and flexible shipping options are critical to earn customer loyalty and trust. The right order management system will help you efficiently and cost-effectively route orders and manage the flow of goods across your entire supply chain. Check for order routingĬan customers expect standard shipping, or will their order be routed to a warehouse for customization? For special orders, a team may need instructions to build a personalized product by hand. This also increases the chances you can keep shelves stocked and deliver goods quickly and correctly. You’ll be able to avoid costly mistakes like out-of-stocks, overstocks, mis-picks, and mis-shipments. When it comes to inventory management, a clear view helps you optimize product and save money. Here are some of the key steps that should be included in any effective order management process: 1. The most common types of systems are tax, payment, fraud, inventory management, accounting, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and shipping.

Storefronts may interact with as many as 39 different systems to complete this part of the customer journey. Get commerce articles selected just for you, in your inboxĪfter a customer clicks the Buy button, an intricate dance begins to carry out the order. If companies fail to deliver on their end of the value exchange (money for goods and services rendered), does anything else that came before really matter? Order management systems must deliver on that brand promise. In fact, order management is the most important moment of value exchange. But that doesn’t work in a customer-centric economy where order management is so central to the overall customer experience.Īll the work that brands put in throughout the customer relationship management (CRM) lifecycle - awareness, marketing, site experience, consideration, acquisition, conversion, and more - leads to this one moment. Order management systems used to be relegated to the back office, typically within the logistics division of a company.

The right order management system makes it easy to meet these expectations. If the product doesn’t meet their needs, they want hassle-free returns. They also want complete transparency about the status of their order, including its current location, its expected arrival time, and details on any problems in transit. But order management systems serve a purpose far greater than simply making sure packages get dropped off at the right spots.Ĭonsumers and B2B buyers expect the entire ordering process to work seamlessly, from checkout to delivery. It’s a platform for managing orders, customer records, fulfillment, inventory visibility, payments and invoicing, and customer care. An order management system controls everything that happens after checkout, including downstream operational processes, people, systems, and partnerships that help fulfill an order.

Sales order manager