subject: The Complete Process Of Order Fulfilment [print this page] The Complete Process Of Order Fulfilment The Complete Process Of Order Fulfilment
Nowadays there is an increasing trend of outsourcing the process of order fulfilment. This allows the companies to focus on other aspects of their business which means more customers and revenue.
The process of receiving an order, shipping it to the customer to complete the transaction sounds very simple, but the matter of the fact is that this can be a very complex procedure, depending on the companies and the products they offer. The order fulfilment services can have many variations like distributing the product from the manufacturer to different customers that can be small businesses or big international companies. This process is a key in managing the supply chain. The orders the customers place put that process in motion and filling this order effectively and efficiently is the basic step in providing good customer care.
The first step in the process is generating and communicating the order. Orders come through sales organizations or directly from the customer (might be online). When the order is received, it has to be entered in the system and edited if it is necessary. Hiring a company to do so is a smart move, because they make sure less errors occur. They take complete care of describing the order and entering it correctly in the system, which is very beneficial for future forecasts. Then the order is being processed, which includes credit check of the customers and determining the inventory and where exactly the product is located, or if there are multiple products in different locations a distribution plan as well as shipment plan is developed.
If the product is not in inventory the company determines where and when the product will be manufactured and assembled and how long it will take to ship it. A proper handle documentation is issued that includes order acknowledgment, picking instructions, packing slips, and invoice. The next step of the fulfilment process is filling the order. This is basically picking, packing and loading the product and usually occurs in the warehouse and the person handling it should have extensive knowledge of the products so if there are any extra specifications he can provide that instruction to the customer. The final stage is delivery. All the necessary shipment documentation is prepared, the transportation is executed and the delivery date is confirmed. After the delivery is completed the bill is audited and paid. The customers really appreciate exact date estimates of the delivery and errors in this department can be very costly in terms of losing an unhappy customer, so hiring a company to do all that keeps the customers happy and coming back.
A successful order fulfilment is essential for providing good customer service hire a company to do that and keep you business flourishing!
