A customer can easily lose track of the packaging on a product, or even when they ordered the product, however, they will always be aware of a late delivery, a damaged product, or a lost shipment.
The process of order fulfillment is much larger than just shipping products from your store to a customer’s home for e-commerce stores. Order fulfillment is a commitment you make to each customer. Your customers will build faith in you when you deliver on your commitments; however, if you fail to deliver on those commitments, then your customers may choose to buy from another business.
The Real Cost of a Poor Delivery Experience
A weak fulfillment process may result in many problems. Slow delivery results in customer complaints. Wrong product orders result in additional shipping expenses. Incorrect stock management results in sellers accepting orders for products that are out-of-stock.
These are not only operational issues but they will affect your company’s image and create less repeat business.
By implementing a reliable order fulfillment strategy, businesses can avoid having customers experience the problems mentioned above.
Four Signs Your Fulfillment Process Needs Attention
| Warning sign | What it may mean |
|---|---|
| Frequent picking errors | Product locations or labels need improvement |
| Rising shipping costs | Packaging or carrier choices may be inefficient |
| Orders often ship late | Staff, stock, or workflow issues need review |
| Customers ask for updates | Tracking and communication may be unclear |
These signs can help businesses find weak points and take action.
Build a Process Around Customer Needs
A good way to determine whether a fulfillment system will be effective for an organization is to see if it meets both the goals of the company and the needs of the customer.
Make Stock Data Reliable
Frequent physical checks of stock (inventory counts) and the use of barcode technology can help prevent over-sales through increased accuracy of inventory records.
Set Clear Delivery Expectations
Provide customers with accurate delivery dates at checkout. Provide tracking data when orders leave your facility. Immediately let your customers know of potential shipping delays. Choose the most appropriate delivery method Companies have many different methods of operating their warehouses. A common method is for a company to operate its own warehouse. Another option would be to contract with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider to manage the warehouse for you. Finally, you could combine the two approaches.
Review Performance Often
Track major performance indicators (KPIs) like order accuracy, delivery speed, returns rate and cost per order to identify potential areas for improvement.
Turn Reliable Delivery into a Business Advantage
Customers appreciate when companies make their entire shopping experience as simple as possible. By having an efficient way to fulfill orders, businesses can provide this type of experience and help reduce unnecessary expenses.
Businesses can create a fulfillment process that is capable of supporting business expansion and gaining customers’ confidence by developing an accurate, clear, and continuously improving fulfillment process.