Order fulfillment is a crucial part of your brand.

What your customers get in their package and how it is packaged really matter. The customer starts the process when they place an order. The clock starts ticking from there. This time between order placement and delivery is where the majority of problems take place.

3 Key areas to keep fulfillment customers satisfied:

1. Timing: Be very clear when an order is placed on the amount of time needed to pack and ship it. Customers are very impatient and will assume a much earlier time schedule if you do not provide one. To keep them happy, give them a realistic schedule. Of course you then have to meet that schedule.
2. Accuracy: It is extremely important that people get what they order. Nothing is more frustrating than opening a package and not getting what you expected.
3. Packaging: In order for the items to arrive in good condition upon delivery they need to be properly packaged. The use of bubble wrap and paper dunnage can help to keep items safe during transport. Broken or damaged items do not make your company look good.

Some other things to consider in your fulfillment processing are:

• Stock levels: Do you have enough stock on hand to meet demands? Are you keeping an accurate usage report so that you know when peak demands are?
• Space: Have you allocated enough room to store all your items until they are ordered?
• Reports: Do all the key people in your organization have access to the necessary reports such as inventory and orders?
• Backorders: What is your backorder policy? Does everyone know it? How can you prevent backorders before they happen?
• Returns: What is your return policy? Does someone inspect all returned items for damage? Does it then get restocked?

The last key to customer satisfaction is clear communication from you.

Let them know what to expect and when to expect it. Allow them access to track orders 24/7 as well as place orders 24/7. The easier it is to do business with you the more business you will get. Happy customers tell others, but the real point is that unhappy customers tell around 10 other people. Not only that but they do not forget, they continue to give bad feedback about you when asked. So keep your customers satisfied with good fulfillment practices. When you do have an issue with a customer, resolve it quickly and keep them happy.

Questions? Contact us today! We are glad to help!