Every single order matters in a Business; and it matters more to a small business. Every time an order is handled, the customer is handled. If an order is unattended, it means that a customer is being unattended.

The gap between a customer’s order and Fulfilment is very crucial. The order has to be executed and delivered. This phase involves customer service representatives, production schedulers, order processors, and shipping clerks. Everything is taken care of by the Order Management Cycle or the Order Management System.

A customer’s online retail experience is determined by a company’s order Management cycle (OMC).  In small businesses, the OMC sees a fewer number of steps. Focusing on the OMC offers best fulfilment opportunities. An OMC is nothing but a set of predefined steps that are set in motion right from the moment an order is received. This predefined process streamlines the order and ensures that there is accountability throughout. An Order Management System or the OMS is the software that runs the process.

A small business has several concerns. One, there is the ever consuming need to keep costs minimal. So, automating processes is the way to go forward. Manual intervention can prove inefficient and counter-productive. Perfect processes are built via OMS. And a small business can find many OMS programs that they can integrate with. What does an OMS do?

Order Confirmation

The customer lands at your site, browses through your inventory and places an order. The OMS is on place even before the order takes place. The OMS displays the right inventory available for sale at the moment. When the order is confirmed, inventory numbers are updated. The OMS begins the tracking process by generating a unique tracking number. And automatically, numbers are changed everywhere they need to be updated.  

Payment

The OMS makes note of the customer’s payment and generates an invoice and receipt for the customer. Payment verification is also carried out by the OMS.

Shipping

The OMS will send the customer’s delivery information to the preferred shipping outlet. The tracking process is updated within the OMS and is tracked until it is delivered. The OMS can also integrate with automated shipping programs and make note of shipping updates.

After sales support

After a sale is done, there is still assembly, post-sales support, handling returns and complaints. So, if there is need for any of these processes, they are also handled through the OMS.

Sales forecast

An OMS has data from the past. So, it can help a small business study order history from the past and help with business decisions. For example, sales during a certain season can help forecast sales during coming seasons. This helps in planning supply, production, logistics well in advance.

An order management system bridges the gap between order and fulfilment. What’s more? Most operations are streamlined and automated. So, your business runs smoothly with up to date communication on orders, inventory levels, and sales forecasts. Having access to all this data at once can help with better business decisions, better and effective marketing campaigns, handle inventory replenishments better and remove purchasing guesswork. Without an OMS in place, an order might be missed. So, if you don’t already have an order management system in place, it’s time you had one. It can help save time, reduce errors and handle your overall business effectively.

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