Does Your Fulfillment Provider Meet Your Business Requirements During Crunch

Time?Innovative Fulfillment Solutions LLC

4346 Belgium Blvd

Kansas City, MO 64150-1704

1-888-275-3000

816-587-5880

If you’ve done much research trying to find fulfillment support for your company’s e-commerce business, you know that fulfillment companies are not created equal.

Some are geared to large companies with high order volume; others are more focused on serving specific products that require special storage, packaging and shipping requirements.

In today’s economy, many companies count on generating as much as 80 percent of their annual revenue during the holiday period.

If your company is one that thrives on seasonal sales or depends on that end-of-the-year crunch to make your annual numbers, be sure you choose a provider that has the facilities, personnel and processes to help you during your peak season.

Otherwise, if you don’t get it right during that specific timeframe, you could experience a long dry spell before your next peak rolls around on the calendar.

If you are looking for the right fit for your

merchandise, consider the

following criteria:

1.Customer ServiceEven though your customers may never see your fulfillment provider, the customer service department in that company plays a critical role during the ordering process.

As a reflection of your company, the impression they make is extremely important.

And while today’s shoppers enjoy the convenience of online ordering for the most part, having to address customer service issues via email leaves an impersonal impression with a customer who is anxious to clear up a problem or has questions about an order.

If customer service is important to you (and it should be at the top of your list) you should contract with a fulfillment company that allows customers to call and discuss any issues with a live operator.

Let’s face it, most people would prefer to speak with someone who can take care of a problem directly and provide them with an answer and/or solution.

In fact, waiting for resolution of a problem concerning an order that is a gift, or is needed by a specific date (think Christmas!) does not create customer goodwill, repeat purchases or recommendations for your business.

The best way to guarantee that shoppers receive the level of service they deserve is to work with a fulfillment company that offers a dedicated Account Manager for your account.

This person should oversee all aspects of your business so when any issues arise, you can depend on a single contact to oversee, troubleshoot, correct, report and keep you informed of any problems that occur with your business.

2. Accurate, Timely DeliveriesAccurate deliveries can be the difference between repeat business and complaints that can “go viral” to other customers and prospects.

No customer wants to hear that an order for an in-demand product that was placed for a holiday or birthday gift was incorrectly taken when the item cannot be re-ordered in time for that special day.

Ask your fulfillment provider about its accuracy rate. If the response is a general statement – “our accuracy is somewhere over 90 percent” – it may mean that they do not track their accuracy seriously.

Ask if, and how they measure their accuracy and get examples of the rate for some specific clients. (Also check out the client list and ask if you can get references from other businesses.)

Make sure you have safeguards in place to ensure that orders are taken correctly and can be shipped in a timely manner, especially during high volume seasons.

By checking out a fulfillment provider’s website, you should be able to see how long it is expected to take for packages to be delivered in different parts of the country.

Keep in mind that shipping from the central part of the U.S. allows for all packages to arrive within three business days – something your customers will appreciate.

In fact, if an item can’t be delivered in time for the specific occasion, most customers will simply not order it, especially if they have to pay a higher fee for expedited service.

3. FlexibilityMake sure you choose a fulfillment provider that can and will make changes in its processes as you experience peaks and valleys in your sales cycle.

If your product demand is seasonal, will additional personnel be available to handle increased orders?

Does the facility provide ample room for increased inventory (including any temperature-control requirements for maintaining product quality)?

When your product is in demand, your fulfillment partner is a key link in the connection between you and your customers. Make sure that link is strong.

Innovative Fulfillment Solutions

For more information about IFS, visit www.ifssolutions.com

To learn more about how IFS can provide your company with the highest quality fulfillment services:

Contact Keith Milburn, at kmilburn@ifssolutions.com or

Call 1-888-275-3000.

Innovative Fulfillment Solutions