e-Fulfillment Requires These 3 Things
e-Fulfillment
Technically, e-fulfillment doesn’t require anything more than an automated order capture system, mostly-automated warehouse/pick and pack operation, and a shipping department to box up the products and send them out the door.
Boom, boom, boom. Done.
But let’s be honest here. Don’t you want just a little bit more from your e-fulfillment process? Or, more likely, a lot more? Unless your products are nothing special and your customers are a dime a dozen, how you handle e-fulfillment directly affects your brand’s reputation, not to mention sales and long-term growth.
So let’s think again.
Score Your Current e-Fulfillment Efforts Here
What does it take to get GREAT e-fulfillment?
To stay ahead of the competition and show customers you care, you’ll need these 3 things:
State-of-the-art facilities built for e-Fulfillment.
Perhaps this should go without saying, but the truth is, not every fulfillment company invests what it takes to stay on the leading edge of industry innovation. Equipment and software upgrades are expensive. But they also increase efficiencies and help to significantly reduce mistakes – two things that benefit you as a client.
Top-of-the-line people.
No equipment or technology can replace the human touch. Great efulfillment starts with friendly, knowledgeable interactions between your customers and your customer care center. When shoppers have questions or need recommendations, they should get answers. They should be able to order 24/7, by email, phone, or live chat – whatever they prefer. And if there’s ever a customer service problem, it should be resolved quickly, without trauma or hassle.
It also takes knowledgeable, alert humans to ensure quality and accuracy throughout the fulfillment process. For example, here at USA Fulfillment, a real person double-checks packages before we ship them out. We do that even during our busiest peak periods. After all, your customer wants quick delivery, but they also want the correct order.
High-touch business philosophy.
Here’s where average fulfillment companies really fall down. Even if they make an effort to equip their facilities well and hire good people, it takes more than that to deliver a truly great customer experience. And that’s the crux of the matter. Because the process of placing an order and receiving that order is, indeed, a customer experience. If it doesn’t make a memorable impression, that customer may not be back.
Read more about high-touch e-fulfillment.
High-touch is a business model that drives every aspect of fulfillment, from the first customer contact to the moment they open their package and say, “Wow” This is great!” Are you getting that now? Find out by taking our quiz.
With the right efulfillment partner in place, you’ll have the facilities, people, and philosophy to bolster your brand and boost your sales. That will bring you the two things you want most from ecommerce: greater customer loyalty and higher customer lifetime value.
