Outsource Fulfillment: Establishing Metrics & Reporting

Now that you have the Outsource Fulfillment metrics, find out how good they truly are.

Outsource Fulfillment

How do you know if anything is working in your business? Or how well it’s working? You measure results – against pre-established benchmarks. So how’s your outsource fulfillment working?

Any fulfillment house you talk to can “wow” you with statistics about their performance. But are the numbers really “wow,” or are they “so what”? The thing about statistics is that they don’t always mean much. They may not even be relevant to your particular business.

Metrics that mean something

Don’t get bamboozled into accepting a standard set of fulfillment benchmarks for your reporting. Some may be perfectly applicable, but others may not. Your company, customers, goals, and challenges are yours alone. What you choose to measure – and what levels of performance you expect – should be entirely up to you. Tailored to your company. If standard (which translates as “average”) is OK, then go with standard metrics.

The right fulfillment partner looks at this differently. They are not only willing but anxious to customize their services to your needs. And they are capable of achieving your standards. You’re the client, and that’s what you need. Better yet, they will be proactive on your behalf, recommending changes that can improve your fulfillment performance and strengthen customer loyalty.

Reporting you can use now

It’s traditional for fulfillment companies to provide monthly performance reports. While there is some value in this, all you’re really seeing is history. The best you can do is react to problems – you’re never able to get out in front of them.

Your business can’t survive in today’s rapid-fire marketplace if you’re constantly behind the proverbial 8-ball. You need real-time access to your fulfillment data, to make timely, sharp decisions regarding product development, sales and marketing, customer service and other business-critical details.

You should get monthly reports – sent to everyone on your team who needs them. But you should also get 24/7 access to your data, so you don’t have to wait for reports.

It’s bottom line thinking. That’s the difference between settling for standard metrics and reporting and choosing a partner that understands there’s nothing standard about your brand. Or your customers.

Fulfillment is not only about taking orders and sending packages, it’s about building and enhancing long-term customer relationships. That requires metrics that matter and actionable, real time reporting. If your current fulfilment company isn’t delivering all that, perhaps it’s time for a change. At USA Fulfillment, our door is always open.