Special Orders: 3 Ways a Retail Management System Can Improve Your Process
Retailers can make special orders, or custom orders, a much simpler process. We’ve found that many retailers perform this task manually instead of employing an automated retail management system.
Orders placed in a manual transaction can originate from various sources including counter transactions, a catalog, or a phone call. The order form is then handed over to a sales representative from the company. Only then would the order finally be placed with the manufacturer or distributor. Even though the logistics will change from situation to situation, each avenue leads to a lot of wasted time between the customer placing the order and receiving their product. Not to mention, the significant increase in the margin for error.
Here are 3 ways that your special-order process can be streamlined by the use of automated retail management technology.
Tracking Trends
Point of sale (POS) systems can work in your favor by monitoring buying trends. For instance, you have a client that is a franchise with 50 locations or storefronts. They all have standing orders with you monthly, that are all identical due to the franchise regulations. Now, instead of having 50 identical but separate orders, you can have one order with 50 different delivery addresses. This allows you to manage and augment the orders due to any fulfillment or product demand issues.
Unfortunately, retailers tend to view special orders like any other, however, the retailer should treat it as its own entity and allow the POS system track it independently. After you have been using your automated retail management system for tracking your special-order process, you will be able to identify and rectify any problem areas or areas of improvement in the system, ultimately saving you time, stress, and money.
Managing Other Inventory Fulfillment Services
Other inventory fulfillment services such as layaway, are often offered as alternative ways to purchase merchandise. When this is used, the system needs to be able to track the payment history of each item, who the item belongs to, what their original down payment was, and when the product will be paid in full.
Other similar payment plans can also exist; half now half later, pay-in-full, 12 months same as cash, or even customized payment plans. All of which will benefit by ditching the paper trails and adopting a retail management system.
Tracking Special Order Status
Implementing an automated retail management system for special orders allows for complete order status tracking. Knowing where you stand with each order in an organized system is invaluable.
Let’s look at an example. You receive an order for your local team’s uniforms that will require embroidery. All of your locations have the uniforms, but in order to be embroidered some will require sending to a central location amidst the process. Without an automated retail management system, you can receive a lot of misinformation. Keeping the entire order centralized will allow for less mistakes in the long run, creating happier customers, and a much healthier workflow for your business.
When the embroidered uniforms return to their originating factory or warehouse, an integrated system would be able to automatically alert the customer, informing them that the uniforms are back on location and getting wrapped up for final delivery. All of these steps, from order to delivery, are now being tracked by the retail management system. Now…the orders are being picked up by the customer, and when they are rung up in the POS they are then designated to a “completed” or “finished” folder within your system. No more special orders falling through the cracks. One system for all your functions.
Talk to ArcherPoint About an Automated Retail Management System
These are just a handful of ways an automated retail management system can improve your special-order process and have a positive impact on your supply chain. Talk to the experts at ArcherPoint about automating your retail operations.