One of the greatest challenges today for consumer packaged goods distributors is getting the right products to the right customers as quickly as possible. Consumers expect near-instant delivery thanks to companies like Amazon (part of the “Amazon Effect”), so in order to stay competitive, distributors must step up the speed and accuracy of order fulfillment. This might feel easier said than done.
Not so if you have the right technology. Implementing a software solution that streamlines order fulfillment can help you avoid these problems:
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Increasing stockouts
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Unreliable supplies
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Wasting time manually picking orders
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Lost faith, trust, and satisfaction from customers
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Missed on-time deliveries
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Paying customer penalties or fines
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Losing customers altogether
Read on to learn how you can stop breaking delivery promises and hurting your reputation.
The Cloud Is the Answer—from the Right Partners
At Western Computer, we’ve seen how the cloud supports consumer packaged goods companies improve order fulfillment. We partner with Microsoft—the industry name in cloud-based distribution software—to bring powerful cloud-based solutions to businesses like yours. The automation introduced into your operations from an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution like Microsoft Dynamics 365 removes many of the obstacles you commonly experience in order fulfillment. Here’s how your order processes can change with the right tools from Western Computer and Microsoft.
Integrate Multiple Data Sources for Greater Visibility
To fulfill orders to the best of your ability, you need both a high-level view of your inventory and granular one. Western Computer and Microsoft give you both through cloud-based ERP technology that combines intelligence from all relevant data sources in your business. Presented in an actionable, meaningful way, this data gives you the power to make smarter decisions about inventory and order fulfillment needs. Your warehouse staff will see what needs to be packed and shipped—and in what order—while sales will be alerted if they need to get in touch with customers in advance of an order change.
Better Back-Office and Inventory Management Processes
Part of what can hold up your order fulfillment is a bottlenecked back office—a common symptom of manual, outdated operations. Cloud-based ERPs like Dynamics 365 can streamline your back office for data exchanges between your e-commerce platform and your ERP system. You’ll also reduce errors throughout your inventory management by optimizing your check-in and check-out process for items to and from the warehouse.
Leverage Scanners
Connecting tools like scanners to your cloud-based ERP system can enable your warehouse resources to quickly and accurately verify product shipments.
Improve the Customer Experience
Today’s customer simultaneously wants to be hand-fed a personalized experience while also feeling autonomous. Moving to the cloud can enable you to improve e-commerce experiences for your customers with more self-service. By being able to track their own orders, customers will feel more in control and develop loyalty with your brand.
Support E-commerce Expansion
The faster you can fulfill orders by taking advantage of the above benefits, the stronger your e-commerce presence will be. You can stop focusing on issues related to inventory or orders and start focusing on expanding your global e-commerce footprint.
Why Western Computer?
Our experts and skilled professionals understand the nuances of the consumer packaged goods distribution world. We have deep experience with your needs, and we deploy and support the ideal Microsoft solutions that give you:
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Advanced order management                                                                      
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Availability to promise
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Pick, pack ship (within ERP)
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Pick-to-order 
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Advanced container tracking with 365ContainerImport
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3PL integration
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Vendor Portal
We are more than just a technology vendor. We work alongside your business to provide our expertise and help you adapt to new solutions that give you a competitive edge. Get in touch with us today to learn about how we can help you take your order fulfillment into the cloud—and the future.
About the Author
More Content by Greg Williams
