Creating a positive omnichannel customer experience hinges on the development and use of a proper omnichannel order management system, which carriers a significantly shorter order lifecycle due to the continuous movement of inventory and processes in the omnichannel supply chain, explains Chris Cunnane of Logistics Viewpoints. Since this topic is often overlooked in the conversation surrounding warehouse management, let’s take a look at what it means and how it affects productivity.

The Problem: Warehouses Failing to Utilize Omnichannel Order Management Best Practices Increase Waste

Omnichannel order management often succumbs to problems involving wasted and lost opportunities, like poor labor productivity and extended travel times for pickers in individual warehouses. Although similar to problems exhibited when using a lackluster warehouse management system, an omnichannel order management system must consider all inventory that is not usually considered part of the warehouse inventory, like raw material availability, timeliness of suppliers, market demand, and inventory in-transit. Even in-store order pick tickets can be completed with less wasted time by utilizing omnichannel order management best practices, especially integrated systems, real-time visibility, and more.

The Solution: Omnichannel Order Management Reduces Overall Risk

An effective omnichannel order management program, reports Deskcommerce.com, must exhibit the following characteristics:

• Order aggregation, allowing orders to be placed across multiple venues and processes in a central hub. This is critical to providing the most accurate view of operations and maintaining end-to-end visibility.
• Order fulfillment, utilizing streamlined practices, like order streaming, to optimize back end order processes, reduce shipping time, minimize costs, and enable multi-shipping options for customers, like ship-to-store, pick-up-in-store, ship-to-home, or separate a single order into multiple shipments.
• High customer service levels, requiring authorized customer service representatives to accurately complete orders, assist in the completion of brick-and-mortar orders, and in orders made using chat-like features.
• Enterprise inventory visibility, using an advanced warehouse management system (WMS), considering all available inventory from all channels, including inventory in transit. Consolidating information into a central system is key to developing enterprise inventory visibility.

The Reward: Best Practices to Bolster Omnichannel Order Management Produce Huge ROI

The benefits of omnichannel order management are much more significant than simply creating a positive customer experience. As explained by a Forrester report, effective omnichannel order management requires the implementation of the following:

• Take advantage of technologies enabling distributed order management, which allows for the continuous improvement and processing of all applicable order types.
• Putting the power of store fulfillment to work, giving storefronts the ability to act as miniaturized distribution centers and eliminating shipping costs for orders involving ship-to-store or pick-up-in-store preferences.
• including cross-channel returns, involving the return of a product via a channel that is not routinely shipped through, like returning an item in store when purchased online. Furthermore, reverse logistics requires integration between systems to ensure refund accuracy, exchange of currency – a key concern in a global omnichannel market – and addressing the issue that led to the return, especially if it involved a product malfunction or defect.

Upgrade to Enhance Omnichannel Order Management Today

Since embracing an omnichannel order management strategy requires integration, consider working with an expert, like Veridian, in integrating new and old systems. Click the “Schedule Consultation” button below to set up a call with our omnichannel supply chain experts today.

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