Order Fulfilment – How to Improve Your Business’ Order Fulfilment Process

Order fulfilment, in the simplest terms, is the process of a product (or products) reaching the customer, starting at point of sale and ending with successful delivery. The order fulfilment process involves receiving, processing and delivering products, and is often undertaken by a third-party; a fulfilment service.

Order fulfilment can be business to business product distribution or business to customer. E-commerce platforms often utilise order fulfilment services for wider and faster distribution.

Find out more about Allegro Logistics’ fulfilment service and specific e-commerce offering.

The process of order fulfilment may slightly vary from warehouse to warehouse, however, the general steps are fundamental.

Before any order is received and can be processed, the fulfilment service’s warehouse must be supplied with the appropriate inventory. To maintain accurate recordings of stock level and provide customers with up-to-date offerings, inventory is carefully accounted for and uploaded to the Warehouse Management System (WMS). The WMS provides reliable information on stock, tracks movements and increases accountability. Continual tracking of inventory is vital to responsible order fulfilment, taking care of products from entry to the moment they leave the warehouse.

See more: What are the Benefits of a Warehouse Management System?

The order fulfilment process begins when the customer places an order, which is then processed and the fulfilment team notified. At this point, the customer may receive confirmation that payment has been successful and the order received.

Once an order is received, the fulfilment service will find the product, or multiple if required, and scan any movement occurring. After the product is picked, it will be packaged, likely within branded material to fit the business. If using an external fulfilment service, the printing and supply of packaging may also be an included service.

Following packaging, the fulfilment will be recorded, labelled, and given to the respective shipment service such as a local parcel carrier. Delivery times can be dependent on a number of factors, but many UK fulfilment services aim for next day domestic delivery.

If you would like to find out more about the order fulfilment process, especially at Allegro Logistics, view the lifecycle of an order. With state-of-the-art management systems and integration with over 50 e-commerce and courier platforms, we have the knowledge and experience to make fulfilment run seamlessly.

Having a well-organised order fulfilment process is crucial to positive customer experience. For e-commerce, in particular, the importance of efficient delivery management cannot be understated.

If you believe your order fulfilment process could improve, or are interested in fulfilment services, use these top tips for success.

Keep Up Communication

Vital for e-commerce platforms in reassuring customers, constant updates on the order and its movement can be used by all along the fulfilment process. Letting customers know where their order is and when to expect it can give them a warning and ensure they are there to receive it. Businesses may be curious to know the information from the fulfilment service themselves to audit efficiency and increase trust.

Increased visibility by the fulfilment service may come in the form of sharing stock information in real-time through access to the WMS, giving suppliers up to date inventory levels. Not only will suppliers be able to track their stock, but also know if it is getting low in the fulfilment warehouse and therefore supply more or notify customers or ‘low in stock’ status.

Use a Fulfilment Service

When starting out, businesses may conduct their own fulfilment and manage logistics alone. However, as demand grows or the customer base exceeds the region, running fulfilment alongside everything else may become a strain on the business. Using an external fulfilment service has many benefits, from offering perks and insider expertise, to region or international shipping capabilities.

A fulfilment service doesn’t just remove the stress of logistics from your company, it can be closer to customer bases and therefore offer faster delivery. Or it can provide exceptional quality control from receiving inventory to shipping it. Fulfilment services, such as those offered here at Allegro Logistics, offer vital improvements to order fulfilment processes through many years of experience and market-leading WMS.

Find out more about the benefits of outsourcing logistics.

Choose Shipping Wisely

No matter how efficient the ordering process, notification service, or warehouse staff are, if the package does not arrive quickly, customers will likely be dissatisfied, and the order fulfilment seem faulty. Though shipping may be performed by an external service, it is part of the order fulfilment process and requires the same care and attention as warehouse management, for example. Find trusted and reliable delivery services and continually audit their performance; if communication lacks or speeds fall, address issues.

Our knowledgeable team at Allegro Logistics have contacts and expertise to find a solution that fits within your budget and timescale. Utilising our own fleet of vehicles and trusted partners, we deliver in line with your expectations. Get in contact to find out more.

We are fulfilment and logistics experts based in the South West with over 60 years’ experience providing quality fulfilment services from point of sale to e-commerce. Combining our experienced team and integrated WMS, as well as trusted partners, we guarantee our customers a flexible and responsive service.

If you would like to improve your order fulfilment process, contact Allegro Logistics today.