Many companies find it difficult to keep track of the products sold online, especially during busy periods (holidays). The reason for this could be the manual mechanism undertaken by the employees to print all the orders from the eCommerce application, re-type all that data into the ERP system, and then place the order with a selected courier service. All this done manually enhance chances of errors and makes the process riddled with difficulties.
Along with order processing there are several other processes done manually that leads to cumbersome hours at work. Updating product information in multiple software applications, checking inventory levels and making them match accordingly and finally generating reports which involve integrating data from different databases and spreadsheets are the processes done manually.
This can lead to:
- Misplaced orders
- Data entry errors
- Significant delays in order fulfillment
- Excessive returns and unhappy customers
How to avoid these difficulties?
Automation Through E-Commerce Integration
Nowadays, most companies running an online shopping cart are opting for integration and automated data transfer for their ERP systems, CRM solutions, eCommerce applications, and shipping services.
Integrating an eCommerce store with ERP and various other business software ensures the smooth running of sales orders without having any need for manual intervention, tedious reconciliation, or repetitive data entry.
Simply put, eCommerce integration results in:
- Significant reduction in sales order dispatch time
- Removal of repetitive bi-directional data entry and any associated human errors
- Reduced operational costs and reduction of seasonal employees
- Improved customer communications
- Streamlined business processes
However, not all eCommerce integration is created equal and it is kept flexible to suit the specific needs of the business.
It is understood that every business is unique in its own way and as a result, the order management process extends much further than the initial ERP integration and synchronization of sales orders. Weak eCommerce integration merely pushes repetitive, employee administration further down the line. It is the ability to automate any manual process – from initial order to final shipment – that has proven to be the most effective solution. Incorporating workflow automation and advanced alerting functionality into the integration mix creates a fully automated process from eCommerce to ERP and CRM – having no bottlenecks or weak links in the entire process.
Workflow Automation and Business Alerts
Listed below are some of the most common order management processes that are automated:
- Synchronize sales orders including telephone and offline methods between systems
- Automatic transfer of online payment details, including transaction ID’s, to the ERP system
- Automatic update of the eCommerce application when a ‘complete’ or ‘shipped’ status is created within an ERP system.
- Automatic creation and distribution of PO requisitions when inventory levels are depleted below agreed levels.
- Automated Purchase Order workflow authorizations (Single or multi-level).
- Real-time inventory level and reorder point notifications via email or SMS.
- Personalized automatic creation and distribution of marketing communications based on order history.
- Automated customer registration.
The Integration Solution
Online shopping cart integration with ERP systems and other business applications provides the opportunity to convert an online store into an efficient and cost-effective asset that it should be.
So, automate right now! Get in touch and we’ll introduce you to one of the most powerful eCommerce integration tools on the market.