Eliminate Manual Order Entry Before Peak Season Creates Shipping Mistakes
Eliminate Manual Order Entry Before Peak Season Creates Shipping Mistakes
As founders, the urgency to eliminate manual order entry before peak seasons arrives when we recognize that generic advice often falls short of the practical challenges we face daily in our stores.
The Real Challenge
Image credit: jakelewis644 / flickr (BY 2.0)
Image credit: Infusionsoft / flickr (BY-SA 2.0)
During peak seasons, many ecommerce founders find themselves battling overwhelming order volumes that can lead to exhausted staff and significant shipping errors. In fact, these mistakes can increase by 30% due to the pressures of manual entry. For example, Alex, who founded a DTC apparel brand, encountered extensive chaos in his first holiday season, resulting in numerous late shipments that frustrated his customers and tarnished his brand's reputation.
Where Teams Get Stuck
Early-stage teams often misjudge the complexity of implementing order automation, viewing it as a mere setup task. This perspective shifts dramatically as operational details accumulate and create bottlenecks, hindering momentum. Founders frequently overlook the automation capabilities inherent in their current Order Management Systems (OMS) and fail to integrate their ecommerce platforms with fulfillment centers. As Jennifer realized after last holiday season, such oversights can lead to disorganized orders and delayed shipments, doubling her team's order processing time.
What to Prioritize First
Image credit: Infusionsoft / flickr (BY-SA 2.0)
To mitigate these issues, here are actionable priorities:
- **Designate an Order Entry Owner**: This individual should manage the automation features within the OMS and coordinate with the team during implementation.
- **Identify and Eliminate Bottlenecks**: Start by addressing the most significant friction points in the order entry process that lead to errors.
- **Focus on Customer Journey**: Shape workflows around enhancing the customer experience—prioritize actions that facilitate faster fulfillment and clearer communication.
Quick Comparison
| Decision | Better Default |
|---|---|
| First Move | Begin with solving the operational bottleneck created by manual entry processes, which can trigger a cascade of errors. |
| Team Alignment | Outline one clear next step to ensure accountability and transparency among team members. |
The best strategy to eliminate manual order entry is the one the team can seamlessly implement within the next week, minimizing friction.
The Next Step
Transform your approach to order management into a concise operational checklist. This checklist will guide decisions on what to automate, delegate, or simplify next. For instance, prioritizing the integration of your ecommerce platform with a fulfillment center can significantly enhance order management accuracy.
Moreover, ensure ongoing training on the OMS. Inadequate training may lead to the development of manual workarounds, which burden staff and result in further errors—problems exacerbated by the high demands of peak seasons.
Discover how Kierto Commerce can simplify your order management and effectively prevent shipping mistakes this holiday season by aligning automation with your business needs.
Kierto Commerce helps founders launch, run, and grow online stores with less complexity. Start building your store: https://www.kiertocommerce.com
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