No matter what business you’re in, providing poor customer experiences is the biggest threat to your success. You might only have one chance to get it right.
According to a research report by Harris Interactive, 86 per cent of consumers quit doing business with a company because of a bad customer experience. That’s a 59 per cent increase in just four years.
So as customer expectations continue to rise as consumer patience falls, businesses are facing an increasingly unforgiving market landscape that swiftly punishes process inefficiencies and fulfilment bottlenecks.
Principal among these are human handling errors that threaten to derail your customer experience with frustrating delays and mistakes that will send your customers straight to your competitors.
Enter automation. By integrating the right ERP (enterprise resource planning) software into your operations management, you can significantly reduce human handling errors and the unhappy customers they create.
Here are five ways integrated ERP software can help you reduce human handling errors:
Freight automation
An ERP solution can significantly improve your communications with your preferred freight companies and eliminate manual data entry errors during the freight booking process. MYOB EXO automatically inputs data from the sales order into the freight system, prints a consignment note and shipping labels, generates a customer invoice, adds shipping costs, and updates the sales order with a consignment tracking number.
Proof of delivery
Prevent customer disputes with automated proof of delivery that’s built into your ERP system. For example, MYOB EXO offers a mobile proof of delivery application that delivery drivers can use to load sales orders, scan delivery dockets and save customer signatures. All delivery data – including customer signatures confirming receipt of the package – is then automatically stored in EXO for easy reference.
Warehouse streamlining
You can smooth out your inventory processes and prevent frustrating out-of-stock delays with an integrated ERP system with warehouse automation. MYOB EXO provides a warehouse scanning solution that allows you to monitor stock, perform spot inventory checks, stocktakes and bin transfers, and scan pick items from orders via multiple Windows Mobile-enabled devices with all collected data automatically consolidated in your MYOB EXO dashboard.
Assisted product picking
Accuracy in product identification and picking is vital to the smooth running of any warehouse operation. That’s why integrated ERP software that assists the process is essential for reducing human error to decrease product returns and improve customer satisfaction. MYOB EXO automatically records online orders and feeds them directly to warehouse pickers. Performance data – including average time to pick each order – is sent back to EXO to help you identify low and high performers and any fulfilment bottlenecks.
Effective communication
When an error does occur, an ERP solution will ensure all your team are on the same page with central communications that allow any staff member to instantly access order and fulfilment data to quickly address any problems and solve customer complaints before they arise. MYOB EXO can be equipped with customised triggers that alert your team to potential issues in real time.
The take-home message
As consumers become increasingly sensitive to bad customer experiences, businesses must do all they can to reduce the human handling errors that lead to preventable customer frustration.
An integrated ERP software solution that automates your freight booking and proof of delivery process, streamlines your warehouse operations, assists product picking and provides central communications across your team is the answer.
Contact Indivia to find out how we can help you reduce human handling errors with integrated ERP software.
