Customer Service Managers searching for ways to speed order entry should look at the wide array of Web sites and forms that your staff accesses.  Typically, Sales Orders are gathered from a variety of customer Web sites daily.  The process of manually accessing and gathering information means processing is slow and tedious, allowing errors to creep in.

Chances are, the order data from many Web forms can readily be moved to your Sales Order module through your existing Electronic Data Interchange system.  The ROI exceeds 100% due to:

  1. Prompt processing, so your staff can focus on error checking
  2. Elimination of data entry errors such as incorrect part-numbers, prices, and ship-to addresses
  3. Wider shipment windows with less data entry time
  4. Greater customer satisfaction from quick, accurate shipment notices
  5. Faster cash flow resulting from e-invoicing and EFT payments

Since the skills necessary to achieve these savings are at hand, mini-projects can generate significant savings.  If you have already integrated EDI, the time needed to add another customer is only about 12 hours.

Having an EDI specialist from DCS at hand helps to assist your staff over rough patches. Our DCS PROCESS™ is formalized so your improvements will be done thoroughly, quickly, and economically. We also provide training, which then boosts self-reliance with our ELITE™ programs. Your first step is to ask about your FREE assessment!

Benefits for Key Customers

Managers have long sought to boost productivity by replacing manual data entry with automated processes. Most successes occur when change occurs incrementally. An example today is gradual implementation of supply chain improvements: setting more links between customers and your ERP system. This typically includes receiving more data for better customer order management or adding more customers. These tasks are incremental. They are also small enough so the ROI can be calculated accurately. There are two important steps to look for:

  • The Sales Order count.  A customer that sends many small orders is ripe for automation.  This is especially true because each order then triggers a Shipment Notice (ASN), an Invoice, and a Remittance.  Together, much time can be saved.
  • Mid-sized customers; those with sales more than $100,000,000.  Chances are they have EDI capability, but are not aware that EDI is your preference.  A quick call to their EDI person can tell their readiness.  (Beyond customer Sales Orders is e-invoicing.  Customers do not have to issue purchase orders by EDI to accept invoices. They benefit by the elimination of data entry.  You benefit by speedier cash flow.)

Taking The First Steps

Process automation achieved by boosting EDI integration can be done in small steps as directed by you with a small, joint team of I.T. and customer service people.

DCS can help you take the first steps, and then your I.T. staff can tackle other steps. The benefit of an on-call resource like DCS is our knowledge of your industry’s e-commerce practices. Second, DCS will ensure processes are controlled by properly setting system management tools.  The solutions are carefully documented so skill-sets and self-reliance are boosted. The first step is to e-mail DCS for your FREE Assessment.