Order fulfillment companies are growing in popularity in the recent past as they have helped businesses to grow. They provide so much convenience, especially for e-commerce companies. Apart from eCommerce companies, they can also help other types of companies across different industries such as restaurants. In a nutshell, what order fulfillment companies do is receiving, processing and delivering orders to customers. It is one component of the supply chain process.

Steps in order fulfillment

The following are steps that are involved:

Receiving shipment

Storage: Most order fulfillment companies have warehouses and storage facilities that can store inventory for you.

Order processing: They help in processing orders before shipping

Shipping: They make sure that the end customers receive their products

Handling returns: In case there are any returns, the order processing company does that for you.

Order fulfillment is a long process that can be complex and expensive at the same time. For some companies the fulfillment is done inhouse while for some it is outsourced to third parties. In-house is where the company uses its employees to do the fulfillment process.  They are great for companies that have small order volumes or companies that are just starting. Outsourced order fulfillment is whereby a third party is used for the fulfillment process. They are great for companies that have very large orders or companies that do not have sufficient storage. Hybrid fulfillment is whereby a company uses a mix of both in house and outsource fulfillment depending on the kind of order that they get.

Benefits of order fulfillment

Order fulfillment companies have stepped in to help companies, especially in fast shipping. Customers are in demand for timely and fast shipment. For e-commerce businesses, fast shipment can help build customer loyalty. It, therefore, helps in building a competitive advantage.

How restaurants can benefit from order fulfillment

Order fulfillment can help restaurants to be efficient and fast. With the rising competition in the marketplace, order fulfillment can help restaurants achieve competitive advantage. It can also help in reducing shipping costs, reduce operational costs, builds your customer base, and improves customer service. It can help restaurants to focus on other important areas and drive up sales in all sectors of the restaurant. It can help your business to expand and be global since it manages the process.

As much as order fulfillment is great for any business, it is best that you observe the best practices. It is important that you choose what will work for you as different businesses have different needs. You should make sure that the company is as flexible as possible to handle whatever volumes you may have, the customer locations you may have and the sales channels. Before making a decision, use data to make decisions. Data can help you to know the demands and help you make the right decision about purchasing and production. Make sure that communication is done well to avoid any instances of misunderstanding. Do your due diligence so that you choose the right company for your needs. For more information, visit 3plwow.com