Online ordering is growing in the wholesale market. Your customers are starting to demand experiences which mirror their daily lives outside of work — and your competitors are shifting to accommodate them.
Making the change by implementing online ordering might sound difficult, and frankly like a change that your company might not be immediately ready for. Managing change is difficult after all. However, switching over to a full online ordering system is simple and carries a host of benefits that will make your company more effective and appealing to your customers.
It’s also important to note that adopting this system doesn’t mean that you’re giving up on how you already make deals. Rather, you give your sales team another way to connect with your customers, and bring in a tool which helps to reduce costs, make selling more efficient, and help your business thrive.
How adoption of online ordering helps to reduce your costs
Reduced order entry time
An order that’s placed online can immediately be entered into your ERP or accounting system, as well as connected directly to your shipping broker. This completely eliminates the need to enter orders manually in multiple different systems just to move your product. With a properly set up online system, you can go from initial order to invoicing without having to touch the data whatsoever.
Reduced order errors
With fewer manual touches on your end and no reason to manually copy data from one system to another, order errors from standard clerical mistakes all but disappear. Human error is more the rule than the exception. By implementing an automated online ordering system, you can remove any chance that you send your customers the wrong product, or miss sending anything entirely.
Reduced fulfillment time
A fully integrated and automated online ordering system can cut down on fulfillment time by sending each part of the order directly to the people who need to see it. No more hoping that your shipping department hasn’t missed an email. Each step of the process is automatically managed, cutting down on how long it takes for you to get an order out the door and giving you more space and time to fill more orders.
Reduced customer service costs
Online catalogs and ordering systems provide your customers with all the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions without having to constantly call your sales team. With less assistance needed to place their orders, your salespeople’s time can be more effectively used to find new revenue instead of supporting your existing customers.
For more information on how you can transform your online ordering process, click here.
How adoption of online ordering helps you increase sales
Faster promotion of new products
With an online catalog accessible to your customers, you can release products whenever you like, without having to worry about seasonal updates or the strict timelines of a print catalog. With the ability to easily release products mid-season or put on special promotions, you can put yourself ahead of your competitors and generate more interest in your products.
Better product exposure
By providing an online catalog with product images and information that your customers are free to browse, you give them time to carefully consider the depth of your inventory. This gives them the opportunity to learn about products they might not otherwise have known about, access deals that work for their company, and otherwise get to better understand the value your company provides to them.
Faster ordering for your customers, better opportunities for sales
When your products are online for your customers to browse, they can also submit their full orders as well. This makes life easier for your sales team and allows them to focus on generating new sales. It also gives your salespeople a new opportunity to generate revenue through your existing customers. By looking at their full orders before approving them to go through your system, your sales team can reach out to your customers and give them suggestions, special deals or discounts on new items to upsell their existing order.
Reduced customer service costs
Online catalogs and ordering systems provide your customers with all the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions without having to constantly call your sales team. With less assistance needed to place their orders, your salespeople’s time can be more effectively used to find new revenue instead of supporting your existing customers.
Want to learn more about how implementing online ordering can benefit your business? Reach out to us for a discovery call today.