How SCM Software Improves Customer Relations

Whether you work in e-commerce, the fashion industry, or even the food and beverage world, we know that you’re always looking for ways to increase your operating efficiency, improve your bottom line, and exceed consumer expectations.

But in today’s wildly competitive retail environment, sometimes, it can feel like an impossible task.

The good news? It doesn’t have to be.

Success -- and greater profitability -- starts with a better supply chain management strategy. It’s all about finding ways to get to know your market on a deeper level, anticipate their needs, and ensure that you have a detailed understanding of your inventory.

The right supply chain management software can help you to make it happen. Read on to learn why SCM software is something your business can no longer afford to live without.

Greater Insight into Your Inventory

We know that you hate being unable to fulfill the orders your customers place.

But without the deeper understanding of buying trends, the length of time that it takes your vendors to fulfill orders, and an accurate assessment of overall shipping and delivery timelines, you may find that you’re simply unable to keep pace with client demands. This can have a serious impact on not just your profits, but just as important, on your company’s reputation as a whole. Especially as people become increasingly reliant on online shopping.

If you don’t have the item a customer needs in stock, they’ll likely buy it from your competitors that do.

Supply chain management software offers you the ability to get real-time inventory updates. Additionally, you can even automate your orders so that you eliminate the risk of running out of your most in-demand items.

In addition to improving your overall customer satisfaction levels, this deeper understanding of your inventory can prevent you from over-buying products that you don’t really need. Plus, taking a closer look at your inventory can give you incredible insight into your market as a whole. Learn which products your customers gravitate towards, when they make the majority of their purchases, and which of your products you could consider replacing with something more in line with your market’s needs and demands.

Faster and More Accurate Delivery

You know that your customers appreciate on-time and fast delivery.

What you might not be as aware of is that speedy and error-free delivery is something that close to 50% of consumers say they expect as a part of the overall buying process.

Additionally, over half of all retailers say that they now offer same-day delivery.

In other words? You no longer get “bonus points” in the eyes of your customers for things like next-day delivery or faster shipping speeds. Instead, they see it as a standard part of the shopping experience.

We understand that, especially if you’re a smaller or newer company, this level of customer expectation can feel overwhelming.

SCM software is here to make a better delivery experience possible -- for both your consumers and your delivery drivers themselves. The right software makes it easy for you to not only send your customers email updates about the status of their order in real time, but also for drivers to directly communicate with them if need be.

By finding software that uses Google Maps and other services to find the most optimal delivery routes possible, you also ensure that you’re doing your due diligence to find the fastest delivery options. Plus, when you use software that’s compatible with a mobile app for your delivery drivers, it’s easier than ever for you to get things like proof of delivery, barcode scans, and even much more.

In addition to making things much more efficient for both you and your delivery team, you also ensure that your packages end up in the right hands. Never underestimate the importance of security when it comes to the delivery of your products.

Immediate Access to Customer Data

It’s something that we’d all love to be able to avoid, but the fact of the matter is that even the most organized of warehouses and distributors will sometimes make a mistake.

While the occasional error may be unavoidable, how you respond to it -- and how quickly you’re able to fix the issue -- is what really makes a difference to your clients.

For example, perhaps an order that a customer placed never arrived. Perhaps the customer gets in touch with your company to let you know that the items they received weren’t the items they ordered.

When you use supply chain management software, you can quickly pull up the customer’s order and identify where things went wrong. You can do this from anywhere, at any time.

You’ll be able to verify that the what the client is saying is correct and fix the problem at once. This ensures that, even though there was an error, the customer still feels like a priority.

Additionally, you can harness the power of SCM software even when there’s not a problem. Perhaps you’re meeting with clients, and they’re ready to place an immediate order. When you use a mobile SCM app, you can place that order immediately. That means a faster close for you, and even faster fulfillment for your clients.

Improve Your Customer Relations with Supply Chain Management Software

We hope that this post has helped you to better understand how the right supply management software can help you to exceed customer expectations and improve your operations in the process.

Are you ready to get the top SCM software for your industry? Need innovative solutions that help you to stay a step ahead of your competitors?

We’re here to make it happen.

Get in touch with us to learn more about our customizable software solutions, and ensure that your relationships with your customers are stronger than ever.

Source: OTDW