A product fulfillment checklist is necessary.
Now that online ordering exceeds in store purchases, proper product fulfillment is essential. Yes, the web store front matters a lot to draw people in and get them to order, but to make sure the customer is satisfied, the product needs to be packaged and shipped properly and in a timely fashion in order to generate additional sales from them in the future. The world now runs at an extremely fast rate, so your prospects and customers expect quick delivery with the correct products.
Here at Eye/Comm we have come up with a check list that works really well for us to be sure we package correctly and timely.
1. Type of Product:
Check to see what type of product is being ordered. This will determine if special wrapping or packaging is needed.
2. Number of products ordered:
The quantity will help determine the package size as well as how long it will take to fill the order.
3. Ship To Location:
Special processing needs to happen for foreign shipments. Separate them out from the US ones. Also identifying packages that are farthest away by being tagged to ship first.
4. Shipment method:
What type of ship method was selected at the time of order? Based on that, what date must the package ship by in order to meet the deadline?
5. Pack:
Pick and pack the order based on the information already reviewed above in 1-4.
6. QC:
A person other than the one who packed the shipment will review items 1-5 to make sure each step was done properly. If all is ok, the box ships. If there is a problem, the box is moved back to fulfillment to fix it and a QC will be repeated when it is complete.
This fulfillment check list can keep your errors to a minimum and your people on track. Properly packaged products not only protect them from damage but also provide a good presentation to your customer when they open the package. Best practices are to include a packing slip as well as information on how to return the item if needed. In most cases it is also a good idea to include information on other products they might be interested in based on this purchase. These can be anything from accessories to an entirely new product. Adding these marketing materials to a package where the customer is happy is a great way to lead to additional sales.
Need help or have questions? Contact us today. We are glad to help!