Order Management Systems: the solution to your logistics challenges

Companies all over the world are faced with the challenge of finding an optimal way to manage inventory and fulfill orders in the most efficient way. A poorly developed order management system (OMS) can mean the difference between a happy customer and one who won’t want to purchase from you again. A solid OMS helps your company run much more smoothly when it comes to order processing and allows for better customer relationship management. How? Through making sure the item(s) ordered get into their hands with as few hiccups as possible.

An order management system helps businesses keep track of orders (and all the information that goes along with that) and does so with detailed reports (inventory data that is made available across all channels), handles customer service, including returns and questions about where items are in the supply chain management cycle, and manages fulfillment of the purchased items.

The goal should be to implement an order management system that follows the entire lifecycle of an order and have that order managed by one system rather than many that don’t connect to the other. When they don’t, it often leads to a logistics nightmare. Having information in one place in the ordering system results in customers having a better overall experience.

What do companies need from an OMS?

Companies need an order management system that will empower them to conduct their business in an easy, simplified, and streamlined fashion because, as they say, time is money. Customers are placing orders in a vastly different way than they were say ten years ago.

Traditional order management systems have many hand-offs and systems in place, none of which communicate together, and if they do, data gets lost as it shifts from one group of the company to another. These processes are often siloed (say for example online versus brick and mortar not having reads on inventory the other has) and lack integration, which allows for errors, delays, and frustrated customers. Companies today need a supply chain management system that integrates all parts of the business involved in getting a purchase to a customer.

Problems with standard order management systems

Logistics matters. Some problems businesses who still use traditional OMSs face today are:

• Clunky search functions that are not simple to use, and lack advanced search functions.
• Issues with editing an order once it has been placed by the customer. Often times, the order has to be cancelled and then replaced, which is time consuming and frustrating for the customer. The chance of actually losing that sale altogether is high.
• Cancelling an order can be tricky if a mixed payback is desired.
• Refunds take a long time for the customer to receive, which is off-putting to many. They expect and want the return immediately, not in up-to thirty business days. An OMS that can provide fast returns to customers is worth the investment alone. Because a happy customer is most probably a repeat customer.

How a unified order management system helps companies

An OMS that is integrated and has functions that streamline the order process is essential to doing good business today. FastOMS by OSF Digital offers four key functionalities that deliver a smooth experience for both merchants that use Salesforce Commerce Cloud and their customers:

• Order Search: The employee handling the order has a simple search box and a complex one with different filters to search for orders;
• Order Edit: Aspects of an order, including color, size, and quantity, can be updated;
• Order Cancellation: The customer service rep can cancel an order if customer requests it;
• Refund Management: Refunds are handled directly from Business Manager and include all payment options—credit card, gift certificate, or a mix of refund options based on what the customer prefers.

Consumers today expect a high level of service. Having an OMS that offers customers a pain-free, simple shopping experience with your brand is one they will remember, talk about, and be happy to return to.