Todays average customer not only expects to receive ordered goods immediately, they expect to be able to see real time availability before they click to buy, and they expect to receive accurate estimates and updates on delivery.
This is the kind of instantaneous retail situation we currently all find ourselves to be in and it obviously has huge advantages not to mention is massively convenient for consumers, but what does it mean for manufacturers and suppliers of goods?
In a nutshell, it means that they have to be ahead of the game when it comes to seamless order fulfilment and that is where the harnessing of Track & Trace technology is key. This combination of hand-held scanners and mobile printers is vital when it comes to:
Visibility of Stock across all channels and in all locations, to quickly and accurately identify if orders can be fulfilled and vitally if stock needs to be replenished before it effects customer satisfaction. (Of course there is now an expectation that this info can be accessed by customers when they carry out an availability check on line)
Logistics of Delivery stock location will be key to the question of delivery time, e.g. if same day/ next day delivery is possible, but there also needs to be visibility throughout the journey of the goods to their destination as consumers expect to receive regular, accurate updates
Whilst the hardware is perhaps the most obvious part of the Track & Trace solution, wed argue that connectivity is of equal importance in achieving seamless fulfilment. The handheld scanners may be capturing the vital data but what happens if these fail? Without robust, reliable connectivity, access to the valuable information is delayed and much of the advantage can be temporarily lost. Downtime is not only frustrating (and potentially costly), it can also have a very immediate effect on customer service and a long-lasting effect on customer confidence.
Consideration of Connectivity should therefore feature at the very earliest stages of the adoption of any mobile data capture solution (as should regular maintenance of course, to ensure that handheld devices and mobile printers are always performing at their very best).
Seamless fulfilment is so much more than a buzzword, it is the very real expectation which todays tech-savvy consumers have when they make an online purchase, regardless of the channel used. At PLM Global we genuinely believe that the adoption of Track & Trace technology is now very much a must-have, rather than a nice-to-have, for any business who wants to maintain and drive competitive advantage.
Want to find out more?
If you would like to find out more about the PLM Global solutions or have a question about the implementation of Track & Trace technology please contact us via https://www.plm-global.co.uk/contact/
