When you are running your own business, you will probably already know that delegating is an essential function. When you delegate, you are letting other people or entities perform the tasks that you are not able to do – and this brings several advantages, one of which is that you can concentrate on other duties that allow your enterprise to grow. Besides, you simply cannot do everything – at some point, you have to rely on others to do things for you. One such task that you may be better off delegating to someone else is order fulfilment. Order fulfilment is tricky because it entails a lot of details and meticulous planning, and you don’t want to get anything wrong. So if you outsource your order fulfilment requirements, it can do a lot for you. Here are the top reasons why more companies are opting for outsourced order fulfilment services – and why you should, too.
What does an order fulfilment service do?
First, it’s best to have a better understanding of what an order fulfilment service can do. Order fulfilment services will keep your goods or items in their warehouse and then fulfil any orders placed by your customers on your company’s behalf. These orders can come from both customers who shop online and customers who physically visit your store.
For a fulfilment company to accomplish the task, they will often integrate whatever software they have with your software in your e-commerce shop or store so the process of order fulfilment is more streamlined. Once an order is received, they will then pick it, pack it, and then prepare your product for delivery and shipment. Your fulfilment firm can also coordinate with couriers to schedule order pickups. A standard provider will usually charge a set monthly fee for storage, and this fee is based on the number of palettes or bins you store in the warehouse or facility. Once they handle an order, they will also charge you extra fees. A good fulfilment company can also handle other services such as contract packing, labelling, and more.
Their real benefits
- Lower shipping expenditure
Once you outsource your fulfilment needs, you can have lower shipping expenditure. This is because a lot of providers usually have facilities or warehouses within the country or even overseas, and this can allow you to benefit from lower rates for shipping, especially in terms of discounts on bulk deliveries. It will depend on your chosen fulfilment service, but you can save about 15 to 35 per cent on average. Many providers also have special software which they can use to browse different rates from different couriers so they can choose the most cost-effective rate.
- Reduced costs for operation
When you use a fulfilment service, you can also reduce your costs for operation because you will essentially pay just for what you consume or use. You will be charged a flat fee per month for storage, and after this, you will only be charged for orders that they pick, pack, and ship. Your expenses on storage will only become different once the units you store in their warehouse change.
With an order fulfilment partner, you can go global with ease, and you can even improve and enhance your customer service and support with easier returns and exchanges, refunds, and more.