When you start a business, typically, the end goal is to make a sale. Once you have achieved that success, you need to make sure your product reaches your customer. That’s easy when your sales are local, but as you expand into larger territories, then what?
You can certainly try and handle it yourself. However, consider that It can take you several hours to fulfill all your orders, and on top of that, the process is slow and arduous. Not the most glamorous way to spend your time. But when all is said and done, you’re not in the clear just yet. Accidents happen, and sometimes these accidents can be costly mistakes, such as sending a product to the wrong shipping address.
To eliminate these concerns, try fulfillment services.
A fulfillment service takes the sold product, packages it, and then places a shipping label and invoice to the product. When this is done, your product is ready to ship.
Not sure which fulfillment company to choose? Follow these suggestions when making your choice.
Quantity & Quality
With anyone you bring into your business, you want to make sure that they care about your brand, products and customers as much as you do – so make sure you keep this in mind when evaluating fulfillment companies. In addition, you want to make sure the company has fulfillment experience with your specific products to keep your business running and cash flowing.
You’ll know you’ve chosen the right fulfillment provider when there is a decrease in fulfillment errors, an increase in customer satisfaction, repeat business, and growth in your bottom line.
Location
Another aspect to consider when choosing a fulfillment company is their location. Are they near interstates, major highways, airports, shipping ports, or train depots? If so, that’s a good sign. Providers that are near areas of major transport can get your products delivered faster, increasing your customer satisfaction rate and putting you a step ahead of your competition.
Customer Satisfaction
The best way to see the efficiency of a fulfillment company is by hearing what their clients have to say. That way, you eliminate any bias another source may have.Check out the company website for customer testimonials. Ask for references and case studies. Reach out to the customers if the company website has a customer list. You can even search for any unsettled complaints or concerns. By doing your research, you can learn what the company does best, what it can improve on, and whether it needs more improvement before it earns your business or if it’s just the right partner for you.
One-Stop Shop
Why just have a fulfillment provider? Choose a center that does it all. Warehousing, shipping, logistics, apparel services, e-commerce warehousing, order fulfillment, and other third party services for business to business and business to consumer. Finding a company that can do it all, and is good at doing it all, gives you a partner for years while assuring you that custom solutions can be made for any of your needs.
Experience in the Field
Finally, choose a fulfillment company that has years of experience to back up its name. Whether you’re a brand new business or have years of experience yourself, you want to utilize a service that helps you grow, not hinders you. If you find a company that has been stable for years, even during times of economic hardship, then these are great indicators of good management skills and clear leadership vision – attributes you’ll want to associate your company with. Remember, use these tips as a guide when choosing a fulfillment company. The most important thing is that you take the time to learn about the company, check them out, talk with them, and make sure they’re a good fit for you just as you are a good fit for them. Once this harmony is reached, kick back and watch your business flourish.
Want to learn about how Social Imprints can be the Fulfillment Company you’re looking for? Connect with us.
