Blog Posts Order Fulfillment for a Share-Worthy Customer Experience
About 70 percent of Americans use at least one social media platform today, a Pew Research Center study shows. They are seeking product reviews, following key influencers, sharing their buying experiences and even making purchases directly from social networks like Facebook and Instagram.
With such an engaged audience, the customer experience – positive or negative – is quickly amplified. Successful merchants deliver delight with every order. Effective order fulfillment is essential. Perry Belcastro, Saddle Creek’s senior vice president of fulfillment services, recently shared several best practices with MultiChannel Merchant.
Following is an excerpt from the article…
Optimizing Fulfillment for Social Commerce
In order to stand out in a crowded marketplace, merchants must routinely “wow” their customers. That starts with the basics – consistently accurate shipments of quality products. A strategic fulfillment solution, utilizing proven processes and effective quality management methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma can help to cover the bases here.
Shoppers want to be able to move from their laptop to their phone to their Instagram account with ease and expect the same customer experience regardless of the platform. And, in their minds, the fact that the endorsement of a popular influencer has caused an overwhelming spike in order volume should have no bearing on the availability of their favorite product.
To provide seamless, responsive service, merchants are investing in a variety of resources – from OMS technology that helps them deliver a consistent customer experience across channels to scalable space and staffing capable of accommodating sudden surges in order volume.
Good presentation also is key. Eye-catching packaging, tissue, insert cards, etc. all contribute to a positive experience. In fact, over 20 percent of consumers say packaging quality is a top reason when they’re deciding where to shop, according to the Pitney Bowes study.
Personalization can be another strong differentiator. From custom engraving to curated subscription boxes, merchants are finding creative ways to make the customer experience memorable – and worthy of social sharing.
Moving value-added services like these close to the consumer helps merchants to react more quickly to customers’ demands.
Many merchants look to fulfillment partners for help in implementing fulfillment strategies to support social commerce. 3PLs are well positioned to provide the scalable resources, sophisticated technology, value-added capabilities and quality management programs necessary for success.
For more social commerce fulfillment tips, read the full article.