Top Ten Problems Solved by SAP Business One in Wholesale
Problem #7: Poor Customer Service in Wholesale Distribution
This is the seventh in our series of blogs highlighting ten problems commonly found in the wholesale sector. In our last blog, we examined issues resulting from a lack of real-time visibility. In this article, we focus on customer service in wholesale distribution and the role that SAP Business One can play in improving customer experience.
The problem
If the success of Amazon has proven anything, it is that customer experience can overcome price as a differentiator. You might be able to get the same product elsewhere, for less money, but you choose Amazon for the service it offers.
The Amazon experience does not come cheap, however. It cannot be achieved with a mismatch of systems supporting your operations. You need ERP.
The absence of ERP in a wholesale distribution business can significantly damage customer experience because critical information is fragmented across spreadsheets, emails, and disconnected applications. This puts you at a significant competitive disadvantage. The three most common problems it causes are:
- Lack of inventory visibility – customers can’t get reliable stock information
- Lack of order visibility – customers can’t easily find out where their order is
- Late or inaccurate fulfilment – customers don’t receive the right products on time
How SAP Business One improves customer experience in wholesale operations
It addresses these challenges by providing a single, integrated platform for sales, inventory, purchasing, warehousing, finance, and customer service. Instead of relying on disconnected spreadsheets and systems, everyone works from the same information.
And SAP Business One is a real-time system. Changes made in one area are immediately reflected in other areas of the system. There are no bottlenecks. There are no manual updates.
Real-time visibility of stock
With SAP Business One you have live inventory tracking across all your warehouses. Everything is tracked. Everything is traceable. Your sales teams and eCommerce platform have accurate information regarding product availability. This reduces backorders, avoids disappointment and builds trust.
Improved customer service
Customer records include everything you need to answer customer queries, including Quotes, Orders, Deliveries, Invoices, Payments, and Service history. So, when a customer says, “Where’s my order?” The service team can answer immediately with details such as:
- Order status
- Stock allocation
- Shipment details
- Invoice status
This leads to faster response times and a better customer experience.
Improved order accuracy
With SAP Business One everyone is working from the same information. This minimises the scope for error. Automation also has a role to play. For instance, rather than write out a picking list for operators in your warehouse, the system can automate the allocation of tasks and picking lists. Then, using handheld devices, customer orders are fulfilled by your warehouse staff.
The combination of a single data source and automation eliminates scope for transcription errors, is more efficient, and ensures that no orders are missed. The result? Fewer returns, complaints, and credit notes.
Learn more
These are just some of the ways that SAP Business One could help your wholesale distribution business. To learn more, take a look at the other blogs in this series. Alternatively, download a copy of our SAP Business One Beginners Guide – Wholesale.
In the next blog in this series, we look at pricing and margin control issues.
By Edward Bentley