Your fulfillment service company shouldn’t be a hassle for you, and it shouldn’t make you worry about your inventory or your order fulfillment process. It’s a fact that sometimes overlooked: fulfillment companies’ very purpose is to make the operations of your business run smoother, and with significantly greater efficiency. Your fulfillment company should be, by and large, a plug-and-play component of your business model, able to run efficiently with a minimum of oversight and time commitment from you and your company staff.
When evaluating the performance of your fulfillment service company, consider the following criteria.
Is Your Fulfillment Turnaround Time Satisfactory?
Slow processing times can lead to customer dissatisfaction and can discourage repeat conversion. Your fulfillment service company should be able to provide complete order fulfillment, with tangible proof of efficiency and speed in processing orders.
One way to test your fulfillment company’s turnaround time is to order one of your own products, using a tracking from a shipping service to subtract shipment time. The difference between the tracking number’s inception date and the date you placed your order is the efficiency time.
Do The Packages Arrive With Your Logo Clearly Displayed?
One of the biggest incentives to using a fulfillment service relates to having your own company logo and contact information on the shipping label, giving your customer base the impression of size and stability that you want them to respect. Ordering a package and making sure that your company logo is clearly displayed or readily available, with contact information beside it, will let you know how much attention your fulfillment service pays to such important matters.
Are You Paying Hidden Fees or Costs?
Some fulfillment service companies may try to add additional monthly fees atop your normal, contractual percentage commission agreement. Finding such fees and costs on your monthly statement or business report should result in an immediate consultation with your fulfillment service operator. You may also wish to review your service contract or fulfillment service arrangement.
What Do Your Customers Say About Your Fulfillment?
Of course, the biggest means of determining your fulfillment service’s efficiency is to simply ask your customers. Sending out a survey, either by direct mail fulfillment or by email, will give you immediate insight into the fulfillment service’s speed and reliability in handling orders. Armed with such information, you’ll be better prepared to voice concerns and suggest means of improvement.