By Gary Hawkesford, sales manager of BrightBridge
The rapid evolution of the retail landscape in the last ten years, accelerated by the global pandemic, means retailers have had to transform their business at an equally fast-pace to stay in the game. Technology has played a significant part in being an enabler for rapid change, and solutions such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) have become much more commonplace as a result – helping retail firms to achieve efficiencies that aid smooth business operations that positively impact customer satisfaction, and ultimately, the bottom line.
While ERP and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) may have once sat separately, the trend for integrating the two is helping retail firms bolster operational efficiencies further – bringing together data from across the business into one, unified platform offering a single version of the truth. Now, with ERP and WMS in place, many retail businesses are opting for solution customisations that enables them to optimise the benefits ERP and WMS offers even further – including being able to respond to customer demands with greater agility – and are leveraging the power of Application Programming Interface (API) integrations.
Technology solutions specialist BrightBridge has worked with retail customers on optimisation projects that have helped those customers address specific elements of customer service, to aid satisfaction and retention in an increasingly competitive industry.
Customer satisfaction – delivered!
Furniture retailer OKA had already implemented NetSuite to help them automate vital business operations functions, but with deliveries of often large items of furniture, such as sofas, being scheduled all the time within finite customer timeslots, the risk to customer satisfaction was ever present. With variables including traffic flow, and time taken at a previous delivery job being subject to fluctuations – for instance, because of difficulty in getting the right property access for a large piece of furniture – delivery timeslots can easily end up being missed. Customers who have taken time off work or arranged attendance to take delivery, or who have even paid external contractors to arrange furniture access through a window opening in the case of limited alternative access, may be left waiting if delivery drivers are held up.
The risk of customer dissatisfaction and even recompense claims in such instances are high, which is why OKA came to BrightBridge seeking a solution. An additional challenge was that OKA was using a number of delivery carriers, so with no off-the-shelf solution within NetSuite to enhance the flow of this real-time information and get it to the right people at the right time, BrightBridge created one. By implementing a feature that fast-tracks information from delivery teams about received orders, orders being prepared and despatched, and any potential delays in real-time – all highly customised and branded – customer satisfaction is retained. When communication is handled in this way, customer frustration can be negated.
Don’t let customer frustration brew
When coffee machine retailer Freshground released a new coffee machine with different features and functions to its model predecessor, it was aware that such instances often result in heightened customer queries either ahead of buying the product, or following purchase if they ran into difficulties operating it. Freshground came to BrightBridge to ensure a dedicated solution could be implemented to include the capability to promptly and effectively field such enquiries, and head off any chance of disgruntled customers as a result of frustrations when trying to get to grips with a new product by effectively categorising them. Through early identification of ‘at risk’ customers – those it was deemed may be dissatisfied – potential issues can be dealt with before they escalate.
These examples illustrate that retailers wanting to maintain customer satisfaction need to consider implementation of enhanced customer support. Optimising technology solutions facilitates this: retailers can manage and track customer interactions, preferences, and purchase histories. This holistic view of customers allows support teams to provide personalised assistance promptly, creating positive customer experiences.
All systems go
Building exceptional customer experiences depends on the ability to capture, harness, and process data and insights across a complex landscape of applications. API integrations are invaluable in facilitating this, helping firms bring legacy and modern systems together. APIs such as Jitterbit – a Built for NetSuite and SuiteSuccess-verified partner – enable companies to accelerate integration initiatives and send them live in days or weeks, not months – or even years. Whether it is automation of ‘opportunity to order’, to ensure orders are processed as efficiently as possible to provide a seamless customer order experience, or accelerating ‘order to fulfilment’, to create a smooth purchasing experience with full visibility of the end-to-end customer journey, APIs like Jitterbit are helping retail firms build exceptional customer experiences.
Modern consumers expect a seamless experience when buying products, whether online or in-store, and this spans the whole process from purchase through to delivery and use of product, so optimised technology solutions are key for retailers looking to provide a consistent experience across all channels.
In the dynamic landscape of retail, technology has emerged as a cornerstone for success. The integration of ERP and WMS, combined with optimisation and API integrations, is empowering retail businesses not only to streamline operations and make informed decisions, but also personalise customer experiences and achieve the Holy Grail of customer satisfaction – which is a significant element for retail businesses and one not to be underestimated.
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Gary Hawkesford has over 15 years’ of experience with ERP, HCM and GRC software and is the sales manager of BrightBridge, a UK-based technology consultancy offering Oracle NetSuite and Microsoft Dynamics 365 solutions. He is involved in new implementations and helping existing customers get the most out of their technology investment through integration, apps, automation and AI. In September 2023 it was announced that NoBlue2 acquired BrightBridge.
