The dynamic duo: everything’s possible when warehousing and delivery connect
A fully synchronized, optimized supply chain – everyone wants one, and it’s not too hard to see why. When your warehouse management is seamlessly connected to your delivery management, the possibilities are endless. It’s easier to offer your customers a wider range of delivery options, and providing them with a convenient end-to-end experience is much more manageable. Meanwhile, your operational team can avoid hundreds of hours in manual processes, and more easily scale to meet the most challenging demands.
These are just some of the possibilities that can only be achieved when warehousing and delivery work together in harmony.
A wider range of delivery options
Delivery options matter – 60% of consumers select a retailer based purely on the convenience of their delivery options. But how can you provide your customers with real-time, personalized and deliverable options unless your warehouse management is synched with your delivery management?
The ideal scenario is this: a customer browses an item – let’s say a pair of shoes – on your website, and checks the delivery options; in the background, your delivery management platform cross-checks the available inventory against a vast array of carrier options, and serves the customer the most practical options for their location. The customer needs the shoes to wear to a party they’ve been invited to last minute, so they eagerly select the option for next-day delivery. The conversion is secured due to the convenience and reliability of the offering. And this is only possible if you are capable of fully optimizing the supply chain.
Speedy dispatch
Your customer needs to receive their shoes before the party starts, but they are located in Poland, while the closest factory is in France. The chances of meeting your customer’s expectations are slim without optimizing the supply chain, as this would otherwise involve a great deal of manual processes – selecting the right carrier, preparing consignments and customs documentation, just to name a few.
However, if your delivery management platform is synchronized with your warehouse management system, a significant amount of time can be saved at the picking and packing stage. A shipping label is automatically generated at the point of purchase according to your customer’s selection. This is compatible with the carrier, and comes complete with all consignment manifests and customs documents. Not only are you in a position to satisfy challenging customer expectations, you can now also save time and effort while doing it!
Hassle-free returns
Today’s consumer won’t shop online unless they know they can return their order. In fact, 70% of consumers consult a retailer’s returns policy before making a purchase. As more people turn their homes into dressing rooms, returns are another new reality you must contend with and it’s critical to offer a process that’s simple for customers and operational staff alike.
A dedicated self-service returns platform, where customers can select the items they want to return as well as their preferred method, is a convenient solution for shoppers – but it can also provide untold opportunities for the entire operational team. Automating the returns process helps the warehouse team manage inventory more effectively, while marketing teams can learn more about why an item is being returned. The item can be sent on to a location where it is more likely to be sold, and inventory levels can automatically be reflected there.
About the Manhattan Associates External Parcel integration
The benefits of optimizing the supply chain are clear, but the process of achieving and maintaining an integration has typically taken retailers a great deal of time and effort. That’s why Metapack has partnered with Manhattan Associates to provide an integration between Manhattan’s Warehouse Management System and Metapack’s Delivery Management platform that can be connected in as little as 2-4 weeks. The integration allows retailers to create one seamless supply chain solution, out of the box and free of charge – offering all of the benefits without any of the barriers that existed previously.
Find out more about the Metapack x Manhattan Integration.