![](\"https://img.freepik.com/free-vector/handling-order-processing-illustration_335657-517.jpg?w=2000\")
Image Source: FreeImages
From the moment a customer places an order until it is delivered and invoiced, there is a lot of data to manage. It’s no wonder that 84% of small businesses say order management is their top supply chain challenge. There are so many different solutions out there, but how do you choose? While the fern and petal (fnp.com) business is booming, it’s also a very challenging one. In order to meet growing demand, FNP.com sellers need an effective order management system (OMS). An OMS streamlines processes to reduce manual labor and save time. With a comprehensive OMS in place, you can increase efficiency while reducing costs. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most important features your OMS should have if you’re working in the fern and petal industry.
Order Management System Basics
OMS’s come in many shapes and sizes and with many added features. However, there are a couple of things you can expect from any good OMS. First, it should integrate easily with your e-commerce platform. For example, if your website runs on Shopify, you should be able to integrate your OMS with Shopify without any problems. Second, and perhaps most importantly, it should offer a seamless experience for your customers. If a customer places an order through your website but the system doesn’t communicate with your OMS correctly, an order won’t be placed.
Inventory Management
When you have different suppliers and warehouses, inventory management can be a real challenge. Providing customers with accurate stock information can be even more difficult when you have multiple warehouse facilities. However, there are a few features that can help. For example, you should be able to link the items in your inventory with the products on your website. This way, you can automatically update the stock levels on your website when you place an order from a supplier. Additionally, you will also be able to know when products need to be reordered, so that you can avoid out-of-stock situations.
Multi-channel Ordering
If you currently only accept online orders, you’ll want to make sure your OMS can integrate with voice-activated assistants. After all, the number of voice-commerce orders is expected to reach $32 billion by 2022. You will also want to be able to accept orders through email. Plus, you may want to consider adding text and WhatsApp ordering to your online ordering options. The more ways you can accept orders, the more sales you can expect to generate.
Cloud-Based Syncing
If you’re a fern and petal flower shop that operates with multiple locations, you’ll want to make sure your OMS is cloud-based. Cloud-based systems allow you to access the system from any computer, at any time. This means you’ll be able to monitor orders and address any issues that arise in real time.
Order Fulfillment and Tracking
With a good OMS, you can easily track orders from when a customer places an order until it is delivered. You can also use the system to keep customers informed about their order’s progress. A good OMS will let you associate tracking numbers with orders from the beginning. This way, you can easily track orders on the backend. You can also use the system to create order-specific shipping labels. This can help you avoid mistakes when it’s time to ship the order out.
Address Validation
Address validation can help you reduce the number of orders that you have to refund. With an OMS that does address validation, you can easily check the address for each order against the shipping address. If there are any mistakes, you can let the customer know and give them an opportunity to correct the information. This can help you avoid chargebacks and negative reviews.
Real-time Data and Reporting
If your OMS has real-time data and reporting, you will be able to see any issues that arise as soon as they happen. This can help you avoid a lot of unnecessary headaches. You can also use the data to make decisions about your business, such as where to expand and where to focus your marketing efforts.
Conclusion
When you’re running an online fern and petal business, you need an order management system that can scale with your business. You might want to consider an OMS that is easy to use, offers high-level security, and is scalable. You can also look for an OMS that offers multi-channel selling, integrates with your e-commerce platform, and offers real-time data and real-time shipping. When you have an OMS that meets all of these criteria, you can expect to see increased sales and profit.
