Courtesy Pixabay | PhotoMIX-Company
In 2016, we looked at how Order Management Systems (OMS) in the future would change the world of retail for everyone. It’s been two years since we put those thoughts on the proverbial paper…
What’s changed?
What’s to be expected moving forward?
When we first looked back to see how much things have changed, we realized — it’s not so much what has changed, but how much OMS has grown (and continues to grow) in capability.
A solid OMS simply means you can streamline ALL your buyer/user experiences. And we’d argue that this, in a nutshell, is the single most important determiner in how successful your brand will be. No matter what industry, what brand or who your target demographic is, virtually all consumers demand a stellar experience from the brands they support.
As they say, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
Keep reading to learn more about how and why OMS continues to be the wave of the retail future, and how it can help you plan for success.
OMS – Why You Should Care
Your image is important. How much does that have to do with OMS? We’d argue everything. But how exactly is your image related to the need for an effective OMS?
Simply put: your online presence must match your brick and mortar vibe – must match your social postings – must match your downloadables available – must match your email marketing campaigns – must match your…you get the point.
What type of experience your customers have across any and all channels can directly result in their overall view of your brand.
- Are you consistently out of stock on orders?
- Are delivery times lagging?
- Do customers browse your online inventory only to show up to your retail store and find you don’t actually have a product?
- Do you get product back in stock but lose track of backorders?
All of these can negatively affect your brand image. An OMS can support the image of an eTailer by aligning back end processes with front end marketing and promises. The end result? A positive image of you, as a brand and retailer, as competent.
Phew…we know…it’s a lot. But it’s important, and in the world of finicky consumers who thrive off a deep sea of competitor comparison shopping in just a few clicks, the power is theirs and you cannot afford to miss a beat.
Why OMS?
An effective OMS will support and centralize order and inventory management from every sales channel you promote.
What Can an OMS Do for You?
A solid, effective OMS will allow for one, holistic, singular view of everything you need to account for to be successful:
- Demand
- Inventory
- Supply
- Delivery-time estimates
- Returns
- Buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) activity
- Shipping options: ship from store; ship to store for pickup; ship direct
Want to learn more about Freestyle Solutions industry-leading M.O.M software for order and inventory management? Sign up for our FREE demo today.
