eCommerce sales and spending are increasing every year. A report by research and media organization Digital Commerce 360 states that eCommerce in the US grew by 7.3% in Q2 of 2022. This is good news for eCommerce businesses as it suggests that this positive curve will continue in the coming years.
However, it also increases the chances of falling behind on fulfillment. This leads to a decrease in potential revenue, backlogs, and even losing customer trust. In addition, you may need to manage overdue invoices, which will only add to your workload. One way to prevent this is by streamlining eCommerce fulfillment with good workforce management. If you’re curious to know how, keep reading below.
One chief marketing officer emphasizes that strategic workforce management does indeed benefit businesses. For one, it creates an organized workforce that provides better service. This is crucial in eCommerce as it rests on customer satisfaction. In turn, customer satisfaction relies on the delivery of the right products at the right time. Another benefit of strategic workforce management is that it increases efficiency—a quality that will aid in fulfillment. When your workforce understands their tasks and possesses the necessary skills and tools for their job, it can avoid errors and complete tasks more quickly. To get ahold of these benefits and more, here are a few tips to follow.
Related: What Is eCommerce Fulfillment?
When your workforce has access to learning and development opportunities, their skills can keep up with the evolving demands of eCommerce. This helps them complete tasks efficiently with fewer errors. Thus, cultivating a continuous learning mindset in employees can help build a renewable—rather than a replaceable—workforce. This keeps your business competitive and ensures that you maintain timely eCommerce fulfillment. Provide employees with development opportunities like classes on software usage, inventory tracking, and time management. You can hire a professional they can learn from or help them subscribe to online learning platforms like Udemy and Coursera.
Forecasting workloads can give your workforce time to prepare and meet certain demands. For instance, if you’ve noticed trends in your sales such as triple the amount of orders during Black Friday or holiday seasons, inform your employees. This way, they are able to anticipate their workload and be able to determine how to complete it. Another example is that if one employee is aware that there are more orders that need to be packed, they may develop a certain packing strategy in line with this information. Regularly analyze your sales data to discern these trends or use eCommerce analytics software like Optimizely or Glew.io.
The process of eCommerce fulfillment can be repetitive and exhausting. This is why motivating your employees is a must. This is one strategy that can help you encourage better and more consistent performance. One such way to accomplish this is by helping them find meaning in their work. Show them appreciation by highlighting their contributions during meetings and especially after a major event like the holiday season. Giving them authority in their work is another. Don’t micromanage and force them into certain work methods. Instead, let them do what works for them. This will give them the confidence and productivity to complete tasks more efficiently.
With sales on the rise, eCommerce fulfillment is crucial to the success of your business. Good workforce management can help streamline fulfillment by boosting employee motivation, supplying learning and development opportunities, and allowing employees to anticipate their workload.
Recommended: How to Use Order fulfillment to Get Repeat Customers
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