Automated processes should provide Christmas edge

Temando’s research asserts many UK retailers aren’t well prepared to deal with some of the most important shipping challenges in the run-up to Christmas. The research covered retailers of varying sizes.

In the lead up to Christmas many retailers’ back-end shipping processes are not totally automated, according to the research. Retailers responded that their systems for warehouse management (66 percent), booking a courier (63 percent), customer product returns (76 percent) and delivery tracking and customer communication (62 percent) were either manual or only somewhat automated. Temando suggests UK retailers will battle to meet heightened customer expectations when eCommerce volumes boom over the Christmas period.

The study also suggests there is a correlation between a retailer’s size and their ability to meet customer expectations in the lead up to Christmas with more than three times as many enterprise-sized retailers citing ‘incompatible technology platforms’ as a barrier to smooth customer order fulfilment than micro retailers.

Larger retailers have the resources to adopt more advanced technology, such as Warehouse Management and Order Management Systems to help facilitate smoother deliveries and improve customer service, for which they should be applauded. However, this does mean that these individual systems need further integration to advanced shipping technology to function at their most effective – particularly when they come under extreme pressure in the run up to Christmas.

Carl Hartmann, Temando’s CEO and Co-Founder, comments: “Shipping and fulfilment are complex enough without the huge increase in shipments over the Christmas period. When carrier networks reach their peak, one week out from Christmas, retailers need to have automated their shipping and fulfilment processes to provide better experiences for their loyal customers. No one needs the added anxiety of waiting for their gifts to arrive on time before Christmas.”