Workflow Process
Below is a JMA – Client developed example of a detailed workflow process for catalog program orders:
Order Entry
Order Processed
Pick & Pack
Ship
Confirmation
Access Options. Your organization has the ability to choose between open access, intranet only access or specific login access.
Order Entry via Shopping Cart.
When ready to purchase, the user simply adds each product choice to their shopping cart. The user has the ability to view real-time stock status on every item in the catalog. Once completed & the user has added the items to your shopping cart, the user would go to the checkout page. At the check-out page, the User is responsible for entering their pertinent information for shipping, billing and payment methods. The user clicks on “submit order‟ once completed.
Inventory Management.
When the user submits an order, the inventory is allocated immediately for that order. JMA has the ability to setup Administrative Approval Process. This would require the order to be approved by an authorized user before the order was sent to JMA. Once the order is approved (if authorization is used, or immediately after submitting the order if authorization is not used), the order is directly imported into JMA'S backend system without the re-keying of orders. Direct order entry expedites the fulfillment process and also eliminates the chance for human error in the data entry phase. JMA‟s software integration automatically produces a pick ticket to print.
Warehouse Confirmation.
Your program fulfillment specialist then previews the order confirming the information is correct. The order is then released to the warehouse. The process flow from when the order is received to when the pick ticket is in the warehouse for pulling happens in a matter of minutes. This process allows us to ship 98% of our orders the same day. We guarantee all in-stock orders to ship within 24 hours. Our motto is “In by 4, out the door”. (Refer to Service Level Agreement for details).
The order pickers will pull the merchandise and sign off on the packing slip. The order packer double checks that the items pulled match the packing slip before boxing up the order. The order packer signs off on the packing slip as well. The shipper quickly confirms the order and seals the box up and ships according to the order specifications. (Please refer to quality assurance manual).
Shipping: Starship Software.
JMA utilizes shipping software called Starship. The Starship software shops the rates of all major carriers for every order allowing JMA to provide the best price for that particular shipment. For example, if 2-day service has been requested, JMA will see which carrier's 2-day rate is the best for that shipment. Starship is integrated with our back-end software which allows many advantages on every order: the numbers of boxes, weight, tracking numbers, etc. are embedded in the order details for easy retrieval in the future.
Email Acknowledgements.
Our system utilizes email acknowledgements. An order acknowledgement is emailed to the customer once the order is placed. In this email, JMA provides a website link for the customer to check the status of their order. When the order is shipped from JMA, a second email is sent to the customer informing them that their order has shipped. JMA provides the user with the shipping tracking numbers as well as a link to track their order, referred to as the shipping acknowledgement. Four days after the order has shipped, a third email acknowledgment is sent. This is the Customer Satisfaction acknowledgement. This email confirms that the order was received and shows the client a re-cap of their order including freight and order total. We are in the process of adding a link here that would allow the client to enter feedback on the order that would be logged into the admin section of the website for the administrator to view. The software provides flexible options. All or none of these acknowledgements can be utilized depending on your organization’s needs.
Shipping Schedule.
Once the order is shipped, the paperwork is automatically sent to JMA’s Accounting Department for invoicing. JMA will invoice the orders based on the clients preferred method (determined in Implementation phase). JMAs Team provides all paper invoicing backup you may require.
