How could your warehouse operations benefit from a Connected CommerceOps platform? 

Your warehouse operations are the beating heart of your business, ensuring that orders are processed, packed, and shipped with speed and accuracy. 

But as your business grows and you start juggling multiple sales channels, keeping everything in sync can feel like trying to keep a dozen plates spinning at once. 

Enter the new knights in shining armor of the ecommerce realm: Connected CommerceOps platforms. 

Designed to streamline operations, improve accuracy, and ultimately boost your bottom line, Connected CommerceOps is already being heralded as the future of online retail as the industry steams toward record market growth.

But how can your warehouse benefit from such a platform? Let’s roll up our sleeves and unpack the details to find out.

What is Connected CommerceOps?

Connected CommerceOps gives you the ability to maintain a bird’s-eye view of your entire operation where every piece of the puzzle fits perfectly together, so that you can manage everything from one central hub. It’s software that revolutionizes the way your business runs. 

At its core, Connected CommerceOps is a platform that integrates various components of your commerce operations—from order management and inventory tracking to fulfillment and shipping—into a single, cohesive system. It involves the effortless integration of technology, ecosystem, and people to ensure that every aspect of your ecommerce operation works together smoothly. 

Key components of an effective connected commerce system include:

• Order management system (OMS): The nerve center for tracking and processing your orders.
• Warehouse management system (WMS): The powerhouse behind accurate inventory management, picking, and packing
• Shipping integration: The engine that automates carrier coordination for fast and reliable deliveries.
• Real-time analytics: The compass providing actionable insights to optimize operations and improve decision-making.

With technology at the helm, Connected CommerceOps platforms like Linnworks seamlessly integrate these components, ensuring your warehouse operations run like a well-oiled machine.

What’s the role of an order management system in connected commerce? 

As all ecommerce operators know, keeping all the moving parts (and boy, are there a lot of them!) in sync is no easy feat. But that’s where your order management system truly shines! It’s the unsung hero that bridges your sales channels with your warehouse operations, making sure every order is processed, packed, and shipped with laser precision and speed.

It’s all too easy to compartmentalize an OMS as an isolated system that deals only with orders and order processing. But in reality, there’s a bit more to it than ticking off each order box and moving on. You see, an OMS does much more than simply handle orders. It connects every aspect of order processing and fulfillment, linking all of your processes into a unified operation. So, whether customers order through your website, a marketplace, or social media, their experience is stress-free and consistent.

In a Connected CommerceOps environment, the role of your OMS becomes even more critical.

Why? Because it serves as the glue that binds your sales channels and warehouse operations together. By linking order processing directly with inventory management and fulfillment, your OMS ensures your warehouse is always one step ahead and that your team is ready to pick, pack, and ship without breaking a sweat. 

Let’s take a closer look at how an OMS functions within a connected commerce environment and how you can use yours as a secret weapon to supercharge warehouse efficiency. 

Benefits of OMS for warehouse operations

When it comes to warehouse operations, every second counts, and precision is paramount. Let’s break down exactly how an OMS can transform your warehouse operations into a well-oiled machine, ensuring that everything from inventory management to customer satisfaction is optimized to the max.

Improved inventory management

It’s time to wave goodbye to confusion and say hello to tip-top proficiency!

Nothing throws a wrench in your operations like scrambling to locate stock—or, worse, realizing you’ve run out of a top-selling item. Here’s a quick summary of the primary features and benefits to explain how an OMS eliminates inventory management headaches:

• Real-time inventory tracking across all channels.
• Automatic stock reallocation to prevent stockouts.
• Reduced overstocking, freeing up warehouse space and capital.

Example

Imagine you’re running a promotion on a hot new product. With an OMS, you can instantly see how many SKUs you have across all locations. If one warehouse is running low, the system automatically reallocates stock from another, preventing stockouts and maximizing sales.

Enhanced order accuracy

Ready to turn your back on drama-fueled return nightmares and generate more glowing 5-star ratings?

Order mistakes represent way more than an inconvenience. They can be super costly in terms of returns, refunds, and diminished customer trust—and let’s not even get started on the perils of poor reviews! Here’s how an OMS helps you avoid these pitfalls and boosts your business potential simultaneously by ensuring the correct items are picked, packed, and shipped every time:

• Automated order processing results in fewer errors (because, let’s face it, however awesome you and your team may be, humans will always make mistakes).
• Accurate picking lists ensure the correct number of the correct items are packed and distributed.
• With fewer returns and refunds to process, you’ll save valuable time and resources that can be spent driving your business forward.

Examples

Hopefully, you’re already dealing with scenarios where customers buy multiple items per order (yay!). Instead of relying on manual picking, your OMS generates a picking list that’s automatically cross-referenced with your SKU database and warehouse map to eliminate mispicks and substitution errors.

Streamlined workflows

Transform efficiency from a token buzzword to an operational imperative! 

The more streamlined your workflows, the faster and smoother everything runs. That bit’s not rocket science. An OMS takes complexity out of the equation by automating repetitive tasks and optimizing your processes from top to bottom:

• Automated task coordination ensures every order is handled swiftly, with no time wasted.
• Optimized picking routes minimize the time spent navigating the warehouse, speeding up order fulfillment.
• Reduced manual labor requirements free up your team to focus on more strategic tasks, boosting overall productivity.

Examples

Picture this: It’s peak season, and your warehouse is buzzing with activity. And, just to add an extra layer of uncertainty, you’ve got a bunch of new temporary staff on payroll. Manually coordinating each task in this scenario is a recipe for disaster. Your OMS takes the pressure off by assigning and prioritizing jobs and optimizing picking routes to help your team glide through the warehouse and prepare orders with ease and precision.

Real-time data and analytics

It’s time to transform numbers into knowledge and power up your warehouse!

Knowledge is power, as they say, and this is especially true when it comes to optimizing your warehouse operations. With real-time data from your OMS, you’re not just guessing—you’re making informed decisions that propel your business forward:

• Instant performance tracking lets you see what’s working and what’s not, allowing you to make adjustments on the fly.
• Detailed analytics provide insights into every aspect of your operation, from inventory levels to order processing times.
• Data-driven decision-making ensures continuous improvement, helping you stay ahead of the competition.

Examples

Let’s say you spot a bottleneck in your order processing (don’t sweat it, we’ve all been there!) where certain items are taking longer to pick and pack. Your OMS helps you quickly identify the issue and reallocate resources or adjust your warehouse layout to streamline the process, ensuring you’re always running at peak performance.

Better customer experience

Turn those shipping chills into customer thrills! 

Seamless service makes all the difference in a world where 73% of consumers rank customer experience as an important factor, yet only 49% believe companies provide a good experience. With a reliable OMS in place, you can enhance the entire customer journey, from order placement to delivery:

• Faster order fulfillment means customers receive their purchases quicker, boosting satisfaction.
• Accurate shipments make for happier customers, making repeat orders more likely.
• Improved communication keeps customers in the loop with real-time updates on their orders, building trust and loyalty.

Examples

Picture a customer who places an order for a last-minute birthday gift. The clock is ticking, but thanks to your OMS, the order is prioritized, picked, packed, and shipped with lightning speed. The customer receives regular updates, and the gift arrives on time. That’s the kind of service that turns one-time buyers into loyal brand advocates. 

What are the key considerations for your Connected CommerceOps integration? 

When integrating a Connected CommerceOps platform into your warehouse operations, the devil is in the details. This isn’t a plug-and-play scenario. It’s a transformative change that can significantly enhance your business – but only if it’s done right. Here are some insider tips and best practices to help you on your way.

Implementation Tips

Sure, implementing a Connected CommerceOps platform can be a game-changer, but it’s not without its challenges. Successful implementation requires a strategic approach that balances the technical and human aspects of the transition. Here’s a list of essential steps to work through before shooting for organization-wide integration.

1. Assess system compatibility

A smooth integration is critical for maintaining operational continuity and avoiding costly disruptions. So, start by assessing the compatibility of your new platform with your existing systems. 

2. Plan your data migration

A clean, accurate data transfer will set the foundation for success. Plan for a phased migration where data is transferred in stages to assure accuracy and prevent data loss. 

3. Conduct process mapping 

Map out your current workflows and processes thoroughly before going full steam ahead on integration. This helps identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies that the new system should address rather than just transferring old problems over to the new system.

4. Train your team

A new platform likely means new processes. Bring your team along for the ride by investing in effective change management strategies and comprehensive training so everyone feels comfortable and confident.

5. Run a pilot test

Rather than going full throttle right out of the gate, minimize risk by pilot testing in a specific department or with a smaller subset of operations so you can rectify issues before the full-scale rollout.

Utilization best practices

Having the best tools available is one thing. Harnessing their power, quite another. Here’s how to get the most out of your new Connected CommerceOps system.

Establish clear objectives

Define what success looks like for your Connected CommerceOps implementation. Whether its reducing picking and packing times, improving inventory accuracy, or increasing throughput during peak seasons, having clear, measurable objectives will guide your team’s efforts and help you track progress over time.

Encourage frontline feedback

Your warehouse staff will be the first to encounter any hiccups with the new system. So, encourage them to provide feedback on the platform’s performance so you can make real-time adjustments that streamline the overall implementation process.

Leverage automation

Take full advantage of the warehouse automation capabilities built into your OMS to eliminate repetitive tasks like generating picking lists, updating stock levels, and triggering reorders. This will help reduce errors and free up your team’s time for more strategic activities.

Regularly monitor performance

Use real-time data and analytics to monitor essential warehouse KPIs like order accuracy rates, pick-and-pack times, and inventory turnover, and tweak your processes accordingly to optimize efficiency.

Supercharge your warehouse operations with Linnworks

Ready to dominate in the world of connected commerce? Then, it’s time to get ahead of the game with Linnworks!

Our all-in-one Connected CommerceOps platform is designed to centralize your operations, automate key processes, and deliver insightful analytics that drive smarter decisions. Plus, our extensive ecosystem of partners opens up new avenues for growth, while our dedicated team and top-notch customer support ensure you have everything you need to succeed.

So, what are you waiting for? Take a few minutes to explore our interactive product tour and discover how we can help you transform your warehouse operations into a streamlined, efficient powerhouse.