Overcoming Order Fulfillment Challenges With Plausible Solutions

By Erin Harris, Editor-In-Chief, Cell & Gene
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In the age of omni-channel retailing, much has been written about order fulfillment. Order management is at the forefront of the conversation, but understanding the depth and breadth of order management and its role in omni-channel fulfillment is easier said than done. Eric Cameron, VP of sales at Bastian Solutions; Greg Cronin, executive VP at Knighted, and Intelligrated Company; and John Kruzan, senior director of partnerships, distribution solutions at Pitney Bowes answer my questions about some of the most pressing omni-channel order fulfillment challenges and the solutions necessary to increase margins and provide a next-level customer experience.

What's the state of omni-channel order fulfillment adoption and implementation?

Cameron: The adoption of omni-channel order fulfillment allows companies to consolidate all order types, whether larger orders intended for businesses or smaller orders intended for specific consumers, into one facility. The benefit of doing so means the investment in advanced order fulfillment technologies (software, conveyor, automated storage and retrieval, robotics) can be more easily justified since the new technologies are being used for multiple order types. A company can create one distribution center with one automation system to service their entire demand, justifying the cost for automated fulfillment equipment and software. This investment means the company can increase productivity, save on labor costs, reduce fulfillment errors, and, ultimately, help the company provide better customer service.

Cronin: Omni-channel is driven by the growth of e-commerce, evolving consumer demands, and retailers’ efforts to develop more efficient operations. Retailers are incorporating traditional direct-to-store and direct-to-consumer e-commerce fulfillment operations into a single, highly-agile 24X7 omni-channel fulfillment system. The demands of today's retailers require fulfillment operations to ship orders faster and more efficiently than ever before to meet consumer demands for purchasing, delivery, and return options. Retail has always been about the consumer experience, and omni-channel doesn’t change this; it takes it to another level. 

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