Fulfilment

Fulfilment....a word that is well known in the industry but it is rarely spoken in the context we use by the public.  Fulfilling an order can be almost anything from large bulk packaging of palletised items onto a distribution service, which is more commonly known as handling, or simply placing a lipstick in a Jiffy envelope and sending it off. However a multitude of other tasks are undertaken by the processes of fulfilment.

These are but not limited to, receiving an order by phone or via a website, out of hours voice recording systems, in the post, a personal caller, email, or via an intermediary, by fax, in  fact by any means. The processing of that order into a data capture system such as a computer is nowadays the most likely the first stage of fulfilment.  The computer will hold all the necessary information to enable the accurate fulfilment of that service or product to the end customer.

Supplier details are merged with consumer details and then a customers remittance is merged with banking channels to ensure payment can be fulfilled, telephone data is merged with computer systems to produce information for the operator to process an order against the correct promotional fulfilment code these promotional fulfilment codes are usually put into magazines via adverts either by the magazine company itself and earn in the form of commission, or by a supplier of the goods press and detailed reporting is produced to enable accounts of all transactions fulfilled, to be verified and audited, by clients, and inspectors alike. 

Once the second part of the fulfilment stage is undertaken, usually the banking and allocation, the despatching paperwork is produced and received in a fulfilment centres despatch warehouse to enable the pick and pack process to commence the final stage of fulfilment. 

The warehouse personnel select the appropriate packaging material that is either agreed at quote stage or it is selected directly by the customer, depending on delivery times.  Fulfilment comes into play well after the customer receives the goods the reason for this is they may have a query relating to their fulfilled order and need to call us. Or the goods may be needed to be returned for replacement if the product is faulty or  possibly an exchange if another colour or is required. 

In any case, a professional and responsive fulfilment strategy is key to any successful business, the ability to have at ones fingertips all the order processing systems fully integrated to enable quick product delivery and customer and client interface at the touch of a button or click of a mouse. If fulfilment was simply popping something into a Jiffy bag, then we'd all be doing it.  It is a rather complex task encompassing many disciplines to enable what on the surface seems a simple task to be effected in a professional and speedy manner.