The Importance of Software in ECommerce Strategies for Supply Chain Management and Marketing
In today’s day and age, it is essential for a company to have a comprehensive e-commerce supply chain to conduct business in a smart manner and there are many strategies for supply chain management that businesses must consider when looking to address their specific needs. Managing inventory and other supplies needed to make a business work can sometimes feel like a full-time job. Thankfully, there is a wide array of products available to help automate these processes and ensure that your strategies for supply chain marketing and management are a success.
Benefits of E-Commerce Supply Chain Software First and foremost, let’s discuss the inherent benefits of supply chain software and how it is imperative for businesses looking to compete in the modern, global market. Supply chains are all about speed, efficiency, and communication. Even the most basic of supply chain software packages will help businesses improve their efficiency rate, reduce cost effects, raise output, lower delays in processing and boost cooperation with third party vendors through accurate tracking, optimized shipping routes, automated processing, and improved communication. Combining this supply chain technology with e-commerce platforms, and businesses will be able to create a streamlined flow from the marketing and purchase of the product, to the shipping and delivery of the goods to the customer. So now that we have established the importance, let’s briefly look at how businesses should implement these tools.
Clarifying Supply Chain Strategy Clarifying is the first step to understanding what a business’s strategy needs to be, and it is imperative to determine what potential new tools may be of use to the business. There are many e-commerce supply chain strategies available, but a business must invest in identifying which one will be the right solution for their specific needs. For example, does the business want to hold inventory itself, or rely on a third party? Either option has fixed cost complications that a business must consider, but this decision actually has an influence on what software a company should invest in. Is it a warehouse management and shipping solution system for keeping everything on-premise and monitoring freight, or is it an integrated solution that connects with the third-party vendor, allowing information to be shared in real-time on warehouse capacities, product movement and shipping efficiencies? Clarifying the exact needs of the business is crucial to determining what tools can then assist.
Supply Chain and Business Tools Already in Use As is commonly stated, there is no need to re-invent the wheel, but there is always room for improvement. Businesses need to look at what tools are already in use throughout their business to make sure that their next investment in technology makes sense. Believe it or not, a company should consider what marketing, sales, and reporting tools they are using when engaging in ecommerce and what accounting, data management and, of course, supply chain software are already in use when analyzing new technology. This is because modern technology solutions are able to work with multiple facets of a business to streamline efficiencies and remove data silos. If a company already has a great sales funnel and e-commerce marketing tool, then it is important to make sure that it works with a supply chain platform to ensure a smooth and streamlined flow of information to make smarter decisions and improve not just the supply chain, but the overall efficiency of the business.
How Best to Integrate New Software Some of the largest supply chain software providers, such as SAP, Oracle, JDA Software and Infor Global Solutions have excellent platforms that businesses can leverage to vastly improve their supply chain management. However, it is important to remember that most commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) cannot be readily integrated within a business's software suite without some retooling, debugging, and even minor software patches to connect with other previously established programs. This learning curve can lead to frustration and even hinder business until the kinks are worked out, so this has to be recognized before proceeding with any new software.
To mitigate this, businesses should look into and consider custom supply chain management software developers that can make a system that tailor-made to the business's needs, and current programs. Companies, like Chetu, offer both customized software solutions for supply chain management that can seamlessly integrate with marketing, accounting, sales, CRM, and other software solutions may have, as well as modify COTS solutions – as it is partnered with the major software providers – to better fit into a business’s workflow without bugs, hiccups or downtime. While many believe that custom software is too expensive, the benefits of owning the source code of your own custom software platform that augments efficiency across multiple departments will be experienced by the company in the long run, leading to increased profitability and valuation.
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