Do you fully use fcB2B

TAKING THE LEAD

Lewis Davis Senior Director of Technology and Research

Do you fully use fcB2B?

Do you utilize the entire process that fcB2B provides? What do you mean, you may ask? Are you a retailer that is only receiving the product catalog? I am sure you see the benefit of keeping your prices and products updated automatically, but what about PO’s, receiving, and invoices. Were you aware that there is an average of 1 to 2 percent error rate when placing orders manually? What do errors cost your business, and what if you could reduce that percentage by entering the order once and submitting it electronically? Computers typically do a great job of processing exactly what they are provided. Whether you submit one order a day or 1000 a week, you can still benefit from automating that process.

Now let us talk about receiving and how that process can be improved using the Advance Ship Notice. Are you manually entering everything received into your system and then matching back to what was ordered? What if your computer already knew what was on the truck and could tell you what was ordered but not received? Your process of receiving could be reduced to verifying the product and determining where to locate the inventory.

Now that the order has been placed and received, are you waiting for the mail to deliver the invoices? Once you receive the invoices, are you having to manually match the order to the receiving and the invoice to confirm everything ordered was received and invoiced? Imagine having the invoices in your system within 24 hours after the shipment was received and automatically matched to the PO and receiving. I have heard of a retailer that had one person spending 40 hours a week submitting PO’s and processing Invoices. After adding fcB2B to their process that one person was able to process PO’s and invoices in only a few hours a week and assist with other processes.

If you are currently using one of the flooring-specific software packages, check with support to see about adding fcB2B to your setup. Not utilizing a flooring-specific software package but still interested in benefiting from fcB2B?

Contact Lewis Davis at ldavis@wfca.org and discuss options you have for your current setup.

Were you aware that there is an average of 1 to 2 percent error rate when placing orders manually? What do errors cost your business, and what if you could reduce that percentage by entering the order once and submitting it electronically?