What are Order Management Systems And How Do They Work?
Are you considering adopting an order management system for your business but are unsure if it can help streamline your order management process? Perhaps you only have a vague idea of what an order management system does and need further clarification. Read on because this post is for you.
An Order Management System – short for OMS – is basically a system that enables you to keep track of orders and helps you automate fulfillment across all your sales channels. Besides helping you manage orders, it also has additional functionalities, including inventory management and customer relationship management.
In this post, we will discuss what order management systems do, the benefits they offer, key features they come with and share tips for choosing the right order management system.
What Is An Order Management System?
An Order Management System is a multifaceted tool designed to streamline the order processing cycle from start to finish. It integrates various components of the sales and fulfillment process, ensuring that everything from the placement of an order to its delivery is handled efficiently.
An OMS provides visibility across all stages of the order process, making it easier for businesses to manage their inventory, handle customer inquiries, process payments, and ship products.
What Does an Order Management Software Do?
Unsure what an order management system does exactly? Let’s go over them.
Centralized Order Tracking
Order Entry and Processing: An OMS captures orders from various channels, whether online, in-store, or via phone, providing a single view for all transactions. It automates your order management processes, checking for issues and ensuring they are prepared for fulfillment, leading to higher levels of customer satisfaction.
Order Status Updates: It continually updates the status of orders across multiple sales channels, keeping both the business and its customers informed in real-time. This includes notifications on order acceptance, fulfillment, and shipping.
Inventory Management
Real-time Inventory Updates: An OMS has inventory management capabilities because it is linked to inventory data and updates it in real-time as sales are made and goods are received. This ensures that inventory levels are accurate, which is critical for preventing overselling or stockouts.
Multi-location Management: For businesses with multiple warehouses or retail locations, an OMS can manage inventory across all these locations, directing orders to be fulfilled from the optimal location based on stock availability and proximity to the customer.
Customer Management
Customer Information: An OMS stores and manages customer information, such as contact details, order history, and payment preferences, which enhances the efficiency of the order process and supports marketing activities.
Returns and Refunds: Handling returns is also a part of an OMS, making the process smoother for customers and ensuring that inventory and financial records are updated accordingly.
Fulfillment and Shipping
Integration with Fulfillment Services: An OMS integrates with third-party logistics providers and fulfillment services to automate the picking, packing, and shipping processes.
Shipping Coordination: It selects the best shipping methods and coordinates with carriers to ensure timely deliveries. Tracking information is also managed and communicated through the OMS.
Warehouse Management: Depending on the solution you pick, an OMS can also be instrumental in streamlining picking and packing in your warehouse
Analytics and Reporting
Performance Analysis: An OMS analyzes data across all orders to provide insights into sales trends, inventory needs, and customer behavior.
Financial Reporting: It helps in generating financial reports like sales totals, costs, and revenue, which are essential for strategic planning and tax compliance.
Manage orders across all your sales channels efficiently with zero stress
Benefits of Using an Order Management System
1. Improved Customer Satisfaction
An OMS ensures that customer orders are processed quickly and accurately, which is crucial for customer satisfaction. Real-time updates on order status, easy tracking, and timely delivery all contribute to a positive customer experience. An efficient OMS also handles returns and exchanges smoothly, further enhancing customer trust and loyalty.
2. Enhanced Inventory Management
One of the most significant challenges businesses face is maintaining the right inventory levels. An OMS provides real-time visibility into inventory, which helps prevent overstocking or stockouts. It can also suggest optimal reorder points and automate the replenishment process based on sales trends and forecasts. This precise control over inventory not only saves costs but also ensures that products are available when customers need them.
3. Streamlined Order Fulfillment Process
With an OMS, the entire order process is automated—from receiving an order to final shipment. This automation reduces manual intervention, thereby minimizing errors and speeding up the order processing time. An OMS can handle multiple orders simultaneously, ensuring that each order is processed efficiently regardless of volume.
4. Centralized Information Hub
An OMS acts as a central repository for all order-related information. Whether it’s customer details, order history, inventory levels, or shipping information, everything is stored in one place. This centralization makes it easier for different departments to access and share information, leading to better coordination and faster decision-making.
5. Scalability and Flexibility
As businesses grow, their order management needs become more complex. An OMS is designed to scale with your business, accommodating an increasing number of orders and more complex logistical needs without compromising performance. Moreover, most OMS solutions are flexible, allowing customization to meet specific business requirements.
6. Cost Reduction and Increased Efficiency
By automating various elements of the order management process, an OMS significantly reduces labor costs associated with manual order entry and inventory tracking. Additionally, it helps optimize shipping and fulfillment operations, which can lead to lower shipping costs. The efficiency gained from an OMS translates into faster order cycles and lower operational costs, boosting overall profitability.
7. Better Data Analysis and Reporting
An effective OMS gathers data from every order processed. This data can be used to generate insights into sales trends, customer behavior, inventory performance, and overall business efficiency. Such analytics are vital for strategic planning and can help businesses anticipate market changes, adjust operations accordingly, and identify new opportunities for growth.
Tips for Choosing the Right Order Management System (OMS) for Your Business
1. Understand Your Business Needs
Before starting your search for an OMS, clearly define what you need from the system. Consider factors such as the size of your business, the volume of orders, the complexity of your supply chain, and specific features you require, like multichannel integration, real-time inventory tracking, or customer relationship management capabilities.
2. Evaluate Integration Capabilities
Choose an OMS that can seamlessly integrate with your existing technology stack, including your ERP, CRM, and accounting software. Effective integration is key to automating processes and ensuring data consistency across systems. Check if the OMS supports standard APIs and has a proven track record of integration with other platforms.
3. Check for Scalability
As your business grows, your OMS should be able to scale accordingly. Opt for a system that can handle an increasing volume of orders and complexity without a drop in performance. Consider future business needs and ensure that the OMS can support new products, services, and market expansions.
4. Assess User Friendliness
An OMS should be easy to use to ensure quick adoption by your team. A system with an intuitive user interface reduces training time and enhances productivity. Request demos or trial periods to evaluate the user experience and the learning curve associated with the OMS.
5. Consider Customization Options
Every business has unique processes and requirements. An ideal OMS should offer customization options that allow you to tailor the software to fit your specific operational needs. Check how easily you can modify workflows, forms, and reports
6. Prioritize Customer Support and Service
Reliable customer support is crucial, especially during the implementation phase and beyond. Choose a vendor that offers robust support through multiple channels such as live chat, email, and phone. Also, consider the availability of training resources and a knowledge base to help you maximize the system’s potential.
Uphance: A Robust Order Management System for Fashion Businesses
Uphance is an Enterprise Resource Planning system with order management capabilities, uniquely designed for businesses in the fashion industry. Additionally, Uphance takes the headache of managing orders manually out of your retail or manufacturing business operations, allowing you to fulfill orders quickly and efficiently.
On top of that, it enables you to process returns and order cancellations, manage sales and vendor invoices, and track your shipments.
Why not schedule a demo to take Uphance for a spin?