B2B Info Center

Smaller wholesale businesses don’t have the considerable staff or the seemingly endless resources that larger suppliers have at their disposal. Every customer and every sale is essential for the small business to grow and prosper. A typical small business tends to require a lot of manual data entry. This can lead to disorganization, duplication, and a lack of information sharing. This can result in customer dissatisfaction and the loss of sales. Order entry software that automates data entry and order processing and integrates with your existing QuickBooks software can help.

QuickBooks has many features that it offers small and mid-size wholesale businesses. However, there are some best practices to follow to get the full benefit of QuickBooks order management capabilities. Here are seven things QuickBooks users need to know:

A good order system will automate some data entry, manage inventory, and stay up-to-date with real-time statistics on customer orders, products, and sales reports. A great order management system goes further.

Transitioning to an online ordering system could be a vital step for your wholesale business to thrive and grow. Back office operations involve essential functions such as accounting, finance, inventory management, and shipping — all of which are crucial for keeping your business running smoothly. Customers are primarily concerned with the outcomes of these processes; they want fast and accurate order management. While back office processes themselves do not generate profit, inefficiencies in these areas can lead to unnecessary costs that impact the front office. Implementing an online ordering system enhances efficiency and helps streamline these operations.

Equipping your sales reps with the right tools empowers them to excel in their roles. It demonstrates your commitment to your products, your brand, and your dedication to meeting customer needs. Sales rep software is precisely such a tool.

The way you interact with your wholesale customers will determine whether you will get repeat business and referrals. Good customer service leads to customer satisfaction and loyalty. One way to provide that customer service is by having a customer order management solution in place. You can immediately take the following steps to improve your B22B customer order management services.

For many small and mid-sized wholesale businesses, QuickBooks' order management tools can effectively meet their needs. However, as your business grows and you gain more customers, you may start to encounter challenges. Increased business activity results in more record-keeping and manual data entry, which can lead to errors from repeatedly entering orders and other data. This may cause duplication and confusion between the front office and back office operations. To manage the increased manual workload, you might need to expand your payroll. If you do not stay organized, this could also result in customer service issues, which can hinder your business growth significantly.

As your business evolves beyond the confines of manual data entry, embracing an order management system becomes essential. This innovative software streamlines order entry and processing, automating much of the manual workload. Many systems offer dedicated portals or online interfaces specifically for the sales department. Through a sales rep portal, sales representatives can effortlessly access customer accounts and inventory and place orders without the need to contact the office, enhancing their efficiency and productivity.

More business means more orders. More orders mean more invoices. That means more forms, more data entry, and more transferring of information between different departments. It's easy for a form or piece of information to get lost in the shuffle.

If you are a small or medium-sized business owner, your company's growth is somewhat of a catch-22. Growth increases productivity and potential profit, but it could have the opposite effect on your business if you aren’t equipped to handle the growth. An order management system is software that automates order entry and processing and could be the solution to handling your increased workload.

Here are five signs that indicate an order management system is a wise investment for you: