B2B Info Center

Stay Organized with an Online Ordering System for Your Business

Written by Now Commerce Team | Feb 17, 2015 3:00:00 PM

As your business grows, so do the number of orders. More orders lead to more invoices, which in turn means more forms, more data entry, and more information being transferred across departments. It's all too easy for a form or crucial piece of information to get lost in the shuffle. An online ordering system, specifically designed for wholesale and seamlessly integrating with QuickBooks, is a powerful tool to maintain efficiency and organization. It streamlines your order management process, closing any gaps where orders might slip through. With such a system in place, you'll experience enhanced accuracy in order fulfillment and improved communication between your team and your customers.

Here are four specific ways an online ordering system can help keep you organized:

1. Reduce the Number of Inefficient Orders 

Currently, orders might be arriving from various channels—fax, phone, email, and even direct conversations between sales reps and customers. Without a unified entry point, it's easy for orders to be overlooked. Implementing a B2B ordering system that seamlessly integrates with QuickBooks is the most effective solution for your customers, sales reps, and staff to place orders. While maintaining email and phone options is advisable, most wholesale customers will value the straightforwardness and 24/7 accessibility of online ordering. They'll naturally gravitate towards this method.

Soon, you'll notice the majority of your B2B orders transitioning online. This shift will significantly reduce data entry tasks and minimize the risk of misplaced orders. Moreover, it will empower you and your team to effortlessly monitor every order within the system.

2. Information is Communicated Directly to QuickBooks

Integrating your system with QuickBooks is a game-changer for your business operations, ensuring that every order placed is instantly and accurately updated in QuickBooks. This integration eliminates the cumbersome and time-consuming task of redundant data entry, significantly reducing the risk of human error that can occur when information is manually transferred between systems. The seamless connection between your online ordering software and QuickBooks allows for a dynamic exchange of product information, ensuring that data remains consistent and reliable across both platforms. This means that when product details, such as descriptions, prices, or availability, need updating, you can simply make the necessary adjustments in QuickBooks. Your online ordering system will then automatically reflect these changes, including real-time updates to inventory levels and custom pricing. This not only enhances the accuracy of your data but also ensures that your team and customers have access to the most current information, fostering a more efficient and transparent ordering process. By streamlining these operations, you empower your business to operate with greater precision and confidence, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and driving growth.

3. Allow Customers to Check Their Order Status

Customer inquiries about order status, inventory, or pricing can significantly disrupt your workflow, leading to inefficiencies and potential delays. Sales representatives, who are often in the midst of critical tasks, must pause their activities to reach out to office staff, make multiple calls to the warehouse or distribution team, and then relay the gathered information back to the customer. This cumbersome process not only consumes valuable time but also interrupts the seamless flow of operations for both the sales rep and the wholesale customer, potentially affecting customer satisfaction and productivity. However, by implementing an ordering system that integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks, you can transform this scenario. Such a system empowers both customers and sales reps by providing them with direct access to real-time order details, inventory levels, and pricing information. This eliminates the need for back-and-forth emails, phone calls, and follow-ups, allowing your team to focus on more strategic tasks. Customers can independently check their order status, view inventory availability, and confirm pricing, leading to a more efficient and transparent communication process. This not only enhances the customer experience by providing them with immediate answers but also streamlines your internal operations, fostering a more productive and harmonious work environment.

4. Eliminate Data Entry

One of the most significant advantages of an ordering system is empowering customers to complete their orders independently, anytime, day or night. This self-service capability ensures that order details are instantly accessible to accounting, distribution, and any other relevant teams, eliminating the need for manual data transfer between departments and reducing the risk of errors.

Take charge of your business operations with a modern wholesale ordering system. Say goodbye to outdated order forms and the inefficiencies of emailed, faxed, and phoned orders. Enable your wholesale customers, sales reps, and staff to quickly find answers to their questions about inventory, pricing, order history, tracking numbers, and more.