To Netfor, “fulfillment” doesn’t simply refer to one of the key business process outsourcing services we provide. It also describes our objective in serving our clients. We create solid relationships by fulfilling not just their business objectives but also by fulfilling their needs for problem-solving and their customers’ needs for confidence.
It’s simplistic to think of Netfor’s Fulfillment Center as a warehouse. Sure, there are racks filled with products that are shipped out as needed, but what really happens 24/7/365 is far more complex … and far more important to our clients’ continued success. We provide a broad range of scalable services, allowing our clients to do business more quickly, more efficiently, and with complete confidence. Most importantly, by taking these tasks off our clients’ hands, we let them focus on running their businesses.
A key reason for the difference is our team. At most companies, tasks such as stocking, picking, packing, and shipping fall to some of the lowest-skilled (and often, least-dedicated) employees. Those tasks are often secondary to their “normal” jobs and may get treated with the lowest priority. The quality of the work varies by employee: today’s “shipping expert” may be conscientious, but tomorrow’s doesn’t really care when that customer in Huntsville gets their package or what shape it’s in.
In contrast, Netfor’s Fulfillment Center is staffed by an experienced, highly trained, dedicated team using clearly defined practices and approaches. In fact, many of our team members are hired internally. After resolving issues as customer service agents, they want to play a more active role in ensuring satisfaction. Reassuring a panicked caller is one thing. Knowing that the shipment you’ve packed will solve their problem is even more satisfying.
Real-Life Fulfillment Examples to Show
Take the work we handle for a large retail shipping chain. When a store operator’s Point of Sale (POS) tablet fails, it’s an urgent matter because it makes it harder for that worker to serve customers. We understand the urgency they feel, so we do everything we can to solve the issue. That means pulling another tablet off the shelf, configuring it with the POS software, testing it, kitting it with any additional components and clear instructions for using it, packaging it to prevent damage, shipping it by next day air, and sending the tracking information to both the store operator and our client. They’ll have exactly what they need tomorrow morning. Done.
That’s especially important at a time when the global supply chain is in chaos. By managing our clients’ inventory with specific order points, we minimize the possibility one of their customers won’t be able to get what they need promptly.
It’s also critical as companies struggle to hire enough people to get everything done. If we handle the process on their behalf, the company doesn’t have to find, hire, and keep the full-time staff required to provide the desired level of service. In most cases, turning those services over to us costs companies a fraction of what they’d pay in wages, benefits, and addressing turnover, not to mention the savings in infrastructure and tooling.
7 Internal Warehouse Cons:
- Redundancy
- Not Enough Space
- Poor Inventory Management
- Poor Preparedness
- Slow Order Fulfillment
- Labor Costs
- Damage Control
Source: https://www.zoho.com/inventory/guides/common-problems-in-warehouse-management-and-their-solutions.html
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Because Netfor’s Fulfillment Center team focuses exclusively on these services, we’ve become experts at them. We’re more efficient, more thorough, and we notice things most people don’t, because we quality check each and every shipment. Another benefit we enable with clients is scalability. Instead of having to install software on individual devices step-by-step like an end user would, we can configure large groups of devices all at once. We can accept warranty returns as well as obsolete, inoperable, or unneeded technology for disposal, and can wipe data drives to Defense Department-level specifications before sending them for destruction. We’re even able to ship to thousands of locations where mobile employees like drivers and field technicians can pick them up.
Put another way, we’re fulfillment specialists who customize the services we deliver to address the exact needs of each client, allowing them to concentrate on their day-to-day business. That’s something our team finds very fulfilling.
