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~ Descartes pixi ~

As 2019 continues, many retailers are preparing for a post-season pause and an off -peak lull.
However, others must plan for peak periods that go beyond the traditional holiday season.

iff erent types of companies experience seasonal Shipping is very much top of the list when consumers consider
peaks at diff erent times of the year, and even their purchase, execute the transaction, and wait for the item
D“micro-peaks” throughout the year. Whether, for to arrive. Th is is where an automated, cloud-based shipping
example, it is New Year’s galvanising sales for retailers in platform can help retailers ship effi ciently and cost eff ectively by
health and well-being, spring for the home building and integrating with online marketplaces, back-end fi nancial systems
supply industry, or special occasions like Mother’s Day and parcel shipping providers.
for many markets, when customer demand surges, both
B2B and B2C organisations need to be prepared opera- Th ese types of solutions also allow retailers to quickly and easily
tionally to ensure expectations are met. leverage discounted postage, print shipping labels, send cus-
tomer confi rmations, track shipments and streamline returns —
While some spikes are predictable, others are unforeseen. which collectively translate into a superior customer experience.
Regardless, greater-than-usual order volumes can tax many pro- Leading solutions also let retailers compare carrier rates in real
cesses and systems, from order management through to shipping time and choose the best option. Rate shopping capabilities help
and delivery. To capitalise on peak opportunities, forward-think- combat the unpredictability of shipping rates and surcharges.
ing retailers are looking to logistics and supply chain technolo-
gies to help ramp up operational effi ciencies, increase agility, and Delivery Presents a Diff erentiator
enhance the customer experience. No longer an afterthought, delivery has become a strategic
diff erentiator in the bid for customers’ purchases
and loyalty. How well a retailer handles last-mile
delivery helps defi ne the customer experience,
especially during peak periods that can challenge
delivery capabilities.

Automated delivery scheduling and routing tech-
nologies can drive up on-time performance and
drive down transportation costs. With dynamic
booking, customers have greater delivery choices (e.g.
Th e Beauty of Warehouse Management Systems two-hour time window, four-hour time window, same-day, etc.)
To help meet customer expectations, omnichannel retailers are at the point of sale, and will even pay a premium fee for the most
adopting cloud-based warehouse management systems (WMS) convenient service. For some types of retailers, dynamic booking
to increase the speed and agility of order fulfi lment processes. also provides the ability to sell incremental value-added services.
Seasonal peaks underscore the need to automate operational Dispatch and tracking technologies help to ensure success-
processes in the warehouse in order to scale easy to handle ful delivery as well as manage customer expectations. Mobile
spikes in volume. applications enable drivers to be more productive and off er the
customer greater service, while automated notifi cations leverage
A robust WMS manages key order fulfi lment tasks (e.g. inven- supply chain information and processes to better engage the
tory or purchase order receipt, picking, packing and shipping) customer for delivery success and a better overall experience.
while ensuring seamless integration with enterprise resource
planning (ERP) and fi nancial systems. By automating the Parting Th oughts
fulfi lment process and eliminating manual and paper-based Whenever they occur, seasonal peaks can buoy the bottom
practices in the warehouse, order processing errors are virtually line — if companies manage them eff ectively. To capitalise on
eliminated, effi ciency improves, costs are reduced and – most opportunities when they do hit, a WMS like Descartes pixi
importantly – customer satisfaction rises. In addition, vendors specialising in e-commerce processes, automated parcel shipping
can bring seasonal employees up to speed quickly without the system and last-mile delivery technology can help retailers in
common risk of higher errors during the pick-pack-ship process many diverse industries succeed. ••
to help manage increased order volumes.

Th e Magic of Low-Cost Shipping Do you want to see Descartes pixi WMS live in action? Visit https://ecommerce.
An important extension of a company’s brand, low-cost and descartes.com/solutions/warehouse-management/
speedy shipping is a central part of the customer experience.

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