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~ Founder ~

COLUMN

CHOOSING A SYSTEM

s an e-commerce entrepreneur, you are managing a great variety of processes
to help your business run smoothly. For each of these processes, whether it is
Arelated to your customer service, logistics, marketing, IT, localisation or ware-
housing, you are using a system that fi ts your current needs.

Here, I would like to highlight the importance of all these systems. How did you decide
what systems you were going to use when you started your business? Do you have inter-
linked systems or are you using systems that cannot communicate with others? I believe
everyone prefers the fi rst. Having all of your necessary data in one place to run your busi-
ness makes things a lot easier. In fact, having a solid but also fl exible IT engine is essential
for being successful online long term.

To make this a reality is much more diffi cult than just wishing for it to happen. Th e platform
that is running your web shop(s) needs to communicate with your warehouse management
system (WMS), customer service system (CMS) and order management system (OMS).
Basically, all systems need to work together to keep things running successfully.

When your business grows, it is natural that it tends to get more
workfl ows. Keeping these workfl ows working clearly is a major
COLOFON
task for your IT department. However, it is one of the most im-
portant things to do if you want to have a successful business.
Let us say you are expanding your business with a new shop. A cross-
border one. All localisation processes are new to your business and
need to be integrated into your current and - possible - new systems. FOUNDER & PUBLISHER JEROEN LEENDERS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NICO HOEIJMANS
Are your WMS and OMS capable of dealing with new informa-
tion fl ows? Especially if you off er the same product in a local lan- EDITORS PHOEBE HARDING | BEA PRUTTON
guage, like AEDs (automated external defi brillator), it is extremely
GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT GEORGINA BURNETT
important for your WMS to be able to see the diff erence between
language-specifi c products. A platform that links all of your
systems together, making it able to work on one system, might be
the solution for your (cross-border) business. Th is issue features
WEBSITE: WWW.CROSS-BORDER-MAGAZINE.COM
Medisol, who were looking for a solution exactly like that.

When looking into your future, I’d say to do your research care-
If you are interested in learning more about sponsorship or
fully. What do you want? If a solution does not completely fi t your advertising opportunities or you would like to discuss creating
needs, dare to say no. However, be aware that a growing business a customised plan to meet the needs of your company, please
contact: [email protected]
can be slowed down if your IT cannot support you and if systems
Th e Cross-Border Magazine is owned and published by Salesupply BV.
cannot meet your demands. Th is issue off ers interesting market
No person, organisation or party can copy or re-produce the content
insights, system, market and platform-wise. It can be a good start
of the Cross-Border Magazine or any part of this publication
for your research. without a written consent from the editor-in-chief or publisher.
Th e publisher, authors and contributors reserve their rights with
regards to copyright of their work.
Enjoy reading!
Jeroen Leenders,
Founder Cross-Border Magazine
[email protected]

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