http://www.ifssolutions.com the leading provider of fulfillment services. Your Fulfillment Services Provider Meet Your Business Requirements During Crunch Timep

1. Does Your Fulfillment
Provider Meet Your Business
Requirements During Crunch
Time?
Innovative Fulfillment Solutions LLC
4346 Belgium Blvd
Kansas City, MO 64150-1704
1-888-275-3000
816-587-5880

2. If you’ve done much research trying to find
fulfillment support for your company’s
e-commerce business, you know that
fulfillment companies are not created equal.

3. Some are geared to large companies with high
order volume; others are more focused on
serving specific products that require special
storage, packaging and shipping requirements.

4. In today’s economy, many companies count
on generating as much as 80 percent of their
annual revenue during the holiday period.

5. If your company is one that thrives on
seasonal sales or depends on that end-of-the-
year crunch to make your annual numbers, be
sure you choose a provider that has the
facilities, personnel and processes to help you
during your peak season.

6. Otherwise, if you don’t get it right during that
specific timeframe, you could experience a
long dry spell before your next peak rolls
around on the calendar.

7. If you are looking for
the right fit for your
merchandise, consider
the following criteria:

8. 1.Customer Service
Even though your customers may never see
your fulfillment provider, the customer service
department in that company plays a critical
role during the ordering process.

9. As a reflection of your company, the
impression they make is extremely important.

10. And while today’s shoppers enjoy the
convenience of online ordering for the most
part, having to address customer service
issues via email leaves an impersonal
impression with a customer who is anxious to
clear up a problem or has questions about an
order.

11. If customer service is important to you (and it
should be at the top of your list) you should
contract with a fulfillment company that
allows customers to call and discuss any issues
with a live operator.

12. Let’s face it, most people would prefer to
speak with someone who can take care of a
problem directly and provide them with an
answer and/or solution.

13. In fact, waiting for resolution of a problem
concerning an order that is a gift, or is needed
by a specific date (think Christmas!) does not
create customer goodwill, repeat purchases or
recommendations for your business.

14. The best way to guarantee that shoppers
receive the level of service they deserve is to
work with a fulfillment company that offers a
dedicated Account Manager for your account.

15. This person should oversee all aspects of your
business so when any issues arise, you can
depend on a single contact to oversee,
troubleshoot, correct, report and keep you
informed of any problems that occur with your
business.

16. 2. Accurate, Timely Deliveries
Accurate deliveries can be the difference
between repeat business and complaints that
can “go viral” to other customers and
prospects.

17. No customer wants to hear that an order for
an in-demand product that was placed for a
holiday or birthday gift was incorrectly taken
when the item cannot be re-ordered in time
for that special day.

18. Ask your fulfillment provider about its
accuracy rate. If the response is a general
statement – “our accuracy is somewhere over
90 percent” – it may mean that they do not
track their accuracy seriously.

19. Ask if, and how they measure their accuracy
and get examples of the rate for some specific
clients. (Also check out the client list and ask if
you can get references from other businesses.)

20. Make sure you have safeguards in place to
ensure that orders are taken correctly and can
be shipped in a timely manner, especially
during high volume seasons.

21. By checking out a fulfillment provider’s
website, you should be able to see how long it
is expected to take for packages to be
delivered in different parts of the country.

22. Keep in mind that shipping from the central
part of the U.S. allows for all packages to
arrive within three business days – something
your customers will appreciate.

23. In fact, if an item can’t be delivered in time for
the specific occasion, most customers will
simply not order it, especially if they have to
pay a higher fee for expedited service.

24. 3. Flexibility
Make sure you choose a fulfillment provider
that can and will make changes in its processes
as you experience peaks and valleys in your
sales cycle.

25. If your product demand is seasonal, will
additional personnel be available to handle
increased orders?

26. Does the facility provide ample room for
increased inventory (including any
temperature-control requirements for
maintaining product quality)?

27. When your product is in demand, your
fulfillment partner is a key link in the
connection between you and your customers.
Make sure that link is strong.

28. Innovative Fulfillment Solutions
 For more information about IFS, visit
www.ifssolutions.com
 To learn more about how IFS can
provide your company with the highest
quality fulfillment services:
 Contact Keith Milburn, at
kmilburn@ifssolutions.com or
 Call 1-888-275-3000.

29. Innovative Fulfillment Solutions