Businesses need order management software now more than ever to navigate the complexities of today’s retail landscape. With omnichannel sales, global supply chains, and high customer expectations, retailers must have a centralized system to manage orders, inventory, and fulfillment across all channels.

In a highly competitive retail environment, effective order management is critical for reducing returns. In 2022, approximately 16.5% of retail purchases in the United States were returned. Retailers must take action to improve customer satisfaction and reduce returns. This can be done by streamlining order processing, optimizing inventory management, and providing accurate tracking and delivery updates.

A Retailer’s Secret Weapon for Reducing Returns and Boosting Profits

Order Management Systems (OMS) can be an effective tool for reducing returned products in the retail industry. Here are some of the ways an Order Management System can help reduce returns, as well as the features and applications that make this possible, such as:

Order Processing

Incorrect or incomplete orders are a common cause of returns. OMS can help to reduce this by ensuring that customer orders are processed correctly, with the correct products, quantities, and shipping details. This can be accomplished through features such as real-time inventory management, automated order processing, and shipping carrier integrations. Furthermore, it empowers omnichannel buyers who use services such as Buy Online, Pick up In-Store (BOPIS) by increasing efficiency throughout the buyer journey and, as a result, driving revenue for retailers.

Inventory Management

Out-of-stock items or incorrect inventory levels are prevalent reasons for returns. By providing real-time visibility into inventory levels across all channels and locations, OMS can help prevent this. This allows retailers to avoid overselling, prevent stockouts, and fulfill orders more efficiently.

Analytics and Reporting

OMS can assist retailers in identifying trends, improving processes, and making data-driven decisions by providing valuable insights into order and return data. Retailers can pinpoint opportunities to reduce returns and improve the customer journey by analyzing factors such as return reasons, product categories, and customer behavior.

Customer Communication

OMS can assist retailers in personalizing the user experience for each customer. Communicating clearly and promptly with customers is beneficial. It can reduce customers returns by giving accurate order status updates, shipping notifications, and delivery tracking information. An Order Management System can automate these communications, providing customers with a consistent and transparent experience throughout the order fulfillment process.

Returns Management

When returns do occur, OMS can assist retailers in the order management process effectively. Features such as automated returns processing, customer self-service portals, and integrations with shipping carriers can help to streamline the returns process, saving time and money.

OMS can provide retailers with a competitive advantage by helping to reduce returns and boost profits. By streamlining order processing, providing real-time inventory management, offering valuable analytics, and reporting, enhancing customer communication, and facilitating returns management, OMS improves the overall customer experience while increasing operational efficiency.

As the retail landscape continues to evolve, retailers who invest in OMS will be better positioned to succeed in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Transforming Retail Operations

Teamwork Commerce’s OMS is a cloud-based solution that can be accessed directly through a web browser, requiring minimal installation, and allowing seamless access from any device. The platform synchronizes order data across channels, enabling a unified view of all commerce from all locations, platforms, or channels.

The Order Management System is the foundation of the Teamwork Commerce solution, with industry-leading features and functionality that enable customers to have flexible, engaging, and seamless shopping experiences. Teamwork’s OMS provides a comprehensive set of functionality and automation for dynamically setting buffer stock, configuring fulfillment logic based on various factors, and adjusting stock levels based on warehouse statuses.

Order management is central to retail. As brands increasingly rely on flexible fulfillment, legacy fulfillment systems are incapable of meeting the growing consumer demand for fulfillment and convenience at the point of sale. With an effective OMS, orders can be fulfilled at the most convenient location for the customer.

Teamwork Commerce can simplify fulfillment and provide access directly from the point of sale with integrations into third-party logistics and key strategic partnerships across the industry, keeping order management accessible, convenient, and visible — ensuring the same experience in-store and online.

The recognition of mental health’s importance for global development has increased in recent years. This is evident from the inclusion of mental health in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. 

Mental health conditions can profoundly impact many aspects of our life, including school or work performance, relationships, and the ability to participate in the community. According to WHO, globally, an estimated of 12 billion working days are lost yearly due to depression and anxiety, not only affecting the life’s people themselves, but the socioeconomic landscape, costing US$ 1 trillion per year in lost productivity.

As we celebrate Global Mental Health Awareness this Month, in Teamwork Commerce, we wanted to shed light on this vital topic. We believe in prioritizing the well-being of our employees and all of our stakeholders. That is why, in this article, we will discuss the significance of maintaining positive mental health in the workplace, and explore practical ways to achieve it. But what is the significance of this? 

Risks to Mental Health at Work

Mental health conditions are increasing worldwide; almost 60% of the world’s population is actively working, and 15% of working-age adults were estimated to have a mental disorder in 2019. Adding to these numbers, there are many reports on this topic, such as one by The Harvard Business Review that reported 68 percent of Millennials and 81 percent of Gen Zers (versus 50 percent and 75 percent respectively in 2019) have left roles for mental health reasons, both voluntarily and involuntarily.

As can be seen, prioritizing mental health and implementing effective strategies to promote well-being in the workplace are crucial these days. Within the workplace, there are many factors that can impact the mental health of employees. These factors can arise from multiple sources, including job responsibilities, work hours and schedules, work environment, and the availability of opportunities for career growth and advancement, among other factors. 

It is our responsibility as employers to combat negative factors in the workplace. We should strive to create an environment that allows for our employees to be content and fulfilled. But, what steps can be taken to accomplish this? These are some recommendations. 

Prevent work-related Mental Health Conditions

Some of the risks to mental health at work can include overwhelming workloads, an accelerated work rhythm, unsocial or inflexible hours, lack of support from colleagues, and an organizational culture that enables negative behaviors, among many others. 

To prevent mental health conditions in the workplace, it is important to address potential risks ahead of time. This can be done by providing programs and activities that focus on working conditions and work environments. Examples of such activities include: 

• Providing flexible working conditions, like mixing in-office and remote work, whenever the employees decide, or by an agreed schedule. This usually results in people having a better work-life balance. 
• Opting for tools and team dynamics to help employees have better communication and encourage team collaboration and seamless workflows.
• Creating detailed role descriptions and activities for all the employees, and encouraging them to respect and set boundaries at work.
• Implementing frameworks to deal with bullying, discrimination, exclusion, and harassment.
• Encouraging a supportive environment: where the culture values mental well-being and supports open communication, empathy, and respect among colleagues.
• Managing workloads: Monitor workloads and ensure they are reasonable and manageable, avoiding excessive work demands.

Protect and Promote Mental Health at Work

Despite the growing efforts of many companies to raise awareness and provide support for the mental well-being of their employees and stakeholders, mental health continues to be a taboo topic for many. 

Fortunately, being an advocate, protecting, and promoting mental health at work increases with time. According to a 2021 survey cited by the Harvard Business Review, 47 percent of employees perceived their company leaders as advocates for mental health at work, marking an increase from 37 percent in 2019.

Protecting and promoting mental health in the workplace involves being proactive about ways to propitiate a safe place for mental health at work, some of the activities might include: 

• Engaging in mental health training. This helps managers and supervisors recognize and respond to the signs of emotional distress. For employees, it also helps to set boundaries and have a better work-life balance. 
• Raising awareness and providing resources. Provide education on mental health, including common conditions, signs to be aware of, online self-help tools, and others. An internal campaign can also work effectively.
• Encouraging social connections, team building activities, and interactions in and out of the workplace. 
• Creating an enabling environment for change is a sign of openness. This enables open communication and encourages employees to share new ideas and proposals. Constant feedback is also beneficial. 
• Launching anonymous surveys regularly. Schedule one-to-one calls with employees. The purpose of these calls is to discuss how employees feel in the workplace.

In conclusion, prioritizing mental health in the workplace is not only crucial for the well-being of employees but also for the overall success of organizations. Reports have shown that a significant number of employees, especially younger generations, have left their roles due to mental health reasons. It is clear that certain work-related issues can lead to mental health problems. These factors include an excessive workload, inflexible schedules, inadequate support, and a negative work environment. 

It is essential for employers to take preventive measures to address challenges related to mental health in the workplace. They should promote a supportive environment and actively protect and promote mental health. By prioritizing the well-being of not only employees but all the stakeholders of an organization, brands can create a positive work environment that enhances mental health and ultimately contributes to the success and happiness of both individuals and the company as a whole.

Do you want to know more about Teamwork Commerce and how we can help your retail business? Contact us! 

The retail sector has undergone major changes in recent years. The pandemic, Ukraine war, and economic fallout of both have caused challenges to retailers. These global events have had varying impacts on the retail industry. 

The ever-evolving socio-economic landscape expedited the retail industry’s increasing reliance on technology. Now, as modern customers become more fastidious – brought on by economic hurdles – and accustomed to the convenience introduced by innovative solutions deployed to overcome these issues, building customer loyalty has only become more difficult.

Gone are the days of simple customer loyalty programs and strategies. Today, customer demands are far more complex in an increasingly competitive industry, and retailers are being kept on their toes.

Big retailers are having to get creative with their approach to winning and retaining modern customers, adopting many solutions and technologies to take their offerings to the next level and to stand out in a highly saturated market.

Here you will be able to find 4 key ways in which big retailers can win modern customers.

Embracing The Next Generation of Checkout Technology

Modern customers have embraced technological advancements within their personal lives and expect the same from the services they use.

From a streamlined point of sale (POS) technology to virtual fitting rooms, where items can be seen and tried before even coming into contact with a physical product, these advances all lean towards improving the customer experience.

For large retailers, with busy stores and highly expectant customers, the checkout process can be slow and fractured – and can be a key cause of frustration for in-store visitors. They must find ways to simplify the overall process. As self-checkout continues to evolve, RFID-powered solutions are completely streamlining transactions for retailers.

With Teamwork Commerce’s RFID-powered self-checkout deployed, global fashion retailers are able to provide seamless commerce experiences for in-store customers through the use of RFID tagging. With RFID technology automatically scanning all items, and also capable of triggering alarms, retailers experience fewer losses and enhanced security at checkout.

Ensuring Top Tier In-store Convenience

Brick-and-mortar stores have seen an increase in foot traffic in the first quarter of this year. To retain and attract new customers, and encourage repeat purchases, retailers need to be able to provide the amazing experience that customers expect but also need to make it convenient.

Teamwork Commerce’s Mobile Point of Sale solution is enabling retailers to create a streamlined and high-quality in-store experience for their customers.

Operating on cutting-edge iOS devices, Teamwork’s POS solution communicates seamlessly with retailers’ wider tech stack including order management and inventory control solutions. This provides in-store associates with important product and fulfillment information in real-time.

With the solution deployed, retailers can serve customers from any part of the store and complete transactions in seconds, significantly minimizing the queue times associated with traditional POS terminals. Meanwhile, with additional functionality built-in, associates can personalize the customer experience by providing additional information around stock information and location and can handle omnichannel purchases such as buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) or buy online, return in-store (BORIS). In such a competitive retail environment, Mobile POS can completely streamline the in-store experience for customers and deliver the convenience they demand.

Building Relationships through Advanced Clienteling

While convenience can play a strong role in helping retailers attract customers, a personalized approach – which is complemented by convenient checkout solutions – can be the difference maker in helping retailers gain the edge over their competitors.

Teamwork Commerce and Endear’s joint clienteling solution provides retailers with a sophisticated clienteling solution that can be deployed alongside Mobile POS systems. The technology equips retailers with a flexible in-store clienteling solution that delivers a retail CRM that is fully equipped with the data retailers need to drive more sales.

With access to customer data such as purchase history, shopping habits, buying frequency, and marketing preferences, retailers can tailor customer experiences and develop long-term relationships that drive customer retention and happy customers.

Clienteling also drives high levels of ROI to retailers. With the technology implemented, retailers have seen an average return on investment percentage of 94%, and customers who are contacted by Endear were more than twice as likely to shop again. Curating messages and offers available to customers based on their purchase history not only builds relationships between the retailer and the customers but also enables sales associates further opportunities to continue the sales journey.

Reinventing Order Management & Inventory Control

In today’s omnichannel-driven world, where online and in-store sales channels are consistently busy for big retailers, they must be able to fulfil all orders across all platforms. Expectant consumers want to shop on their terms – whether they’re having items delivered, buying online and pickup up in-store, or browsing and purchasing on the shop floor. Retailers need to be able to deliver on these demands with minimal issues.

In order to overcome this challenge, big retailers must harness the latest order management solutions (OMS) that operate in real-time. These solutions enable retailers to deliver the right products at the right time, providing them with full visibility of all their sales avenues to allow them to identify best sellers, low stock levels and even manage returns.

Teamwork Commerce’s OMS can be easily integrated into existing systems and assist in managing both eCommerce and in-store, automating the order process. Easily controlled via the cloud HQ, retailers can meet the needs of their customer base quickly and conveniently, through real-time data. The solution also allows orders to be fulfilled from the most convenient location based on stock availability and demand. And when paired with our inventory management solution, retailers can react proactively to customer demand, viewing orders as they happen, creating a streamlined and seamless experience across all channels.

Delivering on Expectation

There are many ways that big retailers can win over the modern customer, and each retailer will have to find the solutions that fits their specific needs. By adapting their ways and embracing emerging technologies and trends, retailers can stay relevant in an ever-changing ecosystem whilst providing consumers with new and exciting ways to shop and be involved.

 Need a hand in sourcing the right solution for your business? Get in touch.

Providing insights of wider retail functions, operational reporting is a critical component to maximizing the value of data. With automated operational reporting in real-time, retailers can make informed decisions and respond quickly to rapidly changing retail needs. Retailers that use data analytics and operational reporting have the potential to dramatically improve their customer acquisition and retention. They are up to 23 times more likely to acquire customers and 6 times more likely to retain existing customers.

The True Value of Data in Retail

The importance of data in retail cannot be overstated. In today’s omnichannel world, consumers expect personalized experiences. To meet this demand, retailers must make full use of data. This will enable them to create tailored experiences for customers on all platforms.

Whether to gather information about their customers’ shopping habits, preferences, and demographics or to gain insights related to inventory, store performance, and supply chain, leveraging data in real-time is a must for retailers.

Teamwork Commerce’s Analytics & Reporting tool gives retailers access to valuable insights about their business, customers, and supply chains. These insights are always up to date. This helps them better identify top-selling products, loyal customers, high-performing stores, required stock, and much more.

This further enables retailers to make effective decisions related to procurement, pricing, distributions, and promotions, ensuring that the right products are available at the right time at an appropriate price. Furthermore, with the state-of-the-art solution, retailers can benefit from automated forecasting reports that provide insights into future trends by analyzing sales data and supporting metrics.

What’s more, the advanced tool helps retailers navigate areas for improvement in efficiency and cost reduction by analyzing operational data. This can range from optimizing staffing levels to improving supply chain management, all of which results in a streamlined and cost-effective operation.

Since outdated solutions do not allow retailers to drive the full value of data, retailers that rely on traditional analytics tools can put themselves at risk of being left behind in today’s fast-paced retail climate. 

How Can Retailers Harness Data to its Maximum Potential?

Without context, data is just a bunch of numbers. It is like a puzzle with all the pieces scattered around – retailers must piece them together to see the entire picture. In other words, retailers need a complete retail vision in one place at the click of their fingers.

Retailers today deal with vast amounts of data from various sources. This information can include anything from sales transactions, customer interactions and inventory movements, through to supply chain activities. They require solutions that can be seamlessly integrated with point of sale (POS) and can automate operations across all platforms eliminating the need for manual data entry – which is time-consuming, error-prone, and results in data inconsistencies.

Retailers can benefit from Teamwork Commerce‘s integrated solution – saving time, reducing errors, and ensuring that their data is accurate. The cloud-based solution leverages data in real-time and provides clear visibility across all platforms instantly. Retailers can view every store and channel quickly. They can also use real-time inventory data to access various on-demand reports.

A Tool to Enhance the Value of Data

Teamwork Commerce’s tool helps retailers enhance the value of their data. It does this by providing them with advanced dashboards. These dashboards offer flexible visualization and live KPIs, while the data is presented through charts, graphs, and tables, all on one page. This makes it easy to comprehend the overall performance.

In addition, these dashboards are integrated with Looker’s data dictionary tool which provides retailers with a centralized interface for searching through fields and descriptions, providing retailers with a central interface for searching fields and descriptions.

Leveraging the dashboard, retailers can gain quick real-time updates from any part of the world at any time. What’s more, the solution also allows retailers to set automated reports and provides data on demand. This serves to be a game-changer when it comes to utilizing data to its maximum potential.

The future of retail is omnichannel. Retailers who are able to utilize data to their advantage can remain ahead of the curve.

 Want to get a demo of how the solution can enhance the value of your data? Please get in touch.

As the ever-evolving retail landscape continues to innovate, pushing the boundaries of technology to consistently improve, we have kept our finger on the pulse of the latest industry developments so that you don’t have to.

Read below to find out how the retail industry continued its development during April.

As the ever-evolving retail landscape continues to innovate, pushing the boundaries of technology to consistently improve, we have kept our finger on the pulse of the latest industry developments so that you don’t have to.

Read below to find out how the retail industry continued its development during April.

U.S. Retail Sales Drop-Off Amid Geopolitical Challenges

A CNBC report revealed that US retail sales dropped by 1% in March. High inflation and rising rates were blamed for lower sales figures for autos, electronics, and at-home and garden stores.

The economic downturn continues to impact the retail industry, with consumers lowering their spending over the last few months. However, this shouldn’t result in panic for retail brands.

With the right technology deployed, retailers can begin to harness real-time insights to accurately forecast sales and adjust their strategy accordingly. With Teamwork’s Analytics & Reporting solution, retailers can enhance the value of their data through operational reporting that provides valuable insight into their business, sales and customers.

From here, retailers can create promotions, discounts, or customer loyalty programs. These actions can both lower the overall cost of shopping to customers while still benefiting their own bottom line. Not only does this attract new customers, but it also helps to create loyal ones.

UK Retail Sales Are on the Rise

While US retailers tackle a small drop-off in sales, the sector is booming across the Atlantic ocean, with UK retail sales jumping 5.1% in March, according to the British Retail Consortium. Interestingly, while sales continue to grow, the rate of online sales is slowly declining, with the report finding that non-food items bought online decreased to 38.4% in March 2023, from 40.7% in March 2022.

Experiential retail has been praised as the new form of in-store shopping. After years of increasing eCommerce, it appears that consumers are now opting for physical stores over online, favoring experience over convenience.

Teamwork Commerce’s all-encompassing approach to retail technology enables all in-store solutions to seamlessly communicate in real-time. With technologies such as Mobile Point of Sale facilitating transactions from anywhere in-store, and Secure CRM creating highly tailored, personalized approaches to customers, retailers can deliver the ultimate shop floor customer experience.

Retailers Turn to RFID for Next-Generation Self-Checkout

This month, Wall Street Journal reported that Uniqlo’s parent company, Fast Retailing, has started investing in the next generation of self-checkout solutions, powered by RFID. The technology allows customers to instantly scan all items and reduce checkout times, making in-store experiences hassle-free.

While self-checkout has continued to evolve at a rapid pace over the past decade, frustrations still remain for customers and retailers alike. RFID-powered self-checkout creates a completely seamless experience for customers, who can checkout at their own pace. Meanwhile, retailers can minimize losses with enhanced checkout security delivered by RFID tags, and in-store associates are also afforded the time to focus on customer service.

This month, we also launched our own RFID-powered self-checkout solution. This is part of our strive to help our customers deliver a top-tier in-store experience.

Resilience is Vital

Through the highs and lows of economic uncertainty and fluctuating consumer spending, the retail wheels keep turning. Investing in the right technology can help retailers stay responsive to changing consumer needs and geopolitical pressures. This can lead to long-term sustainability and business success.

Find out more about how Teamwork Commerce’s solutions can help your retail business deliver the ultimate customer experience. Get in touch today!