6 Features of a Quality Fulfillment Company

Working with a fulfillment center can allow your business to have your orders filled without the inconvenience of having to find warehouse space and the personnel to staff it. When looking for a partner, though, you want to make sure that you find a fulfillment center that will deliver the level of service that will help your company move ahead. Here are some things to look for when you’re evaluating fulfillment houses.

• The company should have secure space. You want the materials you are shipping to be protected in a good fulfillment warehouse. A quality fulfillment company should be able to describe how they keep their space secure so you’ll know that any goods you store with them will be well protected. Fulfillment warehouses should also have experienced staff that will handle your goods with care.
• A full range of fulfillment services. A company with experience in a variety of fulfillment services will best be able to meet your current needs as well as any needs you have as your business grows. A fulfillment house that offers product fulfillment services, literature fulfillment services, sample fulfillment services, and other options is most likely to be able to provide the services you need.
• A range of ways to receive orders. The more available avenues there are to receive orders of your product or literature, the broader the range of customers who will be able to access your services. A fulfillment center that online fulfillment or takes orders over the web, through e-mail, by fax, and by telephone maximizes the ways customers can find and order your product.
• Easy-to-manage online fulfillment options. Monitoring your inventory levels and the activities of your sales representatives can give you the information you need to instantly see how your business is progressing. A fulfillment center that provides online order processing and monitoring gives you the up-to-date information you need, whenever you want to look at it.
• A commitment to customer service. If you are going to have someone else do your order fulfillment, you want to make sure they do it right. Fulfillment companies should be committed to accuracy in filling your orders, making sure products get where they are supposed to go. Be sure to ask your fulfillment house how they track their accuracy and how they will ensure that your customers are being taken care of at the level you require.
• A location suited to mailing. The location of thefulfillment center you select can have a significant effect on when your product arrives at its destination. Using a centrally located fulfillment warehouse means that your product can get to more parts of the country in less time. A fulfillment warehouse that has access to major transportation hubs will also help get your product where it needs to be as quickly as possible.
• Ask around. Check with other companies that have used fulfillment houses and find out about their experiences. Ask about the company’s response to their needs, the quality of customer service they provided, and the monitoring tools they offered. This will give you the inside track to finding a company that will work for you!