Every company, regardless of size, industry, or specialization, strives to improve workflow and maximize productivity. In order to provide excellent service to your customers and generate the most revenue possible, you need streamlined processes for taking orders and processing them.
If you work with a 3PL company to create a fulfillment system tailored to your customers’ preferences, you can accomplish this goal. In addition, it is helpful to have an OMS that can support the entire sales process, from order creation to shipment and follow-up with customers.
However, the full potential of the tool may not be realized without appropriate OMS integrations.
This integration guide for order management systems (OMS) explains why OMS integrations are crucial. What is OMS and its benefits are both included in this blog.
What is OMS Integration?
An OMS is a piece of software used to keep track of orders from the time they are placed until they are shipped. Create purchase orders, monitor stock levels, and follow packages with ease thanks to this helpful tool.
If you want your order management system (OMS) to communicate with the other applications in your e-commerce fulfillment stack, you should set up an OMS integration.
Why OMS Integration Is Crucial For E-Commerce And 3PLs?
Integrations are beneficial for both brands and 3PLs because they reduce the amount of time spent on manual tasks, improve communication between systems and departments, and guarantee precision at every step of the order fulfillment process. That is to say, it is a method for handling a large number of orders that can be easily scaled up.
Inventory Data Synchronization
By integrating with other e-commerce fulfillment apps like shopping carts, marketplaces, and accounting software, the OMS can synchronize inventory levels across all systems. With this setup, you’ll have access to a consolidated view of stock levels across all locations.
By avoiding overselling and underselling, inventory synchronization and reconciliation can boost customer satisfaction.
Effective Order Processing
The OMS handles orders from all of your sales channels and suppliers in one convenient location. If you run an online store that also sells on Amazon and other marketplaces, the OMS can consolidate all of your orders in one place.
Order management system (OMS) integration is especially helpful for 3PLs that oversee multiple warehouses because it facilitates more efficient order routing.
Automated Procedures OMS integration does a great job of replacing time-consuming, error-prone manual labor with swift, efficient automation. Instead, the interconnected systems streamline processes like order processing, invoicing, stock synchronization, and delivery monitoring. Productivity is increased and excellent service is provided to customers as a result.
Integrating an OMS allows for the automatic dispatching of alerts, the distribution of orders to the most appropriate fulfillment centers, and the upkeep of constant communication with customers.
Accuracy of Data
With an OMS integration, you can rest assured that all of the data on your website and in your marketplaces is up to date and accurate, which goes a long way towards gaining the trust and loyalty of your customers.
Integrating your apps with your OMS will lessen the likelihood of human error in areas like order routing, shipment tracking, and notification of order status.
You can also read: B2C Fulfillment: What It Is and How to Find the Best Provider
How to go for OMS Integration?
Now that you know why OMS integrations are beneficial, you can focus on mastering their implementation. If you don’t, you risk losing money, customers, and valuable time. The correct way to utilize an OMS integration is outlined here for your convenience.
Link Up with Your Sources of Orders
Everything from online marketplaces and shopping carts to point-of-sale systems and email can serve as a potential order source. Shopify, Amazon, and Lightspeed Retail are all popular examples of such sites. The OMS will compile the orders from all of these channels and place them in a centralized database.
Track Orders and Acquire Shipping Information
To guarantee effective order routing, precise shipping cost calculations, and rapid order fulfillment, you must integrate the OMS with your back-end applications like your warehouse management system (WMS), enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, shipping platforms, and other order destinations.
At checkout, the OMS can also gather shipping information from customers. Information like the customer’s address and chosen shipping method are examples of the kind of shipping details that might be included.
Trade of Inventory Information
With a precise count of what you have on hand, you can avoid selling out or running low. Therefore, it is essential to synchronize inventory levels across all systems for successful OMS integration. It also aids in keeping accurate stock levels across all channels, which is important for providing timely service to customers.
Integrations with OMSs have become increasingly popular and are essential for companies that process high volumes of orders. You can improve the effectiveness, productivity, and overall fulfillment of your business by integrating your OMS with other programmes and systems.
Some of the most widely used OMS plugins include:
Connecting Online Stores
You can streamline and computerize your online store’s order taking, stock management, and shipping procedures by integrating your order management system with popular shopping cart software like Shopify, Magento, or WooCommerce.
Connecting Marketplaces
You can have better oversight and control over inventory and orders by linking your OMS with online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy.
Interfaces for Shipping
Integrating your OMS with a shipping platform like ShipStation, DesktopShipper, or Shippo allows you to print shipping labels, monitor packages in transit, and handle returns without ever leaving your OMS.
Embedding CRM Systems
By integrating OMS with customer relationship management CRM tools you can keep tabs on all of your business’s marketing, sales, and customer service operations in one convenient place.
Conclusion
Order Management Systems (OMS) are essential tools for businesses to streamline their processes, improve workflow, and maximize productivity. OMS integration is crucial for e-commerce and 3PLs as it reduces manual tasks, improves communication between systems and departments, and ensures precision at every step of the order fulfillment process. By partnering with 3PL companies like Mehta Excel, companies can create a fulfillment system that supports the entire sales process, from order creation to shipment and customer follow-up.