2 Key Reasons Why Businesses Should Focus On Improving Their Returns Process

The returns process is the necessary evil when it comes to managing your warehouse processes and inventory. With peak seasons of goods flowing in and out, comes the need to plan for returns. As well as to ensure processes are tweaked and updated. With a plethora of new technologies to choose from, organisations need to constantly verify their status. Ensuring they are well equipped to help with the busy returns period end of December through to mid-January.

Online returns are up to two to three times higher than face to face in store returns. The likes of Amazon have introduced the Returnless Returns in 2017 to provide a refund that’s granted to a customer without requiring them to return the merchandise. Now, when a customer requests a return, Amazon sellers have a choice to tell the customer to keep the product. This can be calculated with the right data by finding out the cost of a return and the impact to the business. It may be more cost effective to leave the goods with the customer and send an alternative.

Below are the two core reasons that explain how technology partnerships can help the assessment of the warehouse landscape. As well as which solutions to deploy for returns…

Technology partnerships help with an efficient returns’ management strategy

Returns management and reverse logistics is key to your warehouse operations and fulfilment. Digital connectivity up and down your supply chain, through to the last mile for delivery enables complex workflows to be assessed and tweaked. Which enhances your operations. Preparation now will put your business in good stead in the long run, after the peak seasons. Such as post-Christmas gift returns and after the January sales.

Did you know?

63% of customers would like the returns process to be easier.
57% of customers state they are frustrated with the shipping, delivery and returns aspects of online ordering.
Retailers in the fashion/apparel industry typically have the highest return rate. Hovering between 20% and 30% of total sales.
The market of tech accessories, such as phone cases and chargers, usually has a return rate of around 5% to 10%.
Regardless of what industry you’re in, one thing is for sure: as your business grows, your volume of returns will grow, too.

“Renovotec’s solutions enable companies to accurately track every item throughout their supply chain and improve efficiency, saving immeasurable hours in cross docking, yard management and pick-up and delivery operations. This includes mobile computers, fixed and mobile printers, media, RFID systems, barcode scanners, wearable devices, and Voice Middleware solutions. These solutions will deliver real-time information exactly where it’s needed so you have complete and timely visibility of your goods at all times.” Richard Gilliard, Managing Director, Renovotec.

With Renovotec and SOTI MobiControl, an Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution, you can set alerts and notifications to each device and send reports to assess if your operations are running at optimal capacity. And if any further tweaks may be needed. Any device changes or changes to processes and forms can be updated and pushed out centrally to all devices at non-peak times. Thus, always ensuring latest updates and operational efficiency.

Technology helps align organisations with increasing customer expectations

Technology is the enabler in helping organisations gather critical data, to make impactful process decisions regarding order processing, good shipments and return processes.

Renovotec and SOTI work together to make sense of all customer data that is collated. Renovotec with SOTI MobiControl enables internal process triggers to be set up across warehouses. As well as to field service technicians and their associated mobile devices and computers. This feature enables:

SMS or email notifications to be sent to drivers to collect parcels from depots. For example, when they have arrived in a specific location allowing critical customer SLAs to be met.
Organisations can keep their workers out in the field for longer over labour and cost intensive holiday periods. Maximising productivity and revenue potential each day.
Other notifications such as when returns of items reach a specific volume. This can create a notification via email or text to raise an investigation, to check the quality of goods from that supplier.

“The challenge is to meet these changing customer expectations, adapt to an increasingly volatile socio-economic climate, and prepare for the future with the right technologies and the right customer experience. The opportunity goes to the early movers, the ones who see mobility as an enabler, rather than a hindrance.” Shash Anand, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy at SOTI.

Frequent assessment of your inventory is key. So that warehouse operations are optimised based on products that are easy to pick and pack and are regularly ordered in volume. This can be automated if goods are always stored in the same location and even enable robots to be deployed. This helps staff to focus on more high-end/higher value tasks.

Why the Renovotec and SOTI partnership is key to your operational success:

Organisations of all sizes need to keep developing their digital routes to market and deploying the right technologies to support their existing customer base and to attract new customers. Adjusting to supply and demand fluctuations is complex.

Having the ability to rent devices with a free trial of SOTI MobiControl now, will help organisations learn more about what they need. And more importantly how they need to adapt, prior to major capital expenditure in 2023.