Whether it’s a small brick-and-mortar shop or an established e-commerce store, every retail business has the potential to reach new horizons with good products and stellar customer service backing it up. Yet as businesses grow, they can quickly become over-encumbered and impeded by a multitude of demands from their customer base.
Fortunately, there is a wide range of small business management software and various other digital tools that offer business owners multiple ways to resolve these issues. Take a look at the various software solutions below to see how they can help make complex retail operations a more streamlined and efficient process.
Better Stock Control with Inventory Management Software
Most small businesses may be able to manage their inventory using a spreadsheet or other manual forms of entering data during the initial stages. However, as businesses expand, inventory-related tasks increase as well. Instead of having workers go through wares and check up long lists of products, an inventory management software can take the load off from these time-consuming tasks that are often fraught with human errors.
An inventory software is designed to help track products at the store or warehouse to ensure a sufficient supply of goods. Other features like barcode scanning, billing, order management, and detailed reports are also included to simplify the process. In addition, retailers can also incorporate an auto-replenishment function to automatically place an order when stock levels are low.
CRM Software and Chatbots to Enhance Customer Service
Customers are central to any business and given the highly competitive nature of today’s commerce world, it is essential to be on top of customer needs. The main objective of CRM software is to help retail businesses manage and maintain smooth interactions with existing and new customers. It also serves as a multidimensional tool to assist with managing sales, marketing, accounting, vendors, and point-of-sale (POS) transactions. In addition, the software provides a centralised location to store and access customers’ information like order histories and contact details, which can help businesses have a clearer understanding of customers’ purchasing preferences.
Chatbots are also fast becoming a popular customer service tool as they can ease a customer’s shopping experience by providing continuous interaction after retail hours. Generally, a chatbot is a software application designed to simulate conversation via text or speech with human users, usually over the Internet. As human personnel can’t always be around to respond to customer needs; AI counterparts can fill in the gaps and be in touch to assist shoppers at all hours, saving businesses time and money in the long run.
Order Fulfilment Software for a Smoother Shopping Experience
The lack of an efficient order fulfilment system can lead to significant losses in sales due to slow order processing. E-commerce customers tend to cancel their orders or ask for a refund if it takes more than a week to confirm their purchases.
Ultimately, consumers want to be able to make easy, secure, and quick purchases. An integrated order fulfilment software is an effective solution to automate the order fulfilment process like instant checkouts and payment, managing returns, and increasing order visibility for a more efficient shopping experience. With this software, companies can also reduce order entry errors and speed up order-to-shipping time for faster fulfilment, which translates to happy customers and higher sales.
Going Cashless to Offer Customers More Flexibility
While there are customers who still prefer paying cash, more people are utilising cashless platforms as their primary form of payment in both online and physical stores. According to Business Insider, consumers are speculated to make 1 trillion non-cash payments via a mix of mobile, connected, and online devices by 2024.
Online cashless payments such as Paypal, Google Pay, and Alipay are a few widely-utilised methods that can facilitate a more accessible and seamless shopping process for customers. Apart from offering convenience and ease, cashless transactions are also safer. They can help reduce theft and robbery as well as minimise the risk of counterfeit money.
Find the Best Solutions for Your Business
Technology can play a significant role in the growth of a retail business. With the right software and tools, business owners can effectively streamline the essential aspects of their daily operations, leading to better customer service and a seamless shopping experience. Discuss your needs with a reputable business management software provider to find the best solutions for your business.
