Businesses are gradually moving away from manual order processing. Whereas just a few years ago a manager would manually transfer orders from a messaging app to a spreadsheet and then into a CRM system, today this process is increasingly being replaced by software solutions. The reason is simple: every instance of manual data transfer is not only a waste of time but also a source of errors that can end up costing the business dearly. In this article, experts from the Step Link dropshipping platform analyse which categories of services deliver tangible results, and which are more of a passing fad.
Order reception and initial processing
An audience of between 10,000 and 100,000 followers is now valued more highly than those with a million followers, and there’s a mathematical explanation for this. Engagement rates among micro-influencers are, on average, 3–5 times higher, whilst the cost per thousand users reached is significantly lower. For a dropshipper, this is crucial: there’s no point in paying to reach a cold audience that has never heard of your niche. A blogger with 30,000 followers specialising in ‘budget home décor’ will generate many times more sales than a lifestyle star with a million followers of mixed interests.
The second argument in favour of smaller creators relates to flexibility, according to experts at Step Link. They are more willing to agree to barter arrangements, a percentage of sales or hybrid payment schemes, which is particularly relevant when you’re working with a limited budget at the start.
Integrating different programmes with one another
A separate category of solutions consists of services for linking different programmes together without the involvement of developers, according to Step Link’s experts. Such platforms allow you to set up a workflow such as ‘new order on the website – create a record in the CRM – send a notification via a messaging app – issue an invoice in the accounting software’. It is precisely this integration that often delivers the greatest benefit, as it eliminates the need for manual data transfers between incompatible systems, which previously took staff several hours a day.
The advantage of such tools is that they do not require the existing infrastructure to be rewritten – it is sufficient to configure the rules for data transfer between the programmes already in use. This is particularly valuable for small companies that lack the resources to develop their own integration but need to combine their website, CRM, warehouse and accounts into a single workflow.
When cost savings arise
Order automation does not end at the order acceptance stage. Warehouse management systems synchronise stock levels with the shop’s online catalogue in real time, automatically set aside items for orders and generate dispatch documents. This reduces the likelihood of selling out-of-stock items and eliminates the need to manually reconcile stock levels at the end of the day, according to experts at the Step Link dropshipping platform. Logistics platforms go even further – they automatically select the optimal delivery service based on the address and weight of the parcel, generate a consignment note and send the details to the courier without the need for a manager’s involvement.
Real time savings come not from simply connecting a separate service, but from how effectively the workflow between different tools is organised, note the experts at Step Link. A standalone chatbot without integration with the accounting system merely shifts the routine to another stage of the process rather than eliminating it. Therefore, before choosing a solution, it is worth first mapping out the current order journey from request to dispatch and only then selecting services to address specific bottlenecks, rather than following the general trend towards digitalisation.
