NetDespatch speeds up Plantify’s order fulfilment process

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: NetDespatch speeds up Plantify’s order fulfilment process.

Windsor-based specialist plant retailer, plantify.co.uk, has saved its admin staff around five hours per day by using a web-based integration solution from NetDespatch to seamlessly connect its order management system and parcel delivery network.

With more than 3,000 varieties of British-grown plants in stock, Plantify delivers to online customers throughout the UK, typically within 24 hours in major locations.

Tasked with upgrading Plantify's label printing, which was too slow and delayed the whole order fulfilment procedure, NetDespatch implemented a solution that automatically processes orders from Plantify's website, printing the correct label for the service selected in the warehouse. At the end of the day, a single click generates the carrier's manifest and the data is automatically pre-advised to the carrier.

The solution dramatically reduces the time it takes to print labels, as they are automatically streamed to the printer as the orders are prepared for despatch. This improves the speed of order fulfilment as well as improving internal operations. Customers are notified when their orders have been despatched, and the system enables customers to track the status of their consignments.

The completely scalable solution allows Plantify to handle erratic volumes, which jump from around 350 consignments per day to 6,000 per day during peak periods.

"Our main courier, Yodel, was keen for us to implement the NetDespatch solution," said Peter Laughton, CEO, Plantify. "NetDespatch has cut our despatch time from more than one minute per package to ten seconds. For a relatively small company dispatching 200 - 500 orders per week depending on the season, it has no doubt benefited us massively. Implementation was a simple procedure, with our IT department setting up the integration and NetDespatch being very helpful throughout the process."

NetDespatch provides a cost-free solution for retailers with an easy to use secure system that automates the connection between order processing, despatch and delivery, even if the orders are received in one location and despatched from another. There are no costs involved for installation, training or support, and the system is available instantly.