Fulfilment Company

Once all the details are agreed, you send a proportion of your products to us and we keep them in one of our extensive network of UK fulfilment centres. We also keep a copy of your inventory which is carefully checked using our inventory management tools. You, of course, have access to this at all times, but we will send regular reports and updates to ensure that stock levels don't run out.

It's up to you how much of your stock you provide, and you are welcome to send specific items and keep others back.

All of our fulfilment centres run on industry-leading software that's powerful and robust enough to cope with high demand while being simultaneously easy to use. This software can be integrated with all of your sales channels so you control everything from one platform.

At Direct Fulfilment 365, we understand that customer satisfaction is a key part of running any business, which is why we strive to provide a seamless fulfilment process.

As soon as orders are received at the fulfilment centre, our pick and pack service immediately kicks into gear.

The selected items are retrieved from the storage facility and checked for quality before being compared against the inventory description to rule out the possibility of sending the wrong product.

They are then professionally packaged and labelled ready for shipping. No matter what type of goods are involved, our staff are equipped to deal with them.

Once the goods are securely packaged and ready to leave the fulfilment warehouse, all that remains is for the shipping or courier services to arrive and collect them.

Reviews for any company will vary based on customer experience, but - on the whole - most of the bigger, well-known delivery companies have overwhelmingly positive ratings. We prefer to work with these, as it's extremely important to us that the supply chain runs seamlessly.

Our list includes the following courier and delivery companies:

• Royal Mail
• Evri (Hermes)
• DPD
• Yodel
• Palletways (for bulk deliveries)

Of course, not all customers have a positive experience with these companies, and we take customer satisfaction very seriously. If there's an issue with an individual package, we contact the company concerned and make sure they know that we are not happy with the service.

When the package is ready to go, we use one of our selected couriers to deliver it to the customer. Depending on their requirements, they have the option of standard delivery or next-day delivery. Our warehouse management system, along with strategically placed fulfilment centres, allow us to offer same-day dispatch, meaning that the packages reach customers swiftly.

We also complete any customs documents necessary for shipping products overseas, which can help speed things along and avoid any administrative issues.

Consumer expectations are high these days; Customers know what they want, and they can be demanding at times. But then, they've invested their money in your product, and they want it as soon as possible. They also want to know when it's likely to arrive.

Each Direct Fulfilment 365 fulfilment centre is equipped with the latest tracking software that keeps tabs on the package from A to B. Customers can see exactly where their parcel is at any time, helping them to plan their day around its arrival without having to wait at home for hours.

There's also an option to change the delivery instructions, which is handy when plans change unexpectedly.

Despite our best endeavours, things sometimes go wrong. While our fulfilment operations will most definitely reduce some of these issues, such as late delivery, the wrong item being received, or inadequate packaging, there's still a small chance that the customer won't be happy.

And while, as we acknowledged above, most delivery companies offer a first-class service, individuals within those companies can let us all down at times.

Also, customers may have an issue with their chosen product, often without justification or reasonable grounds. This is all part of the online shopping 'adventure', and it's something we have to learn to deal with. After all, the customer is always right, aren't they? Well, actually - no. They're quite frequently wrong! However, when you're part of the retail world trying to run a business successfully, tact and diplomacy are requisite skills. Complaints have to be handled sensitively to achieve a positive outcome. Even when problems arise, the way it's dealt with could mean the difference between losing a customer or gaining respect and approval.

Taking The Flak

Now, we understand that you have better things to do than deal with angry, upset or dissatisfied customers - not that you don't care, but these things take up valuable time. Instead, we can provide a listening ear on your behalf to bring matters to a satisfactory conclusion. Our staff are trained to deal with every scenario and to be calm and professional throughout. The main aim is to diffuse any tension and offer sympathy and understanding. It's all about getting the customer back on your side, and hopefully, to make further orders. At the very least, we try to limit the chances of a negative review.

Customers return goods for a great variety of reasons, and once again, dealing with these cases can be time-consuming and tiresome. When you ask Direct Fulfilment 365 to fulfil orders for you, we take on this responsibility as well.

All you need to do is inform us of your returns policy, and we'll handle the rest like this:

Customers request a return, citing a reason from the selection provided. We arrange for a return, according to your criteria, and the item is collected from the customer. If required, we can provide a prepaid returns label for added customer satisfaction.

When eligible items are received at the fulfilment centre, our staff check them over to assess the condition. They will then be either returned to the inventory for sale or recycled/disposed of, depending on the nature of the product. If possible, we'll sort out refurbishment to render items suitable for resale. The whole point is to reduce costs associated with reverse logistics, as this process is often called, and how to reduce returns in ecommerce plays a crucial role in making this process more efficient.

We also provide a refund or exchange in line with your policy and deal with any customer service issues that follow.

Finding somewhere to keep all your stock can be a problem. You then also need to hire staff to look after the inventory and to pick and pack items when required. This is where what is a pick and pack service becomes essential in streamlining your operations.

When you send your stock to us, you bypass all of those issues. There's no need to rent warehouse space elsewhere, and we provide the staff to deal with inventory management, pick and pack service, and all other tasks associated with this.

It's a cost-effective solution to the problem of storage space, saving you the trouble and expense of hiring warehouse staff.

Some fulfilment companies set a lower limit on orders, which can exclude small businesses or affect those who experience seasonal fluctuations in terms of order volume.

All we ask is that you give us a general figure to work with and we'll adjust our service to suit the volume as it changes.

This means that no matter how many sales channels, stores or marketplaces you operate from, we can connect them all, allowing you to manage everything from one point!

You have access to the data 24/7, and we do all the behind-the-scenes running around. Streamlining your business this way frees up a lot of valuable time, allowing you to focus on essential tasks like marketing and business growth.

As your business grows, we will adjust the level of service to match it. You won't need to worry about extra warehouse space or taking on more staff - we will sort everything out for you!

It's an ideal way to ensure cost efficiency while maximising business opportunities.

And if you experience seasonal fluctuations in demand, or your orders slow down for any reason, we immediately adapt to the changes.

Other companies (especially the biggest names!) might have a vast range of agents to deal with your queries, but you'll rarely reach the same person twice.

At Direct Fulfilment 365, we believe in allocating a specific person to handle your account, so you can build a working relationship with them. They learn to understand your business needs and can recommend solutions to resolve any issues swiftly.

Your account manager will always be available when you need them. On the rare occasion that you can't reach them immediately, leave a message and we guarantee that they'll call you back at the earliest possible opportunity - definitely on the same day(at a reasonable hour). There are few things as annoying (in terms of customer service) as someone promising to call you back and then failing to do so!

We're all about efficiency at Direct Fulfilment 365. Our fulfilment service helps ecommerce businesses save money by streamlining and automating as many processes as possible. We leave the day-to-day running of the front-end business to you, while we do everything else.

Whether you're shipping locally or overseas, we ensure that all packages are dispatched correctly and swiftly.

We also provide additional services to strengthen your brand identity, such as:

Custom Packaging & Branding

We can use branded boxes, tissue paper, or inserts to enhance the unboxing experience, or custom labelling and gift wrapping for a premium touch.

Kitting & Assembly

Our staff will bundle multiple products into sets or subscription boxes and pre-assemble products before shipping.

Personalised Inserts & Marketing Materials

Thank-you notes, custom gift notes, discount vouchers, or promotional flyers can be included with each order, as can brochures or loyalty programme details. Applicable products can be personalised by engraving, monogramming or embroidery.

Subscription Box Fulfilment

Packing and shipping subscription boxes on a scheduled basis is not a problem. We can also handle subscription changes and cancellations. Each box can be customised based on individual preferences.

B2B & Wholesale Order Fulfilment

As well as direct-to-consumer orders, we can also manage bulk orders for retailers and distributors. This is all part of our 3PL service, preparing shipments for larger-scale supply chain distribution.