Protect Your Customers With Fraud Scoring Protection
To decrease fraudulent orders from being processed, orders placed with InOrder’s Enterprise Management Software may be assessed as they are received based on a variety of criteria known to indicate fraudulent purchases.
How it Works
Fraud point values are defined and assigned to criteria to compute a fraud score for each order source. Fraud scoring criteria may include whether or not an item is considered risky, and may be weighted to establish how risky an item is relative to other items.
As criteria are met, point values are added and saved on the order. If the overall score exceeds the defined threshold values, the order is placed on hold for review and/or manager approval.
Fraud scores may be computed in real-time as each line item is added to an order, or once for all items when the order has ended.
The [Order Lookup], [Order Entry], and [Customer Service] windows show the order’s saved fraud score.
InOrder Fraud Scoring Protection
A new report, Frequent Returns and Replacements, lists customers who exceed a number of returns / replacements within a date range, along with their returns and replacements. Also included are order level messages, and the customer’s lifetime sales and returns.
5 Easy Ways to Generate Income With Your ERP System
Generate Income With Your ERP System
In addition to supporting your business, every ERP system should have capabilities that help you build your business. Here are five features of great ERP systems that you can use to drive traffic to your store, add customers, and build orders.
Cross-Sell / Upsell
When a customer views or orders any item, this feature provides an alternate item or additional item to complement the one originally viewed. When used on an eCommerce site, items are displayed to the customers. When used with a POS or other order entry system, items are displayed to the customer service rep to suggest to the customer.
But don’t stop there! Make sure the suggestions make sense. For example, are you showing items that you have in stock? Are you grouping related items by the reason they are related?
Loyalty Programs
Use loyalty programs to reward your loyal customers and offer free or discounted items and other incentives. For example, you could offer points to customers for many activities that build your business, such as these:
- Each dollar spent
- Placing the first order or creating an account
- Buying a specific item
- Spending a minimum amount
- Ordering during specific times
- Referring friends to your website
- Joining a list
- Ordering frequently
- Buying extra points
Customers can redeem points in the form of free merchandise, dollar amounts, merchandise credit, or shipping discounts. Using a Loyalty Program not only generates additional income, but is a way to express appreciation to your customers.
Promotions
Promotions provide incentives to customers for ordering, or for increasing the size of their order. For example, you might include a free item with every order over $100. Promotions can also be used to entice customers to buy from other product categories they have not tried yet, or to test prices and new product offerings.
Installment Billing
Installment Billing allows you to make your products available immediately to your customers while accepting payments over time. Installment Billing can be used for subscriptions or large purchases, which customers might otherwise put off indefinitely. You can even link an installment plan to a promotion so your customers can take advantage of special purchasing opportunities before an offer expires. Installment Billing is the perfect tool for providing your customers with a personalized and professional shopping experience.
Email Marketing
Email Marketing provides an efficient way to communicate with your customers through your ERP system. Email marketing is used to let your customers know about new products and promotions, and to drive traffic to your website with newsletters, reminders, and other targeted marketing efforts via Email. Effective Email marketing pieces include the “abandoned cart reminder” and the “we’re sorry so here is a discount.” These types of emails are known to catch customers’ attention by letting them know that you care about them and their business personally (in the context of previous interaction with them, as opposed to a general “cold” marketing effort).
Click here for Email marketing messages every ERP system should have.
Get Your Shipping Rates InOrder
FedEx Corp. recently announced the following changes to its rates.
As of Monday, June 2, 2014, the FedEx Freight fuel surcharge indices increase by 3 percentage points.
As of Thursday, January 1, 2015, FedEx Ground will apply dimensional charges to all ground packages, regardless of their sizes.
InOrder customers with a shipping manifest system interface under support can rest assured that they will receive updates necessary to support these computations for the carriers that require them. Interfaces to other shipping systems that do not require the new features will not be affected.
NOTE: Shippers must coordinate any necessary upgrades with their shipping manifest vendor, allowing enough lead time to test the upgrades before the new rates begin.
4 Email Marketing Messages Every ERP System Should Have
You know it’s critical to be able to communicate with your customers through your ERP system. You need to acknowledge orders, notify customers about shipments, approve returns, reset passwords, send digital products, and provide various services through Email messages. In addition to supporting your business, every ERP System should have Email Marketing capabilities that help you build your business. To let your customers know about new products and promotions, and to drive traffic to your website with newsletters, reminders, and other targeted marketing efforts via Email, make sure your ERP System can send these messages.
Welcome Messages
Welcome messages are sent to customers who create new accounts and can set the tone for your new relationship. They remind new customers of their basic account information that may be needed to return, such as their login information, customer number, etc. They are sent to thank new customers and announce any coupons, points, or other promotion for creating the account. Welcome messages may also contain links, discuss benefits of the company, privacy policies, customer support information, other promotional offerings, and more.
Abandoned Cart Email Series
These all-important messages can generate income for your business by converting lost revenue. Include a link to the cart so your customers can simply pick up where they left off. You can even offer promotion codes to encourage customers to complete their orders or add items to their carts.
A good practice is to send abandoned cart Emails as a series. For example, you can either define a series for Emails that are sent at specific time intervals and stop after the final Email is sent, or based on minimum/maximum delay settings until the maximum delay is reached.
Back in Stock Notification
Use these messages to drive traffic back to your site by notifying shoppers when items they want become available or promote related items as alternatives. A great ERP system will even receive requests directly from shoppers to let them know when an item is back in stock.
Email Blasts
Email Blasts distribute Email messages to members of a mailing list to advertise new products or upcoming sales, distribute newsletters, and more.
Other Considerations
Be sure to look for Email tracking as well. Tracking clicks and reads shows your customer services reps when a customer is interested in a specific offering or item. Other information related to customer contact is also tracked, such as orders, returns, inquiries, mailings, and call lists, and even your conversions so you know which promotions are the most successful. A great ERP system organizes all of these Email functionalities by customer and prospect, so customer service and list management functions can see and act on a clear and integrated timeline of events. This helps customer service reps provide first-rate, personalized service to your customers.
All of these Email functionalities are tracked by customer and prospect, so customer service and list management functions can see a clear and integrated timeline of events in one place.
When evaluating or setting up your ERP Email Marketing messages, be sure you can send text or html-based messages, or both, so you can reach all your customers where they want to be reached. Ideally, the system will have templates to get you up and running faster, and let you personalize your content for top-notch targeted marketing.
InOrder Supports AvaTax Pro
Last summer, we proudly announced that we were a certified Avalara partner, with seamless and transparent integration between InOrder ERP software and AvaTax. This integration simplifies the tax calculation process for InOrder users, easily calculating the final sales tax amount on every invoice.
InOrder supports both AvaTax Basic and AvaTax Pro. Benefits of AvaTax Pro include access to tax research for over 2400 products & services, and 100,000 taxability rules, as well as ongoing tax research and maintenance. Another benefit with AvaTax Pro is that Avalara manages taxability for you, which is very helpful if you sell a variety of products and services, your tax rules vary between jurisdictions, or you have nexus in multiple locations.
If you want the perfect solution for calculating and filing sales tax, contact us for more information about integrating InOrder with AvaTax.
InOrder ERP System’s Scannable Timesheet Entry adds Efficiency to the Warehouse and Accuracy to Job Costing
Entering timesheets is easy when you’re sitting at a desk. Simply open the timekeeping software and enter your time as you complete your tasks. But when personnel are moving around a warehouse all day, tracking time can get a little tricky. Every employee does not have his or her own computer station, and having employees log in and out of one station all day isn’t very efficient.
Using the Job Cost module of InOrder ERP, warehouse personnel simply scan their badges and the barcodes of the task they are working on from a daily Active Task Menu. InOrder keeps track of the time between each scan. Typically, a project manager or warehouse manager can also scan a task and then scan the badge of each person who will work on it. The project manager can also track who is still clocked in, and then press one button to end a shift completely.
See InOrder ERP Software at the IRCE 2014
The InOrder Team is attending the IRCE in June. The IRCE is the world’s largest eCommerce event, and this year is its 10th anniversary. If you’re looking for a leading ERP system with a strong eCommerce platform, stop by our booth (#708) and ask what InOrder can do for you.
If you are in Chicago for IRCE, and you are looking for a place to eat that is maybe not as flashy or sophisticated on the outside, but has the best food, here is a listing of places within a 30 minute drive of McCormick Place, as featured on the popular Food Network program “Diners Drive-Ins and Dives.” Of all cities featured, Chicago boasts the most appearances on the show. Use the links to research the episode and the establishment’s website. We recommend you always call ahead and add a few more minutes for traffic.
| Episode | Restaurant | Address | City |
Call Ahead |
Min. From McCormick Place w/o traffic |
|
| Global Comfort | Chuck’s Southern Comforts Cafe | 6501 W. 79th St. | Burbank |
IL |
(708) 229-8700 |
24 |
| Seafood & Sammies | Panozzo’s Italian Market | 1303 S. Michigan Ave. | Chicago |
IL |
(312) 356-9966 |
3 |
| Open 24/7 | White Palace Grill | 1159 S. Canal St. | Chicago |
IL |
(312) 939-7167 |
5 |
| Just Like Yesterday | Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap | 1073 W Vernon Park | Chicago |
IL |
(312) 733-3393 |
9 |
| Barbecued, Baked And Brined | Honky Tonk Barbeque | 1213 West 18th Street | Chicago |
IL |
(312) 226-7427 |
9 |
| Gettin’ Fresh | Nana | 3267 S. Halsted St. | Chicago |
IL |
(312) 929-2486 |
8 |
| Pizza, Pancakes and Pork | Big & Littles | 860 N. Orleans St. | Chicago |
IL |
(312) 943-0000 |
10 |
| Not What You’d Expect | Glenn’s Diner | 1820 W. Montrose Ave | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 506-1720 |
21 |
| Their Own Way | Kuma’s Corner | 2900 West Belmount | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 604-8769 |
16 |
| Global Grub | Tre Kronor | 3258 Foster Avenue | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 267-9888 |
35 |
| Coast to Coast Chow | Chicago Brauhaus | 4732 N. Lincoln Ave | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 784-4444 |
22 |
| Home And Away | Taste of Peru | 6545 North Clark Street | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 381-4540 |
20 |
| Goin’ the Extra Mile | bopNgrill | 6604 N. Sheridan Road | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 654-3224 |
19 |
| You Can Only Get It Here | Garifuna Flava | 2516-2518 W 63rd St. | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 776-7440 |
17 |
| Belly Up | Hopfleaf Bar | 5148 N. Clark St. | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 334-9851 |
18 |
| Real Deal BBQ | Smoque | 3800 N. Pulaski Rd. | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 545-7427 |
17 |
| Upper Crust | The Depot Diner | 5840 W Roosevelt Rd. | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 261-8422 |
17 |
| Grabbin’ a Sandwich | Cemita’s Pueblo | 3619 North Ave | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 772-8453 |
19 |
| Latin Street Food | Irazu Costa Rican Dining | 1865 N. Milwaukee | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 252-5687 |
15 |
| Savory Standouts | 90 Miles Cuban Café | 2540 W Armitage Ave | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 227-2822 |
15 |
| Somethin’ From Everywhere | The Original Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria | 8433 Pulaski Road | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 735-2050 |
24 |
| Homemade & Homebrewed | Chilam Balam | 3023 N. Broadway St. | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 296-6901 |
13 |
| Slammin’ Sammies | DMK Burger Bar | 2954 N. Sheffield Ave. | Chicago |
IL |
(773) 698-6482 |
15 |
InOrder ERP Open Enrollment
Learn how to get the most out of InOrder. Join us in Orland Park, IL to learn how to make InOrder work better for you. We have classes for all user levels, from basic setup and introduction to advanced classes for more complex processes. Do you have new employees who need to learn InOrder? Have you recently had a major upgrade? Have you added modules or enhancements? We can help you get everyone up to speed to use InOrder to its fullest advantage.
If you prefer, you can schedule a class at your office using your data. Call us for details at 800-860-9515.
What’s in a Well-Designed Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System?
When you’re looking for a well-designed ERP system to support your business, here are a few things to keep in mind. 
A well-designed ERP system integrates your information across your organization. This is accomplished using a single database that automates the flow of information within the system. A well-designed ERP system incorporates many aspects of business – from CRM for providing quality service and optimizing selling opportunities – to real-time inventory and warehouse management to keep all of your organization’s information accurate at all times – to reports that provide you with the information you need to plan ahead and move ahead.
A good ERP system is modular, which allows you to start with only the components you need, and add features and functionality as you grow. It is flexible and can be customized to accommodate the changing needs of your business to keep up with your industry. Each component is tightly integrated so an update in one area communicates the information to other areas, promoting efficiency and accuracy to result in higher returns on your investment.
When shopping for your ERP system, be sure you have control over your use of the software by customizing your business rules. This allows you to control important core behaviors within the system without costly modifications and programming.
Specific features to look for when considering an ERP system are determined by your business requirements. You already know the importance of CRM, inventory management, warehouse management, and order management. You may also want to consider eCommerce for selling online and opportunities to attract new customers. If you accept credit card payments, you’ll also need to be sure your ERP system is PA-DSS-Validated to meet your PCI-DSS requirements.
Consider using your ERP system to communicate with your customers. Let them know about new products and promotions. Abandoned Cart Email messages are proven to be effective in increasing sales, as well. You can also drive traffic to your website with newsletters, reminders, and other targeted marketing efforts via Email.
In addition to all the capabilities of a well-designed ERP system, look for a good ERP vendor who is responsive to you, with implementation assistance to make the transition as smooth as possible. Be sure it provides training and technical support to make sure the system is in the hands of qualified users, as well as continuous improvement and on-going communication to be sure you are always aware of the most current technology.
Increase Sales While Generating Regular Income with Installment Billing in Your ERP System
The Installment Billing function in the InOrder ERP system can be used for large purchases for which customers can make multiple payments, as well as subscriptions, kits, or any other item you sell. You can make your products available immediately to your customers while accepting payments over time. Linking an installment plan to a promotion allows your customers to take advantage of special purchasing opportunities. InOrder Installment Billing is the perfect tool for providing your customers with a personalized and professional shopping experience.
InOrder provides an accurate and efficient payment schedule for each order using a billing plan. Simply add the payment – InOrder does the rest. InOrder Installment Billing Plans work with Customer Service orders, Order Entry orders, and with orders entered on your web store. Your customers can buy when they’re ready to buy.
Setup is quick and straightforward. Installment plans are defined to identify the installment plan, determine the minimum amounts, dates, payment schedule, order classes, and promotions. Associating installment plans with order classes provides templates for each of your order types. They provide default settings for shipping, handling, promotions, territories, pricing, payments, messages, etc. This gives you control and consistency, while still being flexible with the ability to verify or override specific information.
Totals for orders with installment plan payments continue to reflect the original order total. Because the order itself can be modified and re-totaled indefinitely, the actual billing events (including manually edited installment billing events) and amounts (with optional payment amounts) are re-computed each time the order is re-totaled.
Future installment payments are shown in the A/R Lookup window. For each customer with an installment plan, you can see how much is due, and when it is expected.
For more information about using installment plans with InOrder, please contact us or click here to request a demo.