Wayfair, MintSoft, XERO, Zapier, and some API
Anyone already selling on Wayfair knows the challenges faced. When a sale is made, shipping labels and packing slips need to be downloaded, triggering order acceptance. Next, an invoice is created, then to the warehouse for logistics to kick in and collect.
My client was becoming overwhelmed and asked me to find the solution. It was immediately clear that this needed sorting out. Things were unmanageable, and it looked like more people were needed.
Automation was the answer
It’s not difficult to imagine a world where everything is run by computers. Indeed, artificial intelligence (AI) is being hailed as the next revolution. It’s quite a way off, so unfortunately we all still have to work for a while longer. Successful process automation requires knowing when to keep manual tasks and when to automate.
I looked at all of the systems, the tasks, the scenarios, actions, and outcomes based on how the various systems had been configured to meet the business’s unique working practices.
The following is a small insight into the project
Application programming interfaces (APIs) allow different applications to connect, communicate, and manage data throughout a business process without human intervention and error. An API can literally save the day!
Estimating the time it takes to manually process orders
Ideally, orders would be processed when received. In reality, within smaller to medium enterprises, it’s common to batch process orders once a day. As an example, the following tasks and timings are based on how my client was processing 10 orders a day.
Order notifications are received via email on a per-order basis.
30 seconds
Email notification
It takes approximately 2 minutes and 30 seconds to access and download the shipping labels, packing slips, and order details in a comma-separated value format.
2 minutes 30 seconds
System login
Document download
Order .csv download
Downloaded order data needs adjusting to meet the warehouse management application’s import requirements.
3 minutes
Excel formatting
The order details .csv file, shipping labels, and packing slips are uploaded to the warehouse order management system for action.
1 minute 30 seconds
Login
Label and slip uploads
Order .csv upload
Each Wayfair order requires an individual invoice to be created and exported as a PDF file.
10 minutes
Login
Invoice creation
PDF invoices are uploaded. This moves the orders from a processing to a completed status, allowing payment to be scheduled.
1 minute
Login
Invoice upload
It takes a total of 18 minutes and 30 seconds a day to process 10 orders
Obviously this is an approximation, but it demonstrates a number of tasks and the time taken for each.
18 minutes 30 seconds
Total order processing
API takes zero manual minutes, no matter the order volume
My client now focuses on their sales, leaving all order processing in the hands of their automated systems. No need to employ additional staff. No order processing bottlenecks, and best of all, an ROI in less than 3 months.
This is what creative thinking looks like.
API processing
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