No touch order processing is enabling manufacturers and distributors to unlock human capital, reduce errors, upgrade customer experience, and cut costs.

The global supply chain management software market is poised to grow by $9.5 billion between 2020 and 2024. Whether it leverages machine learning, the Internet of Things or another emerging innovation, the best software in this space is all aimed at producing a touchless supply chain. No touch order processing plays a key role in this modernizing trend.

A touchless supply chain means human oversight or intervention is minimized. Humans do not need to get hands-on with any element of the supply chain because logistics and internal operations are optimized. Automation takes care of formerly manual business processes – in the exact same way that is has taken care of tasks on the factory floor for decades.

A central link in the touchless supply chain is no touch order processing. Touchless order processing converts the steady stream of purchase orders that manufacturers and distributors receive into a stack of flawless sales orders – all without any human input. From PO to SO, in the blink of an eye. With this approach to sales order processing, enterprises can realize four key benefits:

1. Creating More Selling Time

Manual order processing is an enormous waste of time. The average CSR spends two to three hours of every single day manually rekeying purchase orders, expending an average of 30 minutes on each order. CSRs are highly skilled staff members with deep company and product knowledge, and their salaries are usually be commensurate with their specialized skills. But instead of dedicating those skills to revenue-generating tasks, or genuine, hands-on customer support, they spend hours on dated, manual processes.

At Conexiom, we see how no touch order processing liberates CSRs from this daily drudgery. The average touchless order processes in under two minutes, without a CSR needing to intervene manually. Every year, the elimination of manual processing frees up hundreds of hours of staff time. Companies can then redeploy these hours into revenue-generating activities.

2. Reducing Human Error

Humans are brilliant. But we make mistakes. Purchase orders can run to hundreds of lines, and incorrectly entering the wrong digit or character on a single line can have enormous consequences on that customer’s order. Even with semi-automated sales order processing tools that leverage OCR, it is almost possible to truly eliminate errors. Why? Because with OCR and similar technologies, the data capture is imperfect, meaning customer service representatives still have to jump in on every order.

No touch order processing removes the need for human touchpoints across the order cycle, eliminating errors. Moreover, sales order automation technology can recognize and decipher incoming order information, verify its accuracy, and input it directly into the business’ and customer’s ERP systems – flawlessly.

An enterprise can establish an error-free order to cash cycle to make everything happen more smoothly. Human errors can interrupt the order process, but touchless orders cycles process instantly so CSRs don’t waste time on mundane tasks. Customers get more accurate fulfillment for their orders and this consistently results in a more positive buyer experience, which strengthens customer loyalty.

3. Upgrading Customer Experience

No touch order processing is a technology experience that the customers of wholesale manufacturers and distributors universally value. In the modern world; expectations around technology are advancing fast. We are used to automated digital processes throughout the supply chain that don’t require human intervention. Increasingly, customer preference is for the automated way of doing things. Within the next few years, any PO that doesn’t turn into a SO within minutes will seem like an anachronism.

Touchless order processing improves customer experience in a more direct way, too. Because it frees up hours in the typical CSR workday, these skilled workers can turn their attention to delivering the very best customer service they can. They can take their time over complex orders, and go in-depth on customer enquiries and challenges. Touchless purchase orders process in the background, which leaves CSRs free to dedicate themselves to customer interaction. Companies can upgrade the valuable CSR touchpoints of upselling, problem-solving, and delivering valuable product recommendations throughout the process. And this adds value for both business and customer.

4. Improving the Bottom Line

Our internal research shows that no touch order processing reduces cost per order from $4.50 to $.96.

This is because touchless order processing immediately confers a reduced need for labor requirements, and streamlines employee tasks. Companies can immediately do more with less. CSRs are freed up to help drive growth. And so customers are happier, and commit more deeply to their supplier relationships. Furthermore, adecline in processing errors means that resources are not squandered correcting human mistakes.

Financially, modernizing sales order management is all upside. The tech is up and running within 30 days, with no burden to IT, and the bottom line benefits emerge immediately.

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