You’ll discover how Esker technology works to addresses the complexity of fax and email order processing into any ERP. Quickly learn the common pitfalls of conventional order processing, then watch the full webinar to see how automation can help you!

1. © 2013 Esker, Inc.
Sales Order Processing
Better Order Management:
A Path to OTC Excellence
and Competitiveness
Steve Smith
www.esker.com
May 2013

2. Better Order Management: A Path to OTC Excellence and Competitiveness
SALES ORDER
PROCESSING

3. Better Order Management: A Path to OTC Excellence and Competitiveness
SALES ORDER
PROCESSING
Downside of Manual Order Processing
How is it hurting your company?
Affects customer & employee
satisfaction.
Time spent manually entering orders
interferes with time spent servicing high-
value customers
Slows / complicates process.
Manual order entry is a slow, labor-
intensive process that often leads to poor
data quality and increased errors
Reduces visibility and control.
In an “untamed” sales order process,
poor visibility affects your ability to
accurately track and report orders

4. Better Order Management: A Path to OTC Excellence and Competitiveness
SALES ORDER
PROCESSING
Challenge No. 1 — Customers
Why can’t they just be electronic?
Electronic documents are not that simple
– No one can agree on 1 standard format
– Fax & email are easy
– Built into all ERP solutions
– Anyone can receive and read them
Many customers have an unwillingness
or inability to use EDI
– Force customers to EDI?
– Are you ready for EDI?
– Customers do as they please … and
who’s going to refuse an order?
EDI
Customers

5. Better Order Management: A Path to OTC Excellence and Competitiveness
SALES ORDER
PROCESSING
Challenge No. 2 — Semi-Structured Forms
Consider the complexities of order formats …
Number of line-items on the average order
Ability to update document capture formats
Handling multiple orders within a single transmission
Send to Bill-to or Ship-to?
– Sometimes multiple Bill-to or Ship-to locations
Shipping requirements
Early payment discount?
Inaccurate data on order
– Wrong part numbers
– Wrong pricing
– Customer does not exist in your database
Order confirmation issues
– Customer calls asking if order is received and
processed.

6. Better Order Management: A Path to OTC Excellence and Competitiveness
SALES ORDER
PROCESSING
Avoid saddling your infrastructure
with too many tools and technologies
Multiple point-to-point systems
– Fax, imaging, OCR,
capture, formatting
– Email
– Validation, workflow,
exception handling
– EDI, data conversion,
archiving
High costs
– Administration
– Knowledge
– Maintenance
– Hardware
Application modification is
costly and time-consuming
Challenge No. 3 — IT Landscape
Customers Your Company
Fax Machines
POs manually
gathered and filed
Manage
r
CSRs
EDI
ED
I
Customer
Service
Fax
Server
& OCR
EDI
Software
& VAN
Archive
Solution
&
Scanning
Email
Distribution

7. Better Order Management: A Path to OTC Excellence and Competitiveness
SALES ORDER
PROCESSING
Challenge No. 4 — Other Pitfalls
What other considerations should businesses understand
before automating orders into your ERP?
Historic automation limitations
– Basic OCR and imaging vs. intelligent capture
– Accuracy rate
– Handwriting
– Templates impractical for variations in order format
• Paper and manual intervention often still required
Limited connectivity with your ERP
– Lack of integration with your ERP can create inaccurate data

8. Better Order Management: A Path to OTC Excellence and Competitiveness
SALES ORDER
PROCESSING
Upside of Automated Order Processing
According to research by IT industry analyst, IDC, the benefits of
automated order processing can be organized in three categories:
1)Enhanced productivity
– Reduced number of errors and returns
– Reduced time spent on order management
1)Increased market competitiveness
– Better cost management and cash flow
– Reduced customer order processing and storage costs
1)Improved customer satisfaction
– On-time shipping and delivery
– Ability to track orders and attend to customers’ requests

9. Better Order Management: A Path to OTC Excellence and Competitiveness
SALES ORDER
PROCESSING
Upside of Automated Order Processing
Continued …
Why is now an opportune time to implement an automated order
processing solution instead of adding headcount?
Even with order volumes rising for many businesses, economic uncertainty
has caused a reluctance to increase headcount
Companies are looking for ways to become more efficient to manage
growth
Automation is a much more cost-effective and resourceful solution
for businesses ordering products on an “as-needed” basis

10. Better Order Management: A Path to OTC Excellence and Competitiveness
SALES ORDER
PROCESSING
Find Out More by Watching our Recorded
Webinar…
Follow Us on Twitter @EskerInc
and learn more at www.esker.com
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