Budget Resolutions for the New Year

As you complete your 2018 reports, you may be setting your business plans for 2019. To make sure nothing is overlooked, we have selected five key areas that could be considered to help you succeed in e-commerce.

Here are a few suggestions to improve the customer experience, support your company and manage your warehouse and logistics supply chain, helping you achieve great success in 2019.

1. Strengthen your customer experience
Companies are now focusing more on customer satisfaction by adopting a customer-centred approach. This is an opportunity to promote your brand. Consider how television viewing habits have changed in recent years. Flat-screen TVs have advanced to high definition, while smart TVs and 4D cinemas now offer a multisensory experience.

The same can be seen in the e-commerce industry. A new customer’s loyalty to a brand can be won with the very first order, initially through the delivery time and, secondly, through the physical condition of the ordered product when it arrives. It is understandable that freight transport and courier services are beyond your control. What does the customer see when the package is opened? First impressions are important, which is why the experience customers have when unpacking their order matters so much to many companies.

Here are some ideas for improving the company–customer relationship:
– Make packaging easy to open: Product packaging may look fantastic, but it is vital to ensure that it is easy to open. One of the best-selling products is the cardboard box with a tear strip.
– Make sure the returns process is easy: Providing the quickest possible returns procedure helps retain customers, as they will feel confident buying from you again even if they have returned a product for various reasons—all of which form part of the purchasing experience.
– Improve the product experience: Personalise the packaging to create a positive experience during unboxing.

2. Choose eco-friendly packaging alternatives
As the e-commerce sector continues to grow rapidly, the resources required to support this industry are also increasing. Use more eco-friendly packaging options. Environmentally friendly packaging alternatives are available. You can choose corrugated cardboard packaging to fill empty spaces in the box or biodegradable cardboard made from potatoes!

Our advice:
Eco-friendly purchasing policy: Use responsibly sourced supplies whenever possible and consider your supply chain. Also review the environmental impact of your business.
Be aware of new technologies: Develop packaging processes and, where possible, switch to environmentally responsible packaging alternatives.
Eco-friendly packaging can help reduce transport costs by using innovative packaging designs and reducing, for example, unnecessary empty space in boxes.

A simple eco-friendly packaging solution that protects your products and helps the environment is green bubble wrap!

Improve logistics chain efficiency
To reduce delivery times, you need to manage your warehouse in order to improve logistics supply chain efficiency and provide customers with a positive experience.

Reducing transport and logistics costs is important for every business. One area you can control is reducing the weight and volume of your shipments and streamlining the packaging process to deliver orders quickly and prevent damage.

Our advice:
Technology is the future: Consider investing in new systems that will allow you to increase productivity, as customers have increasingly high expectations of your business.
Research immediately available resources: You will save time and be able to make good decisions for your business.
Seek advice or support early: Discuss your business requirements with a packaging specialist to find solutions and optimise your processes, whether you have a start-up or a warehouse with high turnover.
Invest in multifunctional packaging and processes: Implementing a new, innovative packaging process may seem tempting, but you will need to check whether it suits your business and can increase your output.
Invest and grow: Every logistics upgrade involves an initial investment, but the long-term savings in transport and logistics will be visible in your next budget analysis.

4. Personalise your packaging
From placing an order to its arrival and unpacking, the customer’s experiences are just as valuable as the product itself. Keep your customers satisfied.

2019 New Year’s Resolution: Be bold and personalise your packaging with your brand!
Personalised packaging can help you say more about your business.

Including a flyer, brochure or thank-you note in the packaging
Think about the content and the message you want to convey. Encourage customers to share positive experiences, include a promotional code to encourage another purchase or personalise the flyer with the recipient’s name or even the name of the person who packed the parcel. Include a thank-you message for purchasing your products.

Personalised tissue paper
Choose paper in your brand colours or personalise it with your company logo. Personalised paper is widely used in the retail industry. If you choose to invest in personalised packaging, tissue paper is a simple option, although its impact is smaller because only the recipient will see it. Nevertheless, think about the reactions and feelings it creates. If personalised printing is not an option, choosing coloured tissue paper in your brand colours is a quick alternative to personalising the packaging or even the tissue paper.

Personalised adhesive tape for sealing parcels
Benefits of personalised printed tape:
Adds security and tamper resistance: your personalised printed tape is unique and cannot be easily reproduced.
Strengthens your brand: extend your brand experience through brand recognition by transport operators.

Personalised labels
For a cost-effective option, alongside tissue paper, for decoration and additional protection, why not use a personalised label to seal the tissue paper or use the label to close your boxes on the outside. This is a great opportunity to consider the brand experience, as the label can be used for any message, not just your logo!

5. Improve your warehouse productivity
Improve packaging efficiency with new technologies, such as warehouse process automation, to equip your business and help increase its productivity.

Ensuring the right level of resources for warehouse loading operations is vital. Investing in employees is important, and providing them with the right tools and training to do their jobs is essential.

Tips for 2019 budgets
Environmentally friendly logistics – responsible eco-friendly packaging and optimised loading space.
Improve the customer experience – improve the appearance and design of your packaging.
Optimise your warehouse and make it more efficient – aim for prompt deliveries, efficient storage processes and reliable equipment.

What are your business objectives for 2019?
For a free audit and no-obligation consultation, do not hesitate to contact the INATECH team at +40 214.480.358 or by email at [email protected]