From eCom to EDI: How our partnership with TrueCommerce is changing the game

Nothing is more important to us than our partnerships - especially ones that allow us to be innovative, agile, and scalable. Our partnership with TrueCommerce allows brands to solve everyday business challenges with proven wins such as:

• 31% fewer stock-outs
• 34% improved inventory turns
• Up to 25% faster ERP implementations

Our collaboration provides brands with an added-value solution that streamlines multichannel and omnichannel routes to market, ensuring efficiency and scalability. What more could you ask for? Well, let’s get into it.

Experts in Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) with certified adapters for all ERPs including SAP (B1 and S/4ANA Public Cloud), Microsoft (Business Central and F&O) and Netsuite as well as Sage, Infor and Acumatica, TrueCommerce has 30 years of experience as one of the few global supply chain documentation solutions.

The TrueCommerce client portfolio includes the biggest names in grocery, apparel, pharmaceutical and automotive: Travis Perkins, Sainsbury’s and Asda to name a few. However impressive these big names are their clients also include thousands of small vendors supplying the big retailers. TrueCommerce is proud to support them, too.

We’re not ones to beat around the bush: multichannel commerce is hard. It’s complex and time-consuming and we know brands face significant challenges, from co-ordinating online and offline sales, maintaining inventory accuracy, and ensuring timely order fulfilment and delivery. And that’s just naming a few.

Simply put, if you process purchase orders, shipping notifications, and invoices, the chances are you may already be dealing with a vast network of trading partners without even knowing it. Our partnership with TrueCommerce allows us to address these pain points head-on and offers an integrated solution with access to 180,000 trading partners, simplifying the management of multichannel operations. Yes, we’re making it sound way easier than it is - but this is why our partner ecosystem is so important.

TrueCommerce’s EDI solutions: Automating B2B transactions

TrueCommerce has advanced EDI integrations to ERP solutions that automate the exchange of essential business documents, from purchase orders to invoices to shipping notices. This automation not only reduces manual errors but also accelerates the transaction process, enabling you to deal more effectively with major national outlets or transact freely with international stockists, without the usual headache.

Even brands with some sort of solution often find it is not up to scratch as their business grows, both nationally and internationally, as they have to deal with the new electronic invoice government mandates or win more demanding contracts.

In addition, for many large retailers, having an EDI solution is a prerequisite for partnership—and expanding your market presence isn’t easy without one. What is typically seen is that a company wins a contract with a national retailer, only to discover they are spending hours every day doing supply chain paperwork in formats strictly dictated by the retailer.

Luckily for us, TrueCommerce provides proactively managed solutions for supply chain documentation that saves hours of time each day.

Why is supply chain connectivity so important?

1. Real-time visibility: This transparency allows you to monitor inventory levels, track shipments, and manage orders more effectively. Real-time data helps you make informed decisions, reducing the risk of stockouts or excess inventory. The results? Keep your customers happy and wanting more.
2. Efficiency and speed: Integrated supply chains streamline operations, reducing the time it takes for products to move from production to the consumer. This efficiency is especially important for perishable goods, where delays can lead to significant losses.
3. Cost savings: By automating processes and improving coordination, supply chain connectivity reduces operational costs. Brands can avoid manual errors, reduce labour costs, and minimise waste, leading to overall cost savings. Kaching!
4. Enhanced customer satisfaction: When the supply chain is well-connected, customers receive their orders faster and with fewer errors. We’re confident we don’t need to expand on this, but in short, fast delivery + no errors = happy customers :)
5. Competitive advantage: Brands with connected supply chains can respond more quickly to market changes and customer demands. This agility provides a competitive edge, allowing you to stay ahead. And we only work with winners (just kidding).
6. Compliance and risk management: Connectivity ensures that all supply chain partners adhere to compliance standards and regulatory requirements. It also helps in identifying and mitigating risks promptly, so you can stay ahead of the game and keep things sweet.
   
   

The proof is in the pudding

The successes of Nutrigums highlight the transformative impact of effective multichannel strategies. Don’t believe us? Read on.

Nutrigums: Nutrigums have leveraged their strong online presence to expand into supermarkets like Aldi. Their promotional activities and consistent stock availability are supported by the integrated solutions provided by fulfilmentcrowd. This ensures that Nutrigums products are always fresh and available on shelves, maximising sales and customer satisfaction. The people need their gummies - and Nutrigums is able to meet that demand head-on.

The value of EDI in managing perishable goods

Maintaining product freshness and availability is critical. Dry, soggy, cold, or hot products (that aren’t actually supposed to be dry, soggy, cold, or hot) will and do lead to disgruntled customers, damage to your brand’s reputation, and major cost losses. TrueCommerce’s EDI integrations ensure an accurate and timely exchange of information between suppliers and retailers, making sure your risk of stockouts or overstock situations is low. This precision is crucial for avoiding losses due to spoilage and ensuring that products reach customers in optimal condition.

“What people don’t realise is that when product is missing off a shelf it is not usually because someone forgot to order it. Quite often that is because of a glitch with the supply chain documentation. We have seen lorries full of milk sat because the shop didn’t know to expect them. This leads to finger pointing not to mention the potential loss of footfall. Small errors in a process can have devastating effects, particularly with time-sensitive and perishable goods”

Andrea Brown, TrueCommerce VP Channel, EMEA.

Enhancing multichannel and omnichannel success

Our joint value proposition and partnership with TrueCommerce is to offer premium services that support multichannel and omnichannel brands in achieving success. It’s not rocket science - but it is logistical science. By combining our own expertise in warehousing, order processing, and distribution alongside TrueCommerce’s advanced EDI technology, we provide a comprehensive solution that addresses the unique challenges of managing multiple sales channels.

Scalability: As you grow, so do your logistical needs. Our partnership ensures that you have the infrastructure and technology in place to scale efficiently, whether expanding your online presence or entering new or international B2B markets.

Efficiency: Automation of EDI processes reduces manual intervention, lowers costs, and improves accuracy. This efficiency translates to better inventory management, faster order fulfilment, and ultimately, happier customers. Yay!

Compliance: With TrueCommerce’s EDI solutions, you can easily comply with the stringent requirements of large retailers, giving you a head start on those successful partnerships and increased market presence.

Cross-channel integration: By integrating eCommerce and B2B channels, we help maximise their reach and efficiency. This integration ensures that inventory levels are accurately tracked across all sales channels, reducing the risk of stockouts or oversupply.

Data-driven insights: You’re only as good as your data - and luckily our solutions provide detailed insights into sales performance and inventory levels, giving you everything you need to make informed decisions. These insights help optimise marketing strategies, enhance customer experiences, and drive sales growth. B-e-a-utiful.

What’s next?

For more information about our services and how we can support your brand's growth, speak to a member of our team.

This partnership is allowing us to build a future where eCommerce brands can seamlessly connect with B2B channels, ensuring efficiency, scalability, and success. We’re looking to revolutionise the process - and we’re pretty confident that you might want to join us.

Start your journey with fulfilmentcrowd and TrueCommerce today, and experience the power of seamless EDI integration and premium fulfilment services.