Channel Content Management

Order management across multiple sale channels can be a complex activity. It’s a lot more than just getting stock and price details correct. Indeed, your content will have a direct impact on search positions, customer response and of course, sales.

With each channel having its own format, rules and requirements, managing these in the face of competitors can result in a mountain of data.

Cyrane provides all the tools you need to enter and manage the data, either on an individual basis allowing individual products to be edited quickly and easily, or using the data import/export tools allowing bulk entries to be made and managed by spreadsheet.

The comprehensive content management took-kit contained in the Cyrane order management system allows you to optimise your sales through Amazon, eBay, and other specified channels.

1. Price management  and margin control

The Cyrane order management system gives real time reporting on margins across sales channels (after selling expenses, carriage charges and costs) as a function of the price control admin dashboard. Seeing where business is being gained and lost and evaluating this with genuine margins will allow you to make sound pricing adjustments quickly and update those changes instantly. The ability to add notes will allow decisions to be reviewed and performance evaluated over time.

2. Variants

Create variant products in bulk from multiple configurable variant options.

3. Images

All product images can be managed within the Cyrane system Upload and re-size images individually or in bulk, reorder them with drag and drop, and allocate to variant products as required.

4. Attributes

Attributes are an increasingly important feature on all sales channels. Gone are the days where a stock feed and price would do the job. Cyrane order management Cyrane order management system gives unlimited scope to create attributes by product, product category or across the board for channel feeds. Whether it’s defining colours by Amazon’s rules, providing multiple categories and sub headings for eBay, or getting the copy and features just right for your own website feed. Cyrane content management systems give scope for all the creativity you need to effectively manage and improve product positioning and sales.

Attributes now required by Amazon and eBay can also be created and included in the product feed to help you maximise search positions and provide the best customer information.

5. Content

All product information can be configured for channel feeds This includes; descriptions, bullet points, specifications etc. All created and maintained within the Cyrane system ready to feed to external sales channels as required. This content management speeds the creation of new products, helps to keep brand and company information consistent, and can save an enormous amount of time. The Cyrane order management system also has extra data management facilities so additional documentation such as PDFs, user or installation manuals, video or other content material can be included with websites and ecommerce channels.

5. Kits,Bundles and BOMs

Cyrane order management system makes creating and managing kits, bundles and BOMs easy. Manage content, prices, special offers and carriage in a single location and configure revenue distribution across products either automatically of manually. This simplifies management of items where VAT rates may differ across kit components. Automatic stock management across different sales channels gives accurate control of product availability and prevents overselling and stock shortages. Cyrane order management reporting tools allow you to report both on margin of the kits and the component items, so you can keep track of results.

6. Drop-ship

Cyrane manages drop-ship services and automatically processes purchase orders. The PO’s are emailed directly from the system to suppliers for direct shipment to customers. The drop-ship module also manages the purchase invoices and synchronises with accounting systems. This eliminates the need to process documents more than once.

Cyrane order management can also process data imports direct from drop-ship suppliers and provide an up to date stock position to customers.

Cyrane Implementation – A Short Guide

Implementing a new order management and fulfilment system is a major undertaking for anyone, and should not be underestimated. However, with a supportive system provider and appropriate preparation you can minimise impact and manage risks to ensure a smooth transition.

Preparation
There are 5 activities that need to be managed to ensure a trouble-free launch:

1. Staff involvement – Staff need to feel part of the new set-up.
2. Data prep – this is crucial and should not be under estimated.
3. Process change – identify where the new system can simplify existing processes.
4. Assign resources – to assist with preparation and testing.
5. Appoint key trainers – to assist with testing and be the first point of contact for support after live.
These five steps will prepare the business for successful launch and ongoing in-house support. Inevitably the personnel assigned and the time allotted to these tasks will determine the total preparation time. This in turn will govern the launch date. If a “must hit” date is critical then dedicated resources should be found to ensure adequate focus can be maintained during the preparation and testing periods.

1. Staff Involvement
Implementing any new system is a team effort. All staff need to be involved to a greater or lesser degree, and all made to feel part of the process. People in general are resistant to change and your staff will be no different. You can’t start the “buy-in” process too soon! Let everyone know that you will be implementing a new order management and fulfilment system and that you will need their input and support as the preparation gets underway. Make sure everyone in the company is aware from the off.

Be prepared for some resistance. Some people in the company who are comfortable with the current solution or fear change will need reassurance.

A small team of two to four people should be your ‘Change Team’, they should have the knowledge to manage data and specify existing processes. Your change team will be working closely with the Cyrane implementation team.

Data Prep
Preparing data from the original source and mapping into Cyrane is often the most demanding and time consuming of all the jobs. It should be set up as a key task and assigned to one individual (if possible). Our implementation team will assist of course as data will need to be extracted from the existing source and mapped to the import structure required by the Cyrane system. Some customers also take this opportunity to “cleanse” the source data and consider just how much of the old data they really need to bring across, often simplifying the task.

Process change
Whilst some of your existing processes will simply be replicated, albeit with a new speedier interface, many will change as elements are automated or removed altogether by the system. It’s important to keep an open mind to review and change the ways things are done to fully benefit from time saving automation and improved customer service provided by the system.

Assign Resources
Clearly indicate who will manage implementation within the company and assign responsibilities so they can, from outset, engage with the Cyrane implementation team. Make sure they have access to other staff, the full data and the key decision makers. This way clarification can be provided when required and testing can be organised and executed. This will also ensure rapid progress is made and ambitious time lines achieved.

Assign Key Trainers
We call them “Super Users”. Maybe they are selected from your implementation team or front-line staff but identify them at the outset and make them your in-house training resource. You’ll find them invaluable as you move forward.

Pre-Launch Needs and Requirements
You will have defined your requirements during the selection process and these will be revisited in some detail in a meeting with the Cyrane implementation team . You will also be asked to comment on a pre-launch questionnaire. Your initial requirements, the notes from the meeting plus the questionnaire will combine to determine system parameter selection and any bespoke work that is required before launch.

Subject to your own requirements of course, we have listed below some processes that we would look to review at the meeting;

Warehouse & Stock control
Barcoding/Scanning
Operational efficiencies

Third Party Integrations
• Accounting packages
• Carriers
• Data feeds
• Company and Product Reviews services
• Postcode lookup, etc.
Marketing channels – Amazon, Google Base, eBay etc.

Documentation and branding

Data management
• Suppliers
• Customers – trade/ retail
• Product data/images
• Price lists
• Currency
• Archive
Payment processing – online and mail order
Stock Take and Launch – You will need to factor in an initial stock take

Reporting
• Standard reports
• Report tools
• Ad hoc reports
• Access to data tables etc…
EPOS retail till, retail app, trade counter

Marketing Opportunities
• Integrated websites(s)
• Functionality of website
• Managing multiple brands
• Managing multiple channels
• Campaign and Promotion management tools
• Database marketing/Customer Segmentation
• International operations

Sales Activity
• Telephone/mail order call centre – in-house and 3rd party providers
• Shop floor – EPOS
• Shop floor – roaming staff with tablet app
• B2B – sales rep – processing orders on tablet app
• Own website – 3rd party supplier – integration

Customer Service tools
CRM services

Hardware Set-up
PC’s
Tills
Wireless scanners for warehouse use

Testing and Training
We will release Cyrane to you soon after commission so you are able to get familiar with the system, the processes and set-up functions right from the off, long before launch! This way your dedicated implementation team and other staff can start to get familiar with the system, learn how it “ticks” and most importantly, gain confidence. This will increase as set-up and data import is tested by the staff.

Our intention is to get you and your team into a position such that launch is merely switching off tests and seamlessly moving to live. In fact, the only real activity at launch will be the initial stock take. Indeed, the key initial training will have been covered (and practiced) during the preceding weeks and we will be on site on the launch day to confirm, encourage and remind rather than start anything from scratch.

For those that have larger teams of call centre staff, training will be completed by us with your dedicated “super users” who will ensure that much of the required knowledge is held in-house. A real cost saving on training.

And Finally …
Best to plan for a launch date at the start of the week, with maybe the stock take starting late the week before and, if necessary, completed over the weekend. That way there is plenty of time to iron out any wrinkles that have eluded testing whilst all staff on hand to attend.

We have implemented many Cyrane systems over the years and are well practiced in the optimum planning and execution. Clearly this needs to take due account of your company’s unique circumstances and with Cyrane’s many years of experience managing change you’re in good hands!

6. Delivery
Integrating the Cyrane warehouse management system with carriers speeds the despatch process, and allows consignment details to be automatically emailed to customers for delivery notification and online tracking.

7. Returns management
A comprehensive returns management system allows returned orders to be inspected, returned to stock, returned to supplier, scrapped or marked as B grade for sales through other channels. Customer transactions can be credited, or alternative items substituted as replacements (items may be of greater or lesser value if required).

8. Purchase orders
Cyrane warehouse management system can create Purchase Orders either manually or automatically (based on minimum stock levels and re-order quantities). Goods expected details are available for sales staff so future orders can be processed and customers advised on availability. Scanner based put away and stock take/partial stock take systems provide further efficiencies.

9. Multiple warehouses
Scalable warehouse management systems are an integral part of Cyrane. Able to manage a business with a single warehouse and multiple locations and fully independent multiple warehouses, each with its own despatch, pick and despatch operation. Cyrane also provides for an inter warehouse transfer capability across warehouses. This scalability allows the Cyrane warehouse management system to grow with the business, cope with sudden and unexpected demand whilst still operating as the core business system. Module charges only apply when they are employed. This ensures you only pay for what you need, and you are able to expand without the cost, disruption and delay associated with implementing new business systems.

A Tablet Based app

When someone mentions electronic point of sale EPOS, most people’s minds turn to supermarket checkouts with rapid scanning and checkout, and whilst in many businesses that is exactly what is required it isn’t always the case. The Cyrane EPOS app can manage all that with speed and efficiency but can also be used in a variety of other ways and provide real benefit. Browser based and operating across, tills, laptops and tablets the EPOS app affords wide ranging versatility. Some of these uses are explored below…

Allocate customer sales to their account

The EPOS app has the ability to search customer’s records so that sales can be allocated to their account. This provides for a complete record of customers’ purchasing habits captured for analysis and marketing purposes. For niche retailers this can be a revelation, how many times does a customer visit the shop and order online as well. Also, the system allows customers to use voucher codes or promotional codes online, in store and for telesales. This gives customers flexibility and allows accurate tracking of response and profitability of promotions through all channels.

Trade account customers

The customer account structure allows orders to be allocated to customer trade accounts direct from the EPOS system thus allowing purchases to be made on credit accounts immediately at the point of sale.

Shows/Exhibitions/Consultative sales

The EPOS app enables orders to be taken on the move at external events with customers. View stock availability at the touch of a button, have all the product information instantly to hand, specifications, images, stock availability and of course the ability to process orders there and then. Instant information on hand from EPOS when you’re directly communicating with the customer provides fantastic customer service and terrific sales opportunities.

Field sales

Create quotes, pro-forma invoices or sales orders whilst with customers in the field. Instant access to customer purchasing history and previously created projects, quotes and orders helps field staff to seal the deal there and then!
Wish lists
Access customer’s wish lists created online in the store. Modify, edit and complete or save for further customer review online later.

The Cyrane retail EPOS app opens up new possibilities for companies to improve their customer experience whilst transforming business efficiency.