An online business has many challenges and anything that saves time on processing web orders can make all the difference to the working day.
Superflex, a business in Wookey, Somerset, has found that by automating its email orders and payments, a previously fiddly and time-consuming process has been greatly simplified.
Superflex is an online business which sells polyurethane suspension bushes for classic cars. Its sister company, Chris Witor, sells parts for Triumph cars. They receive orders from enthusiasts all over the world, which keeps them very busy, but also creates accounting challenges.
Christine Frew, Admin/Accounts Manager at Superflex explains:
‘Previously, our web orders came through via fax, which we then entered onto our accounting system manually. It took about five to ten minutes to do each one, but when you’re dealing with a high volume of web orders each day, that time can mount up, especially as our overseas business is growing.’
Christine approached Springboard IT to see if there was a way of automating the process.
Springboard quickly saw that the answer was to set up a system to extract the key information from the emails that the website generates to confirm each order.
These land directly in Christine’s Outlook account. From here, she can simply click on a ‘Process Order’ button to transfer all the day’s orders and payments to her Quickbooks accounting system.
The order records can then be printed out from Quickbooks in the form of a sales receipt which is used to pick the goods and then accompany the order as the customer’s invoice.
‘The new system has helped no end,’ Christine says. ‘It now takes no time at all to process the orders and, if I need an overview, I can quickly match each amount of money from the payment providers with the relevant order payment.
‘We also have peace of mind, knowing there can be no human error from our end.’
The system is also quick to update, which is a periodic requirement. Most recently the move to Outlook 2016 on Office 365 threw up a glitch. As Springboard manages the system from its offices, and can remotely access Christine’s computer, they can simply update the software and the problem was solved.
Christine is confident that the system Springboard has set up will work for them for years to come:
‘Our online orders are increasing all the time, but the system we have in place can not only cope with that, it will continue to save us more and more time as the business grows. All this without having to invest in new software!’
For more information on Superflex, or Chris Witor, visit their websites: www.superflex.co.uk and www.chriswitor.com.
If you are interested in simplifying your online sales orders, check out Springboard’s website, or get in touch. Contact Us