Business-to-Business Internet Marketing, Fourth Edition - Lifecycle ...

160 BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS INTERNET MARKETING
6
Executing E-fulfillment
160
Fulfillment—the process of responding to an inquiry or order—has always
been a knotty problem for marketers. Since the early days of direct
marketing, marketers have realized that answering a prospect’s
inquiry or fulfilling a customer’s order can be a logistical nightmare.
The basic inquiry and order fulfillment process has not really changed
much over the years. A prospect or customer receives a solicitation. The
person makes an inquiry or places an order…and then the fun begins.
The marketer responds to a prospect’s inquiry via direct mail, sending
data sheets, a catalog, or some other literature in a large envelope, sometimes
with a personalized letter, often via first class mail. To fulfill a
customer’s order, the marketer receives and must verify payment and
ensure that the order is completed and shipped with the appropriate
merchandise. Returns, of course, are a necessary evil of the business.
Whether it is inquiries or orders, speed is of the essence. Industry
studies show that, if a prospect’s inquiry is not fulfilled within 48 hours,
interest cools. If an order is not fulfilled promptly, a customer is likely
to become an ex-customer shortly thereafter. Managing the inquiry and
order process is largely database driven and automated, but it still involves
back-end work that is labor intensive and often expensive.
Inquiry and order fulfillment software, systems, and services are, of
course, available to make life easier for the marketer. In the case of