10 trends to watch.

By Bill Spaide

Staff composition will change, with a marked increase in the higher-skilled positions (e.g., service consultants, support services, Internet/correspondence). Of course, some catalogers will continue to encourage direct contact with a real person, especially in high-value businesses.

Conclusion

Several core elements of fulfillment won’t change in the coming years. Fulfillment will continue to be an extremely difficult activity to manage effectively, given the complex processing requirements, high service expectations, extreme seasonality, and need for both a low-wage workforce and constant balancing of service with cost.