Avoid Fulfillment Woes

Because the merchant’s order volume was growing about 25 percent a year, the company asked my firm to help with warehouse operations planning for the 2005 holiday season. We provided a warehouse assessment to help determine how to meet growing demand.

Using the existing facility was not a feasible long-term option, and an expansion or a move would be necessary. But if possible, the cataloger wanted to get one more year’s use from the existing space, in part to help it make a more informed decision about long-term plans. Additionally, the company wanted to increase customer service during the peak weeks, which would reduce expenses absorbed to ship before Christmas and yield a significant increase in customer satisfaction.