A big increase in demand is a good position for any eCommerce business to be in, but it does have its challenges. If you are set up to cope with a relatively small amount of orders and that number suddenly triples overnight, you may struggle to keep up. This is a big problem because an upturn in demand like this is a huge opportunity for growth. If you can manage it in the right way, you may be able to sustain it. On the other hand, if you don’t handle it well, you’ll end up with a lot of unhappy customers on your hands, and you will miss this golden opportunity to expand the business.
The key is to act quickly and make the necessary changes to your business so you can cope with the increased demand and keep customers happy. Good communication is also crucial, especially if you foresee problems with deliveries, etc. If your business is starting to grow and you are worried about how you will handle a big influx of orders, read on to learn about the vital changes you need to make.
Manage Customer Expectations
This is the number one thing you need to do. Your customers don’t know that you’re experiencing a huge volume of orders that you are not necessarily able to deal with. All they know is that they’ve ordered a product and they’re expecting it to be delivered when you say it will be. If it’s late, they won’t have any sympathy, and they probably won’t buy from you again. However, if you are realistic with your delivery times, even if that means making customers wait a little longer, people won’t feel let down. You can simply email them and let them know that delivery times are a bit longer at the moment because you’re very busy, but you will get their deliveries to them as quickly as possible. Remember, it’s better to underpromise and overdeliver than to let customers down.
Upgrade Your Shipping Operation
Making overnight upgrades to your shipping operation is easier said than done. Installing conveyor systems and putting barcode ID on products takes a long time, so even though you should look into these upgrades, you need to do something more immediate. Start by contacting an experienced forklift rentals service to get some machines for moving items around the warehouse. You’re dealing with products on a much larger scale, so you need more heavy-duty equipment.
You’ll also need more staff, so get in touch with a temping agency and ask them to supply more employees to help you process orders. Remember, this influx of orders may be temporary, so you don’t want to hire full-time employees that you may not be able to afford in a few months.
Finally, consider the courier service that you’re using and whether they are capable of fulfilling so many orders. If you are working with a small company that isn’t set up to do things on a bigger scale, you should consider switching to a different courier.
Identify The Cause Of Increased Demand
It’s important that you work out the secret to your success so you can replicate it. There must be a reason why there is suddenly a huge demand for your products, so what is it? Maybe you just launched a new insurance marketing campaign that really connected? Or could it be that you changed your prices? In some cases, it could be a seasonal thing. If you can work out what caused this big rush in the first place, you can recreate it in the future and sustain it, so your business grows and becomes more profitable.
Knowing the cause of increased demand also means that you can be more prepared for it next time. This is especially true if it is a seasonal demand because you can upgrade your shipping operation and hire extra staff ahead of time so you don’t get caught out by a sudden rush.
Follow Up With New Customers
Usually, when you have a big influx of orders, you’ll get a lot of new customers that are discovering your store for the first time. You have one opportunity to prove yourself to these new customers in the hope that they will become regular patrons, meaning that you can sustain growth long-term. Following up is a good chance to start building a relationship with them and encourage them to browse your site again. A simple email to welcome them and ask for some feedback goes a long way. You can also use this as an opportunity to gather some reviews for your site too.
If your orders skyrocket overnight, it can be very daunting to deal with. But if you get it right, you can take your business to the next level. Keep these important steps in mind and start creating a plan ahead of time so when the orders do start flooding in, you can handle it easily.