Order status automation is the automatic tracking and sharing of an order’s progress, so customers learn where their order stands without anyone on the supplier’s team having to tell them. Updates are triggered by events in the system rather than by a rep remembering to send one.
For distributors, it removes a steady stream of interruptions. “Where is my order?” calls are one of the most common reasons retailers phone an order desk, and almost none of them need a human to answer.
The statuses customers care about
| Status | What it tells the buyer |
|---|---|
| Received | The order arrived and is being processed |
| Confirmed | What will ship, at what price and when |
| Exception raised | Something needs their decision |
| Partially allocated | Some lines are short or on backorder |
| Picked | The order is being prepared |
| Dispatched | It has left the depot, with expected arrival |
| Delivered | Confirmed receipt |
| Invoiced | Billing issued |
Most buyers do not want every one of these. They want the two or three that change what they do next, usually confirmation, any exception and dispatch.
Reactive versus proactive status updates
Reactive means the customer asks and someone answers. Each query costs a few minutes of a rep’s time, and the answer is only as current as the last time that rep checked the system.
Proactive means the update goes out automatically when the status changes. The buyer does not have to ask, and the information is accurate at the moment it is sent.
The difference compounds. A distributor fielding a hundred status calls a week spends several hours a week answering questions the system already knows the answer to.
What triggers an update
Automated status updates are driven by events already recorded in the ERP or order management system: the order is confirmed, a line goes on backorder, the pick is complete, the delivery is dispatched. Good status automation needs those events to be recorded accurately and in real time, which is why it tends to work best alongside a properly maintained order management system.
Choosing channels and frequency
Match the customer’s channel. A retailer who orders by text usually wants updates by text. Sending them to an email address nobody reads achieves nothing.
Send fewer, better updates. Eight notifications per order trains buyers to ignore all of them. Confirmation, exceptions and dispatch cover most needs.
Make exceptions stand out. An update that needs a decision should not look like one that does not.
Give a self-service option. A portal or a reply-to-check option suits buyers who want detail on demand.
Benefits
- Fewer inbound status calls and emails
- Buyers hear about problems early enough to act
- Reps spend their time on orders rather than updates
- Consistent communication across every account, not just the vocal ones
- Fewer disputes, because expectations were set in writing
How Ordana helps
Ordana keeps retailers informed as a by-product of processing the order rather than as a separate task. The Ordana Desk Agent confirms every order as soon as it closes, states any substitutions or shortfalls, and reaches the retailer through the channel they already use.
When a buyer does ask for an update, they get an answer without waiting for a rep. The Ordana Chat Agent handles status questions over text and portal chat, and the Ordana Voice Agent answers the call when they phone, so status queries no longer compete with order processing for your team’s attention.
Schedule a demo to see how Ordana keeps your customers updated.
Frequently asked questions
How often should customers be updated on an order?
At confirmation, whenever something needs their decision, and at dispatch. More than that tends to be ignored.
Does order status automation need an order management system?
It needs accurate, real-time status events from somewhere, which is usually the ERP or an order management system.
Can status updates be sent by text?
Yes, and for buyers who order by text it is often the channel they respond to fastest.
Does automation remove the need for a status portal?
No. Proactive updates and self-service suit different buyers, and most distributors offer both.
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