Order Fulfillment Virtual Assistant

Keeping track of all your customers’ orders is a detail-focused and time-consuming task, especially when you have multiple marketplaces or selling platforms to consider. This aspect of owning an online store is very admin-heavy because someone has to make sure the right products go to the right people in the most efficient way possible.

This is where an order fulfillment specialist can come in and help you. An order fulfillment expert can take care of all the nitty-gritty details necessary for packing and sending out your customers’ orders properly. This task is essential because timely and accurate order fulfillment is integral to customer satisfaction.

You may be wondering how getting an order processing virtual assistant can be more beneficial than hiring a physical employee. Hiring a virtual order fulfillment associate opens up a wider pool of candidates for you to choose from. This means that it’s easier for you to find someone who can suit your specific needs. A virtual employee also costs less because you won’t need to pay for office space, equipment, or allowances. Basically, you get more options and a similar level of service but at a much better value.

An order fulfillment virtual assistant (VA) can handle most of the tasks involved in making sure your customers get what they bought, including:

• Processing orders

Your order fulfillment VA can compile orders and make sure there is an organized packing list. They can also create the shipping labels and help double-check that the correct packages go to the right customers.

• Tracking orders

Once the packaged orders get shipped, your customer fulfillment specialist can update the order to reflect the correct tracking number. They can also track the orders themselves to ensure that the orders go where they’re supposed to. Also, they can confirm receipt with the customers and ask for feedback.

• Helping to keep track of inventory

Since your order fulfillment VA has a hand in order processing and packing, they can help your inventory manager by flagging items that are going low on stock or telling them about sudden demand surges. This way, you can minimize opportunity costs due to having out-of-stock products.

• Customer after-sales service

Your order fulfillment VA can handle returns or exchanges made by customers or even refunds if necessary. They can answer these kinds of queries, manage customer attitude and expectations, and make sure that any required order changes are handled smoothly. They can also deal with inquiries regarding delayed fulfillment and manage customer satisfaction around delays by being proactive in updates or offering packages or discounts for unhappy customers.

Not sure what to look for in an order fulfillment virtual assistant? Here are just some things you can look out for when hiring:

• Detail-oriented

Accurate order fulfillment means having an eye for the details. From verifying product count to making sure the zip codes in the shipping labels are all correct, there are many small finicky parts that a fulfillment specialist needs to keep track of. Therefore, your VA needs to have a natural inclination towards spotting these tiny details so that they can do their job effectively.

• Good communication skills

An order fulfillment VA doesn’t just need to be able to communicate well with you; they should also be able to communicate well with customers. This is why it’s crucial for any VA you’re considering to be excellent at both written and verbal communication. They should be able to read the room well and manage the mood and attitudes of customers. They should also know when they can push and when they should concede, especially since they will handle returns, exchanges, and refunds.

• Organized

Because there are so many details and moving parts to keep track of, it’s vital for any order fulfillment specialist to be organized so that fewer things fall through the cracks. It’s also helpful because organized processes and record-keeping means that you or your other employees can quickly help cover for your fulfillment specialist during peak seasons or whenever your specialist needs to take a break.

Hiring an order fulfillment VA can be rewarding and save any business owner a lot of time and headaches. However, starting the hiring process can be slow or complicated, especially when you’ve never hired a virtual assistant before. Working with trusted virtual staffing companies like 20four7VA can help you with this.

20four7VA can help you identify your needs and look for and shortlist just the most appropriate candidates for you to interview. From there, you just have to choose who best fits, and 20four7VA can help you onboard them and track their progress. You won’t need to worry about managing hours or payroll because 20four7VA can facilitate that for you. They can even help provide upskilling training to your VA so that your VA can grow as your business grows.