Technical wholesale sector: from counter sales to collective order formation (Part 2/2).

Craftsmen who need spare parts on the spur of the moment, exotic special orders and customers who prefer bundled deliveries - flexibility is key in technical wholesale. But how can these different requirements be met without processes coming to a standstill?

In part 2 of our series, we show how digital solutions for counter sales, special goods and bulk orders not only ensure satisfied customers, but also make internal processes noticeably easier.

Did you miss the first part? This way. Technical wholesale sector: between cable drums, construction site and warehouse. (Part 1/2).

And we continue with the next three challenges.

Challenge 4: Direct sales at the counter to craftsmen.

Craftsmen who need spare parts quickly have no time for bureaucracy. They want to order at the counter and take the goods with them immediately. The warehouse? Normally strictly divided into areas. But now it has to be flexible and not slow down warehouse operations. Many technical wholesalers offer this service. Craftsmen can drop by spontaneously, secure the missing part and get straight back to work.

But as simple as that sounds, there is a process behind it that is anything but trivial. This is because the sales employee at the counter has to go to the warehouse themselves, pick the goods and process the order. Without digital support, this results in waiting time for the customer and stress for the employee.

Solution: Virtual picking area with real-time inventory data

Instead of complicated detours or rigid responsibilities, our software enables sales staff to pick independently and flexibly. And without blocking ongoing operations in the warehouse.

The principle: Normally, each employee is responsible for a specific warehouse area (employee A for area A, employee B for area B). This doesn't work at the sales counter, however, as a single employee needs access to all areas. This is exactly why there is a virtual picking area that bundles all warehouse areas into a single digital access point.

This is how the process works at the counter:‍

1. Logging on to the system: The employee logs on directly at the counter.
2. Fast order picking: He uses a mobile data capture device, picks the required goods and brings them directly to the customer.
3. Returns made easy: If the customer decides on site for a product and rejects the alternatives, the remaining items are returned cleanly.
   - Either directly by the employee themselves.
   - Or collected on a trolley, which is put away again in the evening with optimized routing.
4. Full transparency: a dashboard shows which items are currently on the return trolley at all times.

The result: a smooth process, fewer errors, no lost parts and, above all, satisfied tradesmen who are back on site quickly.

Counter sales at the AutoStore: Craftsmen have priority

The software automatically controls the order priorities. Craftsman requirements are at the top of the list and are processed immediately. This ensures that spontaneous counter orders are processed immediately - without other processes in the warehouse coming to a standstill.

Challenge 5: Specially procured goods.

In technical wholesale, no customer request is too unusual and some are even really exotic. Wholesalers need to be flexible in these cases. While the standard business runs smoothly, the question quickly arises with specially procured goods: how do you manage products that are only needed once, but still need to reach the customer reliably and on time?

This is exactly where the difference between paperwork and clear organization becomes apparent. Every wholesaler is familiar with this situation: a customer orders a very special part in addition to regular items, which will probably never appear again.

• Should the retailer enter this part separately into the ERP system, even though it only occurs once?
• Or does he risk chaos in the warehouse if the item gets lost between regular processes?

The solution lies neither in endless administration nor in chance, but in smart processes.

Solution: Cross-docking process

Instead of channelling special goods through the entire system, clever wholesalers rely on cross-docking. This saves distances and speeds up processes:

• After goods receipt, the goods pass directly through the warehouse without intermediate storage.
• Employees pack them to order in the cross-docking area and make them available at the route location.
• From there, it goes straight out to the customer - fast, lean and without unnecessary administrative ballast.

Flexible in the event of changes.
Our warehouse management software clearly identifies special goods. This maintains an overview without bloating ERP structures. But what if the customer doesn't need their special goods immediately, but in five days' time? No problem. The software allows the item to be temporarily stored and only picked later. This ensures flexibility for every change of plan.

Specially procured goods are not a logistical problem. With a sophisticated cross-docking workflow, one-off special products can be handled effortlessly.

The result:‍

• Happy customers who get exactly what they need.
• A warehouse that is not blocked by superfluous administrative work.
• Processes that are just as flexible as the customer's wishes.

Challenge 6: Consolidation of orders.

Customers order throughout the day - a pack of screws on Monday morning, cable cuttings at lunchtime and another ladder in the afternoon. In the end, several packages or even pallets are waiting for the same recipient. Sounds like unnecessary effort, doesn't it? But it's everyday life in wholesale.

Many customers today want the opposite: a bundled delivery. Preferably at the same time every day or collected on one day of the week. This saves costs, relieves the incoming goods department and reduces CO₂ emissions.

Solution: Collective order formation

Sounds unspectacular, but has a huge effect. Here's how it works:

• All incoming orders from a customer are collected.
• Even if individual orders have already been picked and are ready for packing in order consolidation, the software holds them back.
• Only when everything is together are the orders bundled into a collective order as a pallet or parcel.
• The system automatically combines identical orders into one distribution order and processes them under a single order number.

The result: fewer journeys, leaner processes and optimized routes. And for the customer? a delivery exactly on the desired date.

A real win-win:

• Customers save time and paperwork.
• Companies reduce costs by using full means of transportation.
• The environment benefits from every journey saved.

We have another blog post on technical wholesale that might interest you.

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Do you need an ERP system in addition to a WMS? Then perhaps the SHC solution is right for you.

In technical wholesale, one thing counts above all: systems must work together reliably. This is exactly where the standard interface between SHCware® and our WMS SuPCIS-L8 comes in.

Your advantages at a glance:

• Quick start: You connect the WMS to SHCware® without lengthy IT projects. This saves you time and allows you to immediately implement new processes productively.
• Stable processes: Data runs automatically and error-free between ERP and warehouse management. This reduces manual work and prevents misunderstandings. Our customers confirm the smooth process.
• Flexible in any size: Whether you are a small specialist retailer or a large retail company - the solution grows with you.

The biggest advantage for you: no system breaks, no complicated interfaces. You can concentrate on the essentials, a smooth flow of goods and satisfied customers.

SHComputersysteme GmbH is no newcomer to the industry - on the contrary. They have been developing ERP software for technical wholesalers since 1974. With SHCware® you get a flexible ERP module system for merchandise management, accounting, CRM and many additional modules. In short: an ERP solution that is as flexible as the wholesale trade itself.

Industry expertise: steel trade, electrical wholesale, sanitary wholesale and car parts trade.

SHC is the market leader in electrical wholesale with the most installations in Germany. A clear signal that their software solutions are not only well thought out, but also successful in use. To the SHC partner page.