How SMBs Can Benefit From Cloud-Based Order Management

By Fred Lizza

1.      What major challenges are SMBs are facing today?

When I talk to SMBs, they say that one of their biggest challenges is the current business environment in which they compete. Business owners are facing a myriad of fluctuations not only in market conditions, but in how products and services are delivered and through which channels. We live in an information age where consumers have an abundance of information at their fingertips and are connected like never before. The number one goal of SMB retail merchants is efficiently operating across these multiple sales channels, while still providing the ideal customer experience and growing overall revenue.

2.      Are SMBs adopting cloud technology to solve these business challenges?

Yes. In fact, small businesses in the U.S. spent $3.5 billion on cloud technology in 2011, up 41 percent from the $2.2 billion spent in 2010, according to a report by International Data Corp. (IDC), a technology research firm. In 2012, spending on cloud technology was projected to increase by about 25 percent. In 2011, cloud spending by small businesses in the U.S. accounted for around 7 percent of the $53 billion that was spent on all IT expenditures (IDC defines a "small business" as one with fewer than 100 employees).

3.      What is a Cloud-based Order Management System (OMS), and how can it help SMBs?

Taking order management to the cloud can save money, enable faster fulfillment of orders and create happier customers. Two of the most notable benefits of a cloud-based OMS is the anytime, anywhere access to information and the ability to look just like a larger merchant to the consumer. Order management in the cloud is now creating a huge opportunity for SMB retailers to utilize the power of cloud computing to capitalize on growth opportunities by making it simpler and easier to manage orders from multiple channels. With cloud-based order management, important details about the business such as customer orders, fulfillment requests and inventory levels are no longer stuck in the back office.

4.       How is Dydacomp addressing this need?

We just announced Freestyle Commerce, which is designed for SMBs that are looking to accelerate growth, process and fulfill orders, manage inventory and access customer information over the Internet. Freestyle Commerce provides SMBs with the following benefits:

o   Individual dashboards that allow users to focus on the metrics that matter most to the business, like sales data, inventory information and order status.

o   Inventory tracking capability across all eCommerce and offline sales channels.

o   Customer-centric service tools that deliver immediate access to all key customer data.

o   Easy-to-use, faster-to-implement and scalable solution with lower total cost of ownership.