What software is needed for distributors to use Order Locator Online?

Only their favorite web browser.

What about training?

If you can type your P.O. # and press a Submit button, you don't need any new skills. Order Locator is simple!

What does it cost?

Distributors pay nothing to use Order Locator Online. Suppliers subscribe at the rate of $75/month, after a 90-day free trial period.

What if I can't find my order online?

It's a good idea to use the factory job # as a search criterion if your P.O. # is not found. If that fails, you'll need to contact your supplier to be sure they have your order. If you have a favorite supplier whose data is not on Order Locator, please send us a message to recommend the idea.

What data formats can suppliers use to send order status information to Order Locator Online?

Since 2001, we have accepted text files that are formatted with tab-delimiters or the popular CSV format. These files are sent via FTP, as many times daily as the supplier desires to update their online information.

In 2006, we adjusted Order Locator to accept e-PSA style (3A6) order status however this works only for those distributors who can be found in the UDDI registry. In 2009, Order Locator will begin accepting a new XML format that overcomes this obstacle and permits real-time order status updates.

How is Order Locator different or better than the e-PSA method of reporting order status?

Although there has been an official "pip" for order status reporting available since 2002 it has primarily been used by larger companies whose systems can communicate directly with each other. One shortcoming of the e-PSA "standard" is that it fails to address the needs of the other 99.5% of the industry's distributors.

Another noteworthy difference is the limited number of e-PSA "status codes" which limit the way suppliers can describe the status of any order. Order Locator gives suppliers complete freedom to inform distributors of the EXACT status or location of any order.

Why not use supplier web sites to check order status?

A supplier's web site is the second-best way to communicate order status. While it can give distributors more "depth" about the order details, it requires a log-in that is not necessarily available to sales reps. Moreover, it is time consuming for distributors to visit many dozens of supplier web sites in the course of a day, whereas Order Locator offers "one-stop shopping", so to speak.

If you are a supplier who has not yet invested resources in adding an order status function to your own web site, Order Locator can save you time and money. If yours is already installed, it's wise to send your data to Order Locator in addition to what you do independently, giving your customers the freedom of choice!

What are the best practices recommended for suppliers to maintain and gather data?

If your company is not yet keeping track of the whereabouts or status of the orders that are not yet shipped, you are probably wasting time and money walking around looking for information to relay to customers who spend too much time waiting on hold. Sounds familiar?

We recommend using a simple solution like Order Locator-LAN to manage the flow of orders throughout your operation. Whether or not you install bar-code scanners isyour option. The dividend you'll quickly see is the improvement in customer service and satisfaction … at reduced costs, too.

Is integration software required?

No. As advanced as we may be in 2009, hardly any distributor purchase orders are written so correctly and completely that they can be automatically entered into production electronically and without review. For this reason, Order Locator does not interfere with the way distributors send their purchase orders to suppliers.

What should suppliers do to encourage more distributors to use Order Locator?

Use our free "button kit" to put a link on your web site to instantly direct order status inquiries to Order Locator. Put a notice on your acknowledgements, invoices, statements and other correspondence. Add a link to the email signature of your customer service reps.

And, end every "where's my order?" phone call with a reminder to promotional consultants that the same information is always available on a self-service basis, 24/7 on Order Locator!