eCommerce Automation Supports Omnichannel Operations

R&R Textiles is omnichannel through and through, according to their CEO. The company started working with SPS in 2014 based on the recommendation of one of their customers, W. W. Grainger. Initially, the business was able to streamline order fulfillment through SPS Fulfillment’s online portal. The portal guided R&R Textiles through the required documents for each customer, using business language so they didn’t need to learn EDI to process their orders. The supplier was entering a complex stage of business growth and needed to comply with additional trading partner requirements. This automation dramatically reduced data entry and sped up fulfillment times.

Keeping up with complex omnichannel customer requirements

R&R Textile’s product mix and SKUs are constantly changing. It’s critical to keep the data organized, up-to-date and in the hands of its staff and partners who need it. “We ship products ranging from multi-pallet container load shipments all the way down to individual unit shipments with a customized towel. Our processes are scaled for that in terms of constant flexibility,” shared Barad.

Using eCommerce automation to support all stages of business growth

The supplier used manual data entry to manage its order fulfillment in 2017 when they were new to eCommerce. They were testing the waters to understand the order volumes that this channel would deliver, as well as what the financial upside would be. The company soon understood how transaction-intensive this channel would become. It was time for eCommerce automation.

In 2018, R&R Textiles partnered with SPS Commerce to further automate their order process by integrating EDI with their NetSuite ERP solution. This advancement placed all omnichannel orders into their ERP so they could immediately review and approve orders, update inventories and manage larger volumes of transactions without adding resources.

“Without an EDI connection, our company would be a nightmare. We wouldn’t be able to operate the way we do, just day to day. I couldn’t imagine a scenario where we’re doing manual data entry.”
– Rajan Barad, CEO, R&R Textiles

How can suppliers use eCommerce automation to stay focused?

According to Barad, SPS Fulfillment and its integration into NetSuite is a vital part of their business. Their fast-paced business needs to continually deliver new designs and new products. This means they need to focus on product development, not EDI or manual data entry.

R&R Textile’s omnichannel retail strategy requires flexible processes and quick-turn deliveries to their customers, big and small. As their eCommerce automation has evolved, their staff no longer need to enter orders manually. Orders are visible at once in NetSuite thanks to the SPS integration. Today, the company has immediate access to all their orders, regardless of sales channel, in a single location. The time savings from automation frees up their days to focus on expanding their product line.