I helped Presentation Binding Solutions (PBS) with a
new business venture, launching a B2B eCommerce website and
eBusiness management system. PBS is a manufacturer and
distributor of binding, laminating and loose-leaf equipment and
supplies with manufacturing plants in Norcross, GA and Nashville,
TN. PBS needed a web presence and management toolset
that:
- Succinctly describes their value proposition
- Allows businesses to easily purchase their products,
- Provides the administrative tools to efficiently manage
customers, products, and orders.
We applied our lean web methodology when designing and
creating the web presence and eBusiness management site. The design
and information architecture of the website followed my Web 5S
approach:
- Sort - The website design is uncluttered and
focused on the call-to-actions - becoming a customer and customers
placing orders.
- Set In Order - Information is organized and
arranged so customers can easily find products, place and track
orders. Web and eCommerce analytics are built into the website for
continuous improvement for users.
- Shine - A clean, professional appearance where
visitors see PBS's attention to detail and their great customer
service carried forward from their internal business operations to
their web presence.
- Standardize - Consistence information
architecture and design elements so customers easily and
comfortably browse the catalog and intuitively interact with the
website to shop and place orders.
- Sustain - Inventory, products, and content on
all web pages is managed by PBS through the content management
system (CMS) tool so customers always find accurate
information.
I have identified the
7 Deadly Wastes of the Web. The goal of the lean web
approach is reducing waste when it comes to the customer
interactivity on the website and employee functions in the web
administrative site. I worked with PBS to
create business processes and web tools so not to add cost or time
without adding value to the customer.
Centralizing management of customers, products, orders,
shipments and web/SEO content is an example of lean operations. The
content management system is one component of the web
administrative site that gives PBS one place to keep their web
content fresh, relevant and unique. PBS does not have the
typical bottleneck when relying on a third-party to update content
in a timely manner.
When a company becomes a customer, PBS follows an approval
process to add the customer. The web administrative site
gives PBS one place to manage all customer information and their
orders - credit holds, purchase order approvals, tax exempt status,
shipment carrier accounts and a unique price sheet for each
customer.
While the seamless presentation of the product catalog in the
website is important to the customer, keeping the product catalog
up to date is critical for PBS. The web administrative site
allows PBS to add, edit and delete categories, products and skus to
their product catalog. PBS sets custom attributes to classify all
skus, so customers can sort and search for specific products while
shopping.
Alignment of work processes to not duplicate work processes is
another key lean concept for companies to operate more
efficiently. PBS accepts orders from customers through the
website, over the phone or by fax. However, phone and fax
orders are entered by CSRs in the eBusiness management system so
all orders flow through the company in the same way. Having
one process to manage orders and shipments for online and offline
orders also allows customers to see their complete order
history.
Integration of information systems is another key area for lean
web operations. QuickBooks is PBS's accounting system, and
they did not want to introduce waste by entering orders manually
into the QuickBooks Online Edition software. TwinEngines
integrated the web administrative site to QuickBooks; credit card
orders appear as sales receipts and Purchase Orders appear as
invoices. Sending all orders automatically from the website
to QuickBooks eliminates duplicate data entry and the possibility
of data entry errors.
The website is also integrated to Authorize.Net's credit card
processing system and to UPS's Online tools. This provides
customers with a secure method to place credit card orders, and
confirms shipping addresses for PBS. Shipping charges and
taxes are calculated and presented at checkout giving customers all
the pricing information needed to place their order.
When Presentation Binding Solutions began planning their
business, they turned to TwinEngines because they wanted someone
with experience in both manufacturing and the web, someone that has
experience helping companies scale their business and systems as
they grow. When it comes to a company's web presence,
TwinEngines extends lean principles and value stream management
techniques. Whether your business targets dealers,
distributors and wholesalers or your customers purchase your
products on the web, TwinEngines can help to simplify, consolidate
and eliminate waste.
Your website should work smoothly for your customers, and it
should work efficiently for you, too.