Satisfaction on Delivery

You, a Cole-Parmer customer, place an order. The product you order is in stock and shipped on the same day. It arrives in top-notch shape—and you have experienced the seamless process of the Cole-Parmer Business Operations team at its best.

Bill Berry, Director, IT and Business Operations

The Business Operations team provides customer service that is often unseen but can make the difference between satisfaction and frustration. Of course, not all orders proceed this smoothly. Sometimes a product is not in stock. That's when the team doubles their efforts to communicate with suppliers and then back to customers to keep the order status current.

According to Bill Berry, "Our mandate is to get products to customers on time and in good shape. For items that are not in stock, we work closely with suppliers to determine how quickly the product can be shipped and expedite the process as much as possible. If there is any change in the stated date of delivery, we communicate that change to the customer."

Transparent communication is just one way the team works to continually improve and earn customers' trust. “We are interested in building long-term relationships with customers and the way to do that is to fulfill our commitments,” said Berry. “Day to day, we work toward decreasing the time it takes to get our products into customers' hands. One of our brand promises is exceptional service, and on-time delivery is one aspect of this service.”

Creating a higher standard for in-stock and out-of-stock orders

For products that are stocked in the Cole-Parmer warehouse, same day delivery has been extended from previous order-by times. “Generally, if a product is in stock and ordered by 1:30 p.m. central standard time (CST) domestically, it will ship on the same day,” said Berry. “Rush orders can be fulfilled in the same day as well. If a customer needs an item fast and it is in stock, we will find a way to get it to them quickly. Even if it is out of stock, we do our best to move the process forward.”

When products are out of stock, the team performs a more precise analysis to improve on promise dates. The promise date stated to customers is calculated based on the suppliers' history of order fulfillment. Once the order is received, the supplier is notified and the promise date is confirmed. If there is any significant change, the customer will receive an updated status. “We would rather provide a good-faith promise date than an accelerated date that looks better but is unachievable,” said Berry.

To remove snags from the process, the team measures each of our suppliers' performance in on-time delivery. They then collaborate with each supplier to keep this performance at a reasonable threshold. At the same time, the team continually monitors inventory developments.

In addition, the warehouse team is initiating another efficiency—saving time through cross-docking. Berry explained: “When we receive shipments for items that are already on order, we are developing a process to condense time. Instead of shelving these items, just to be picked and packed later, the on-order items will go straight to packing. This can save the customer a day of waiting. It may even mean the product arrives ahead of the stated promise date.”

No hassle returns

Once purchases are received, what happens when the product ordered is just not right?

“We'll do what it takes to fix the problem,” said Sandy Belongia, Manager, Customer Service. “For up to 30 days after a customer receives their merchandise, they can return most items for any reason. After 30 days, we charge a restocking fee based on the purchase price of the item.”

If, however, a product does not work properly or is somehow damaged, the warranty kicks in. “For most products, within 30 days of shipment, we simply ask that the item be returned and we replace it*,” said Belongia. ”For items above $1,500, we either repair or replace them. Once 30 days have passed since the original shipment—and the warranty period is still in effect—items are repaired and returned.”

Due to the special nature of some products, including custom or special-orders, these standards may vary.

“With our return policy, we seek to make it as easy as possible for the customer,” said Belongia. “If something is not right, we step in to do what we can to make it right.“

Seeking to deliver a positive experience

With more than 110,000 items available for sale at any one time, managing in and out of stock status, inventory volume, and return stock can be a delicate balancing act. Yet, for many customers, it is an invisible one.

“If all goes well, Cole-Parmer customers should not be aware of the efforts of the Business Operations team,” said Berry. “Our goal is to facilitate a smooth process from order to arrival. To that end, we work hard to improve our efficiencies and deliver exceptional service—each and every time.”