A major upgrade to its cloud-based software platform – including a completely new interface and major functionality improvements – has been implemented by e-retail fulfilment specialists James and James. The new ControlPort portal has a cleaner and more user-friendly interface, and now includes additional filter tools, allowing instant and accurate data mining of transactions.
Retail clients now have a much clearer picture of the sales history of their product lines as data are updated in real time and available for any past period. All transaction information is stored indefinitely in the cloud. They have the ability to run data mining reports, filtering by less conventional criteria such as despatched weight, total order value or value range, postcode etc., as well as more usual criteria such as customer name, location, retail channel and so on. Reports can be run to perform calculations on the data, which can be accessed from any web-connected location.
In addition to the comprehensive data analysis options, ControlPort uses a system of ‘earmarking’ stock against orders as they are taken, rather than when the item is picked and packed. This avoids the problem of offering and accepting orders for stock that has already been sold. The system is expected to be especially useful for peak sales periods such as Christmas.
James and James’ own key performance data (KPIs) are shown on the system, so that clients can see how well they are performing currently and historically and measured against the service level agreement. For example, KPIs exist for items booked in within 24 hours (target 100%), and orders despatched to customers within a specific period.
“In this major new revision, we have incorporated all the old features that made the real-time cloud fulfilment system so popular, but have added powerful new data tools that put retailers firmly in charge of their data,” said James Hyde, Operations Director of James and James . “Combined with our recently introduced ViewPort functionality that provides end users and retailers with full visibility of tracked goods from the point of payment, we believe we have the most advanced system of its kind available.”