June 2022 was the time of the year when structural challenges impacted the Operating efficiency of Global E-commerce Consultants. The primary reason for this setback was an improper reporting system and the absence of clearly defined Directly Responsible Individuals (DRIs). To address these accountability issues, I handled key challenges in 6 months to streamline operating efficiency and enhance data security with effective measures and best strategies.
Businesses encounter operating efficiency issues due to various reasons. Some relate to resource management and allocation, while others are attributed to incapacities. However, all such issues must be proactively addressed to increase the operating efficiency.
Challenges
Accountability Tracking 0%: The guidelines for responsibilities were unclear, which led to missed deadlines; the reason was a lack of DRIs.
Incomprehensible and Inconsistent Reporting: Without standardized reporting and data maintenance, teams operated without any direction, leading to missed deadlines, poor decision-making, and an inability to pinpoint inefficiencies in the e-commerce supply chain.
Database Organization and Security Concerns: The database for e-commerce products was unorganized and not on record completely. This exposed the valuable data to security threats, leading to issues in data integrity and compliance.
Erroneous Order Processing: The team relied on client cards for inventory purchases, exposing sensitive data to high-risk, unreliable websites. Lack of training further led to frequent transaction errors, delays, and security vulnerabilities, especially in international orders.
Solutions Implemented
Operational Enhancements
Department Segregation and Defined DRIs: I restructured the inventory departments into three distinct units: Warehouse Management, Inventory Reconciliation, and Dead Inventory Tracking. This initiative ensured clear ownership, improved accountability, and streamlined operations while minimizing stock discrepancies and inefficiencies.
Consistent Reporting Structure and Centralized Dashboard: I implemented a daily reporting system for store leads, managing client stores and product hunting. The reporting structure and a centralized dashboard ensured real-time KPI tracking, improved visibility, and enabled data-driven decision-making to keep operations aligned with targets.
Data Management and Security
Data-Sharing SOPs and Compliance: I implemented standardized protocols to consolidate product data, improving quality and accessibility. I devised the SOPs and approval procedures for data sharing, to keep everything trackable and ensure the security of the client’s sensitive information.
Security Checks: I adopted strong security measures, including compliance with international data security standards, to protect sensitive information and maintain data integrity. I introduced the website checker tools to see the trust score before proceeding with the inventory orders, leveraging the client’s credit cards.
Order Processing Optimization
Team Training: I introduced strong and Comprehensive training programs to reduce order processing errors and minimize financial risks in international transactions.
Automation Implementation: I integrated automated order processing systems to enhance accuracy, reduce manual workload, and accelerate transaction completion by integrating an AppSheet-based application. I developed this using AppSheet to automate data recording, improving accuracy and increasing operating efficiency by 95%. The data was then connected to the Google Looker Studio dashboards so stakeholders could easily track things.
Results
Enhanced Accountability: Assigning DRIs and restructuring departments clarified responsibilities, leading to better project management, and it helped us to see the areas of improvements within the organization
Centralized Data Supervision: The centralized dashboard provided real-time KPI tracking, allowing for proactive and agile management for quicker issue resolution. This was done by connecting all the information to Google Looker Studio.
Unbreachable Data Security: The implementation of data-sharing protocols and enhanced security measures ensured compliance with international standards and protected against data breaches.
Boosted Operating Efficiency: Training and automation significantly reduced errors while processing orders at the vendor’s sites and improved overall efficiency, and we were able to filter the spammy and fraudulent websites to avoid client credit card information breaches
Conclusion
This case study depicts the importance of clearly defined tasks and responsibilities with DRIs set, strong and unbreachable data management practices, and tech-driven process automation in such a fast-paced setting. The attempt to restructure the operations and enhance the data security measures not only increased overall efficiency but also strengthened the security framework. All of the Standard Operation Procedures helped us to identify the areas of improvement and to gain more client trust by saving their financial information.
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