Manual supply chains are costing you more than you think
Every day, businesses leave money, growth and efficiency on the table simply by doing the same things they’ve always done with their order-to-cash processes. But the outdated manual processes that got you where you are today won’t get you where you want to go.
A supplier who still relies on spreadsheets, emails and disconnected systems isn’t just behind the times, they’re losing out.
Today’s retailers demand faster fulfillment, better data visibility and more collaborative partnerships. Investing in automation and visibility isn’t just about saving time—it’s about creating a competitive edge, unlocking growth potential and maximizing profitability.
What’s the problem with manual processes?
By their nature, manual tasks are time-consuming, inefficient and prone to error, resulting in:
- Missed orders
- Chargebacks
- Poor forecasting
If you’re still tracking orders in spreadsheets, managing changes through emails or hand-typing invoices into retailer portals, your reliance on outdated processes not only slows you down but also exposes you to costly errors.
And when your solution for information gathering is to chase down reports and wait on buyers to provide sales updates, you’re losing valuable time that could be spent focused on higher priorities.
With sell-through data scattered in different locations, it’s harder to make informed decisions and meet retailers’ ever-changing requirements.
And when you don’t have centralized, accurate data, you also can’t respond quickly to trends, optimize inventory or provide insightful recommendations to your retail partners.
The result? Lost opportunities and unhappy retailers.
These issues don’t just hinder day-to-day operations—they limit your ability to grow, adapt and compete. As retailer expectations continue to evolve, a manual approach to supply chain management simply isn’t sustainable.
What’s the cost of doing nothing?
If you feel like you can’t afford to modernize your processes just yet, it’s crucial to weigh your decision against the cost of sticking with manual processes. Chargebacks and invalid deductions eat away at your profitability,losing revenue until small mistakes turn into major financial losses. Retail suppliers typically lose 1–5% of revenue each year to chargebacks and deductions—and as much as 4% in Q4 alone. (carbon6.io)
In today’s omnichannel world, you’re also juggling different formats of sales information from multiple sources. Without solutions in place to untangle the data, you can’t get critical insights into demand shifts, resulting in poor forecasting, mismanaged inventory and lost sales.
When you’re spending time chasing reports, logging into portals and trying to make sense of multiple types of sell-through reporting, you have less time to focus on the health of your business.
Suppliers with outdated systems can also struggle to scale operations, leaving growth opportunities untapped.
The bottom line: the cost of doing nothing is likely far greater than the investment needed to update your systems.
How to upgrade: automation and visibility solutions
The key to eliminating inefficiencies and unlocking your potential is replacing manual processes with automated tools.
When you modernize your supply chain with automation and visibility solutions, you reposition your supply chain from a cost center to a growth driver. Trading partners notice the difference, favoring suppliers who deliver consistent, data-driven results and reliable fulfillment processes.
Gain a competitive advantage
The time to get the edge on your competition is now. Retailer expectations are only rising, and manual processes can’t keep up. As your competitors move forward, the cost of doing nothing is a risk few can afford.
Automation isn’t simply about keeping up—it’s about staying ahead. With tools that streamline order management, provide valuable insights and recover lost revenue, you can drive efficiencies, maximize your profits and move your business forward.
