Digitization is in full bloom, and consumer behaviours are changing by the instant. What can companies do to keep up with the highly sought-after customer expectations?
Organizations must realize that new-age customers expect exceptional cross-connected experiences through all digital and physical mediums. Nearly 61 percent of companies expect over half of their sales to come from digital channels in the next couple of years. Companies must adapt to changing consumer behaviors by leveraging automation across their channels to create a consistent customer experience.
A few months ago, Microsoft announced the general availability of Microsoft D365 Intelligent Order Management (IOM). The release was surrounded with curiosity in terms of what it is, what it could offer, and its true potential. This article will pick up on that, expanding on everything you need to know about IOM.
What is Intelligent Order Management?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Intelligent Order Management is a cloud-based solution built on Power Platform. Addressing the shifting consumer preferences, it comes to the forefront with a promise to accelerate omnichannel transformation, covering all manufacturing processes from order intake through orchestration and fulfillment.
Significance of Intelligent Order Management
One thing to be noted is that Microsoft released Intelligent Order Management on the backdrop of disruptive supply chains, the harrowing situation of companies after the pandemic, and changing consumer behavior. Its advanced analytical capabilities enable organizations to swiftly respond to the above challenges by managing their entire order lifecycle from order intake to fulfillment.
As a Dataverse application, it makes integration with other applications (Dynamics 365 family) extremely simple and painless, driving end-to-end supply chain efficiency while intelligently meeting customer needs. Let’s expand on some of its features that make the process straightforward.
The Core Features of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Intelligent Order Management
Order Fulfillment Orchestration:
IOM enables rule-based automation that supports the development and execution of multiple custom order flows. As a result, retailers can optimize order fulfillment, access real-time data, and enhance CX by cutting down order throughput time.
Pre-built Platform Connectors:
IOM leverages over 200 configurable built-in Power Platform connectors that enable rapid scaling and agility through seamless integration with your existing order infrastructure applications. As a result, retailers can smoothly connect to ecosystem partners and meet emerging business requirements without developing time-intensive interfaces.
Reference API:
Intelligent Order Management equips API technology and reference architecture that facilitates the development of seamless custom connection points across applications. It is particularly useful when you lack pre-built connectors for a specific system. Retailers can leverage this to efficiently share data between applications, eliminating dependence on other business applications.
MS Dataverse Synchronization:
A Microsoft solution encompassing flexible integration capabilities, IOM has the same data model as other Dynamics 365 applications. It allows IOM users to seamlessly connect and ingest data between your existing enterprise systems, including ERP, CRM, and warehouse management and fulfillment systems. Consequently, retailers can optimize customer order journeys while minimizing fulfillment risks and limitations.
Journey Orchestration Designer Tools:
IOM leverages low-code/no-code technology that eliminates an extra layer of pre-requisite skills. Built on Power Platform, it allows retailers to efficiently design, create, and deploy custom order flows using drag-and-drop tools. So, users can swiftly respond to market disruptions and changing business needs without additional training or resources.
AI-Powered Classification and Predictive Analytics:
With AI and ML technologies, Intelligent Order Management is reshaping how you can manage inventories. IOM empowers retailers with intelligent insights that simplify identifying and tackling fulfillment barriers. Retailers can leverage this to maximize value by maintaining optimal inventory levels, aligning delivery schedules, forecasting inventory demands, and improving ROI.
Benefits of Intelligent Order Management:
In addition to the above, the overarching benefits of IOM extend to the following dimensions:
End-to-end Connectivity:
Packaged with reference API and pre-built connectors, Intelligent Order Management leverages custom connections that enable companies with seamless integration across most enterprise systems. By leveraging expansive provider integrations, IOM empowers retailers to achieve end-to-end connectivity across supply chain workflows with ecosystem solutions. The order capture, logistics, fulfillment, and delivery processes are all simplified through a single consolidated IOM solution.
Digital Transformation:
Using IOM, companies will have the ability to obtain advanced order orchestration. You can benefit from the direct integrations between returns & exchange management services and digital commerce solutions. In addition, integration with advanced payment solutions enables you with automated payment processing via custom order flow design. As a result, operational costs are lowered, merchandise return becomes more efficient, transparency increases and communication with end-users improves.
Ease of Fulfillment Complexity:
IOM streamlines all eCommerce platforms, transportation management tools, third-party logistics platforms, and fulfillment solutions through a unified solution. Its rules-based automation allows you to deliver cross-connected omnichannel experiences. It elevates your ability to offer flexible shopping channels, convenient delivery options, and real-time order tracking to consumers.
Enhancing the Supply Chain Management with Microsoft D365 Intelligent Order Management
Over 50% of companies see their supply chains as ineffective in addressing growing eCommerce needs.
IOM, a purpose-driven supply chain management solution, is particularly designed to help leapfrog through supply chain complexities and speed up adaptation to future order and fulfillment dynamics. To name a few, this solution can help companies uplift their supply chains via the following value additions:
Order Promise Fulfillment:
The Intelligent Order Management solution leverage AI technology that enables smart inventory utilization. It offers real-time recommendations to help companies optimally fulfill each order. Having access to relevant insights, retailers are well-informed of the implications of each suggested option. Exception-based management further refines the process by providing complete visibility and control. In case you make any changes to the order path, only particular exceptions will arise regarding the company decision. Additionally, machine learning expands your knowledge of how your customer perceives those exceptions and what could be done to improvise.
Real-time Inventory Visibility:
Real-time inventory visibility service is one of the key differentiators that makes Dynamics 365 IOM a must-have solution to execute a laser-focused omnichannel transformation. Built on Microsoft Dataverse, it provides access to a global view of inventory locations. The fulfillment orchestration engine leverages this real-data data to continuously optimize fulfillment by maintaining ideal stock levels across each channel and uplifting your business bottom line.
Order Lifecycle Management:
While supply chain disruptions continue to grow, the Intelligent Order Management solution’s intuitive design interface, reference API, and pre-built connectors allow retailers to stay ahead of the curve by centrally managing the entire order lifecycle. Integrated dashboards and real-time fulfillment insights empower your supply chain teams to detect and address fulfillment constraints proactively. In addition, it enables you to track your operational performance to ensure consistent excellent customer experiences.
Intelligent automation provides a single source of truth for global processes. The embedded policy designer lowers your dependence on IT, empowering you to design custom rules for process optimization. Journey orchestration designer tools help you design your response to fulfillment challenges. Additionally, with machine learning, companies have the ability to seamlessly optimize order journeys, design fulfillment strategies, track inventory and orders, predict sales levels, and improve user experience with flawless operations.
Give your users a premier customer experience with faster fulfillment options.
With everything in one place, Dynamics 365 Intelligent Order Management modernizes supply chain management and order fulfillment processes without complications and massive costs. Visionet’s Dynamics 365 experts leverage our partnership with Microsoft to enable faster deployment for retailers and companies worldwide. Bringing comprehensive features and cutting-edge technologies to one solution, we help businesses reimagine omnichannel fulfillment with an intelligent and frictionless approach. Get in touch with our consultants to start today.