Why order management is more critical than ever?

Markets evolve, customer behaviours shift, and delivery expectations grow tighter. Manual processes slow everything down. Supply chains face constant pressure.

Sound familiar?

In today’s fast-moving world, businesses face the constant challenge of keeping up with customer expectations while managing their operations efficiently. Customers want quick service, flexible delivery options and competitive prices. At the same time, companies need to work hard to control logistics and operational costs. 

A modern order management system, or OMS, brings together the key capabilities that help businesses to stay in control.

What exactly is an OMS?

Order management is about handling every stage of an order’s journey, beginning even before a customer places an order, up until the order is delivered – and sometimes when the order is returned. With an OMS, businesses also gain clear insight into their stock levels across enterprise inventory, to fulfill orders accurately and efficiently based on what is actually available.

Effective order management brings all these steps together into one seamless, streamlined process. It speeds up operations, reduces mistakes, and helps businesses deliver a better experience for their customers. The result is faster delivery, fewer errors, and better use of resources – all of which directly affect customer satisfaction and overall business performance. In simple terms, OMS is the backbone of efficient and customer-focused commerce.

Why the value of OMS is still underestimated?

Even now, many do not fully recognize the value of an OMS. In many organisations, it is still seen as a background tool – something that quietly processes orders without much strategic relevance. OMS often goes overlooked as a capability that can significantly strengthen operations or support long-term business goals.

In reality, businesses that take order management seriously are better positioned to grow in a controlled way. A well-designed OMS does more than just improve day-to-day operations. It provides companies the flexibility to support new business models, expand into new markets, and adapt their fulfillment strategies as customer expectations evolve. With greater visibility and control, organisations can align their operations more closely with strategic goals – whether that means scaling across channels, improving service levels, or managing resources more effectively. Order management becomes more than just a process and forms the foundation of a more agile business.

The numbers speak for themselves

34% of supply chain executives report that having visibility of inventory across all locations, including items that are currently being transported, was one of their biggest fulfillment challenges.¹ Additionally, more than 60% of manufacturers see improving customer service and satisfaction as their top fulfillment priority. These are only some examples that show just how important it is for businesses to have systems that provide a clear, real-time view of inventory and support a better overall customer experience.

Furthermore, companies that have optimised their order-to-cash process² have been able to recover between 3% and 5% of their EBITDA. That is a huge increase in profitability, achieved through fewer delays, increased automation, and a more reliable fulfillment process from start to finish.

From complexity to control

In a world where flexibility, speed, and reliability matter more than ever, businesses need solutions that can adapt and scale.

If you want to understand what an effective order management could look like in your business, we are here to help. Our team has decades of combined experience in designing, building, and delivering OMS capabilities for organisations. Get in touch, and we will show you how it´s done – the Apex way.

¹ Supply chain management review, 2021
² McKinsey & Company, 2022