• More / Faster / Connected Computers
• Automated Shipping
• Data Management
• Order Tallying Software
• Barcode Scanners
• Thermal Label Printers
• High Speed Document Scanners
• Phone Systems / Voice Mail

Technology should solve problems.  In the fundraising industry, there are four bottlenecks where technology can help.

The Bottlenecks in Fundraising

1. Dealing with Seller Orders
2. Receiving the Product
3. Packing the Orders
4. Physical Inventory Management

Fundraising would be much easier and less stressful if our business could be stretched out over 11-12 months. Instead, it is more like a hurricane.  We can see it coming and know when it is going to hit. We also know about how long it will last.  While in it, however, it is hold on and hold out.

Technology can help with the flood of incoming orders.

Before the Sale

Personalized Order Forms

Consider how professional you look/sound when making your presentation to the group and you can say, "When I arrive at school for the kickoff, I will have brochures separated by classrooms and the seller names will already be on the order forms".

Here are some other advantages to taking the time to get a roster from the school so you can create these personalized order forms:

• Organized and professional appearance
• Know how many brochures you really need and how many sellers there actually will be.
• Data Entry goes faster because you already have the name, and do not have to interpret handwriting or type the name.
• Sales increase because sellers are less likely to discard their brochure/order form when it has their name on it. Just getting the brochure home helps sales.

Order Tallying

Technology available now

QDP's WinUltra Order Tally System was specifically designed to assist the fundraising distributor's awesome task of organizing and processing orders. Visit our WinUltra page. Of special interest to a growing number of distributors is the way WinUltra deals with the up and soon-to-dominate generic catalog order forms.

Technology to the rescue

High Speed Document scanning will eventually replace the current method of typing names and quantities. For a more detailed look at this technology, visit our TallyScan page and then click to come back here.

Providing info to the groups

The group is less concerned about the fact that you tally orders by computer as they are in what is in it for them.  What information can you give them that makes their job easier? See a list of reports WinUltra offers and then come back here.

Organizing your product ordering

You have groups using different combinations of brochures with product from a variety of vendors. When, how and how much do you order? Some distributors spend hours with spreadsheets and calculators getting their orders together. Technology should enable you to efficiently process your product orders, to receive them when they arrive, and to update your inventory accordingly.  WinUltra does that.

Information for the warehouse

Your warehouse workers need to know what product to pull for the order at hand, and then some form of packing slip for filling each individual's order.

Currently

Counting the Cases

The truck pulls up and you unload several pallets. The first thing you have to do is sign for the number of boxes on the Bill of Lading. And with the variety of box sizes, you almost need to completely restack the pallets just to count your cases. How often does the driver get frustrated with the time you take?

Checking in the Product

Now that you have product scattered around your warehouse, you need to get out that multiple-page packing slip that came with the product.

Now you must deal with:

• Confusing product identifications.
• Inconsistent name/number identifiers.
• Mixed or broken case orders.

Technology to the rescue

Wouldn't it be nice if you could make one pass through the boxes just offloaded and accomplish both the case count for the Bill of Lading AND receive the product into your inventory? Introducing I-Scan by QDP.

Currently

Picking the order

Most distributors use descriptions rather than designators or inventory numbers. But, as the size of the brochure and the number of ensemble themes continue to grow, working from description is becoming increasingly difficult.

Verifying accuracy

Once the product is picked, you probably have a separate person verify the accuracy of the order. That would normally require unloading the container, stacking the product and then going down the packslip to verify that items are correct. 

Technology to the rescue

Using a bar code scanner, you can quickly and accurately verify the accuracy of the order. Visit our WinScan page for details and then return to this page.

Maybe you do have a computer listing of your inventory: On Hand, Committed, Available, To Order and Sold . . . but you also have human error, picking, counting or identifying wrong product.  Also there are sales reps coming in for samples, damaged and non-damaged product returning.

Or maybe, for whatever reason, you just want to physically ensure that you know what you have, so you send people out with either a blank piece of paper (hopefully not) or a printed count sheet and just turn 'em loose.

Technology to the rescue

Instead of a count sheet or a piece of paper, you take your wireless scanner to scan barcodes on cases and/or units.  That information is then downloaded into your computer inventory management system.  Read about I-Scan, by QDP.