5 Challenges to Overcome While Implementing a UMS for Your Customers

When technology takes over traditional processes, there are setbacks from both- the enablers and the users. The transition which happens requires upskilling and user adaptation.  

Uniform providers face similar challenges while setting up a uniform management system for their customers. With such a system in place uniform providers would have a fair insight into all the business activities, product information, payments etc. It would also help them provide their customers with stellar buying experience.   

But before we deep-dive into the challenges let’s recap what is a uniform program and what is a uniform program management system. 

A Uniform Program is an effective solution for companies to supply company-branded apparel and merchandise to their employees. These uniforms help recognize them and also increase their safety and functionality while at work. 

A Uniform Management System is a web-based solution designed specifically to create a seamless uniform buying experience for the end-users while eliminating all the pain and frustration of a uniform seller by significantly streamlining, automating, and improving the procurement process. 

Here are 5 technical challenges faced by Uniform providers while implementing a uniform management system for customers:  

1. Complex Buying Rules

   Uniform programs run on several customized rules tailored to each business' needs. However, these rules tend to be tedious for the uniform sellers to implement, given the technological complexity involved in customizing an online purchasing purchase. Example, an army uniform would require a number of approvals (also, government approvals) and allotments before reaching the end user. Hence, it is difficult to tailor the buying experience for every business' needs.  
   
   To tackle these complexities and provide a seamless buying experience, uniform sellers need a robust uniform management system which caters to all the rules of their customers and can be customized accordingly.
   With UniformMarket you could achieve that goal and give your customers a stellar buying experience and customize any number of buying rules in the system according to their requirement. 
   
   

2. Business Connectivity

   A Uniform provider works with several systems, such as, a POS, and order management system, an ERP, the customer's HRMS etc. For a uniform management system to work smoothly all these systems have to be connected/ integrated.
   - ERP
   - HMRS
   - Inventory
   - Warehouse
   - POS
   - Payments
   - Reporting and analysis etc.
   Uniform sellers often experience this lack of business connectivity and have little to no integration between the systems which complicates the order fulfillment, and invoicing process owing to custom buying rules of each uniform program.  For example, with a HMRS integration the UMS will be able to pull out all the data of your customer’s employees. On the other hand, while checking out it would provide customized payment methods for each employee.  
   
   UniformMarket’s UMS, a 360-degree robust system, seamlessly integrates with your in-house ERP or inventory management system, etc. Your systems will be able to communicate with each other and will be connected to provide a seamless experience for your customers.  
   
   

3. Limited payment methods

   While implementing a UMS, uniform sellers experience hassle customizing the payment methods for their customers. It is seen that uniform programs often run-on payment methods like;
   
   - Payroll deducts
   - Credit cards
   - PO
   - ACH
   - Coupons
   - Gift cards, etc.
   
   However, most uniform management systems provide a limited number of payment methods for their customers to choose from. For example, in the scrubs industry medical professionals could pay according to their groups (nurses might make a credit card payment, and doctors might do it through coupons).
   
   With UniformMarket you can setup several payment methods for your customers and allow them to have a seamless checkout process. You can provide them with good buying experience and transparency. Your customers could also design payment groups with reference to their employees’ groups.  
   
   

4. Order Fulfillment

   Shipping is a hurdle for uniform sellers. In any uniform program shipping is a concern for the uniform sellers as it depends upon the customized buying rules for the customers. For example, there might be two or more types of shipping involved- one where the product goes directly to the end user or one where it goes to the customer’s main address. On the other hand, some uniform sellers also dropship directly to the end user with retailer being the intermediatory.  
   
   These integrations and settlements require a robust management system which could track the shipping and drop shipping for all the uniform sellers. UniformMarket helps your customers segregate their employees into different shipping groups and provide easy shipping. Your customers could also prioritize shipping on the basis of the designation of their employees. For example, a defense officer’s uniform is more important to be shipped than a hospitality professional’s uniform.
   
   

5. Lack of a single dashboard/ client admin feature

   While implementing a uniform management system, customers often look for features that could bring in a detectable change in their daily business processes. Not having a bird’s eye view into the whole UMS could afford compliance issues for your customers. This would also affect the uniform sellers if they do not have an insight into using a single dashboard to track, manage and monitor all their products and customers.
   
   UniformMarket provides a single dashboard, admin view or client admin view with which on one side your customers could track their employees' allotments or limit their usage to avoid compliance issues. And on the other, you could track all your customers, identify the top selling products, multi stores etc.