Provider of innovative software for global trade and logistics, Kewill, has launched version 5.0 of its Kewill Trade solution, which manages the direct despatch of goods from supplier to customer or store, for multi-channel, catalogue and internet retailers. This latest release of Kewill Trade allows for smoother and faster solution deployment and allows the production of fully branded labels and documents. Retailers will now have even better control of the brand and customer experience, improving consistency between order channels and delivery models, as well as reducing costs.
Kewill Trade is a powerful, web-based supply chain and event management solution that enables the electronic exchange of order data and documentation and automates the direct despatch process, giving retailers full visibility of orders fulfilled by direct despatch suppliers. It is scalable up to many thousands of trading partners and provides a simple to use, hosted 'portal' solution, additionally offering integration with financials and self-billing for higher volume suppliers. Kewill Trade is a proven direct despatch management solution that is already in use by major UK retailers including Shop Direct Group, JD Williams, Mothercare and Scotts & Co.
The new release, which was developed using modern technology including open standards such as Java, web services and XML, delivers a more flexible platform which can be configured more easily to suit customers' individual collaborative order fulfilment and control processes, and more rapidly deployed for new customers, or existing customers expanding their business.
One significant enhancement of the release is a new document print management module that enables a wide range of high quality documents to be created for use by suppliers for delivery to end customers. Designed to help retailers ensure goods are packaged uniformly when fulfilled via direct despatch suppliers, as well as improving the efficiency of the fulfilment and returns cycle, the document print management module allows documents to include logos and other brand icons, as well as supporting a wide range of barcodes.
Documents are created by seamlessly merging pre-defined templates and the data processed by Kewill Trade, reducing processing costs and the risk of error. The document print management module is fully flexible and can produce any type of document required, including: Purchase Orders, Invoices, ASNs, Delivery Notes, Stock & Sales Reports, Labels (e.g. delivery / pallet / returns). The module is configured to use standard office printers and labels, saving on stationery and hardware costs, and storage requirements.
"Direct despatch is increasingly important to retailers in offering a wider range of goods and faster delivery to meet ever-increasing consumer demand," comments Andrew Dalziel, Vice President Marketing and Product Management at Kewill, "However, it is imperative that retailers maintain visibility and control of the fulfilment process to ensure delivery promises are met and customers receive a consistent brand experience. This latest release of Kewill Trade enables faster deployment and improves visibility and control, while the new document print management module provides even the smallest of direct despatch suppliers with the ability to comply with retailer brand guidelines, and retailers with the assurance of brand consistency."