Native Union, a technology accessories company, cut its order processing time from three days to one by using cloud technology to accomplish important but repetitive tasks.
“Our staff were just spending their days entering orders into a spreadsheet. What kind of a career is that? Now, because we can see across an integrated ecosystem, they have the time to analyze what we do, think about how to improve the supply chain, and really add value to the business. Their roles have transformed overnight,” said Farouk Merzougui, chief operating and financial officer at Native Union, in a statement.
Using the AtomSphere Platform, a product by cloud-based integration platform-as-a-service (iPaaS) provider Boomi, Native Union was able to integrate its enterprise resource planning software, Shopify store, and multi-currency payment gateway processor.
Previously, employees would manually process, replicate, and compile orders from their Shopify store. They would then have to send the orders to the fulfillment warehouse themselves at the end of the day.
The AtomSphere Platform automates payments reconciliation and the receipt of orders. The status of an order is also automatically updated every five minutes, providing employees with real-time insights.
The platform has also allowed Native Union to scale through remote operation of a new overseas fulfillment warehouse. Typically, opening a warehouse entails site visits, staff training, and onboarding. But with cloud technology, Native Union is able to run the warehouse from abroad through electronic forms and procedures.
“Take this disruption and this fear… as a catalyst… When you take this in a different angle, you can really transform your business, you can really expand your business, but you need to accept the change,” said Mr. Merzougui, addressing companies that still doubt the benefits of cloud technology. — Mariel Alison L. Aguinaldo