Selvedge
Get started

Client: Medical device manufacturer

An order-processing agent with a human in the loop

The problem

The company’s shipment error rate was running at 5.5%, well above industry standard. The client wanted to understand the source of the issue and ultimately drive errors below 1%.

The solution and impact

Nine steps, three of them keyed by handThe agent does the keying. A human approves.

CUSTOMER WAREHOUSE MANAGER WAREHOUSE TEAM AGENT Emails a PO or free-form text Keys invoice into accounting by hand Estimates shipping on carrier site Manually keys shipping cost into invoice Prints packing slip, queues order Packs the order Books carrier pickup Sends invoice to customer Receives order. 5.5% error rate Emails a PO or free-form text Reads the day’s orders, confirms receipt Answers any questions personally Pulls live carrier rates using weight and size sheet Builds invoice in accounting system Reviews and approves invoice Sends invoice to customer, queues packing slips, alerts warehouse team Packs and books pickup Receives order. Under 1% error rate
  • A person does it
  • Keyed by hand, where errors crept in
  • A person does it
  • The agent does it
  • A person reviews and approves
  • 5.5% of orders shipped with an error
  • 3 times each order was keyed by hand
  • 0 checks before an invoice went out
  • <1% of orders shipped with an error
  • 0 times an order is keyed by hand
  • 1 human review before every invoice goes out

  1. Map

    We traced every order from inbox to doorstep and identified the primary source of error: manual rekeying of data.

  2. Build

    An agent reads the day's orders and confirms receipt. It pulls live carrier rates using a precise weight and size sheet for every product, then builds the invoice.

  3. Keep the personal touch

    Our client was explicit that personal, one-to-one customer service is a hallmark of the company. Customer queries still go directly to the warehouse manager, who answers them himself. He also approves every invoice before it goes out.

Read the diagram as text

Before: Nine steps, three of them keyed by hand

  1. The customer emails a PO or a free-form order.
  2. The warehouse manager keys the invoice into the accounting system by hand.
  3. The warehouse manager estimates shipping on the carrier's site.
  4. The warehouse manager keys the shipping cost into the invoice by hand.
  5. The warehouse manager prints a packing slip and queues the order.
  6. The warehouse team packs the order.
  7. The warehouse team books the carrier pickup.
  8. The warehouse manager sends the invoice to the customer.
  9. The customer receives the order. The error rate is 5.5%.

After: The agent does the keying. A human approves.

  1. The customer emails a PO or a free-form order.
  2. The agent reads the day's orders and confirms receipt.
  3. The warehouse manager answers any customer questions personally.
  4. The agent pulls live carrier rates using a weight and size sheet for every product.
  5. The agent builds the invoice in the accounting system.
  6. The warehouse manager reviews and approves the invoice.
  7. The agent sends the invoice to the customer, queues the packing slips and alerts the warehouse team.
  8. The warehouse team packs the order and books the pickup.
  9. The customer receives the order. The error rate is under 1%.

Every engagement begins with a conversation.

Get started