As we’ve discovered since we opened the doors of Hawaii’s Best Fulfillment in July, most people really have no idea that it’s an integral part of the sales and marketing cycle. In preparation for this article, I searched the indexes of a dozen direct marketing books on the shelves in our office. I found absolutely nothing.

The American Heritage Dictionary, on my Microsoft Bookshelf ‘95 CD, defines the word thusly...

When I am asked to state my occupation, I say: “I’m in fulfillment.” Inevitably, people respond either with a snicker or a blank stare. I then ask, “Have you ever responded to an ad? Maybe you bought something, or requested information about a service?” Most folks respond enthusiastically; everybody loves mail-order.

So I continue, “Okay, you picked up the phone and called the toll-free number printed in the ad, right? Or you grabbed a pen and made the request by mail. Well, my company answers the phone and takes your order. Or, if you send a check, we get to open the envelope. And then,” I always pause here for dramatic effect, “and then, the fun begins!”

Then What?

What happens next depends on the client. Some clients need our order-taking services only. We simply take the request by phone or by mail, upselling the client’s other products, if appropriate. We then process the order, and pass the information on to the client for further processing.

Some clients ask us to handle their inventory. We design a database and key up or import records of their clients or prospects. After receiving the order, we process the credit card payment We key the order into our database and create a packing slip. We go to our inventory area and pull the merchandise from the shelves. We pack it and ship it to the customer. We provide reports back to the client.

Other clients take advantage of all of our services. We help them develop ads and direct mail packages; these contain one of our toll-free numbers, or a number that the client will call-forward to our office. We add their products to our web mall and handle cybermarketing on their behalf. We affix labels to envelopes, or we generate highly personalized letters. We stuff, seal, and sort the mailings, and we deliver them to the post office. We wait for the phones to ring.

Oh, yes, they do ring. 24 hours a day, seven days a week, those phones ring. And we answer them in person, with aloha! Therein lies the secret of our uniqueness. We understand the importance of delivering polished, professional customer service with the spirit of aloha that makes Hawaii so unique.

And the cycle begins anew, for in the process of taking the order, we’ve captured useful, personal information on our database. We can initiate and maintain a dialogue with these customers -- talk to them about new products, alert them to special offers, and do whatever it takes to develop and nurture a relationship. By phone, by mail, or by e-mail, the dialogue continues.

Other Services

As she developed her vision of Hawaii’s first 24-hour fulfillment company, Linda Kramer, President of Hawaii’s Best Fulfillment, realized that our customer service representatives need something useful and constructive to do between phone calls. Accordingly, our company offers a number of support services that complement the fulfillment function.

Clients who rely on our support services range from tiny, one-person cottage industries to some of the largest conglomerates in the state. We’ve done early morning outbound telemarketing projects from companies trying to gather information on prospective mainland clients. We’ve hand-folded and hand inserted special information kits. We’ve inserted correction sheets into catalogues that contain misprints. We’ve done mass data entry projects. We even assemble and distribute corporate gifts and premiums for companies that simply don’t have the time or manpower.

Making the Leap

As you can see, fulfillment, in this context, is not the end of the process. It can be, and should be, the beginning. Our goal is to help companies recognize that opportunities abound, at every phase of the process. Initiating and maintaining a dialogue with customers can help a company make the leap from a simple sale to a profitable, long-term relationship.

Quite simply, we aim to be a natural, seamless extension of our clients’ marketing and customer service departments. The reward? Customers who keep coming back for more.