LDB REPORT
by Katharine Jowett

Many of you have heard the buzz words “Wholesale Order Management” or “WOM” lately and may be wondering what it is all about. It’s all about the Liquor Distribution Branch implementing a new order management and inventory system that will enhance its capacity to support the business model well into the future. The number of LRSs in the province has experienced significant growth, increasing from 290 in 2002 to 637 in 2007. This increase in wholesale customers impacts the number of orders that flow through the distribution network. Combine that with consumer tastes demanding a greater product selection in the marketplace and the result is a need for improved technological solutions to better serve our wholesale customers. Thus, the implementation of WOM.
The direct delivery or pick up customers of our Vancouver Wholesale Customer Centre will see the following benefits as a result of the new system:

• Improved inventory management tools as the customer will receive an “Order Submission Report” within an hour of order entry. This report will detail out-of-stock, back-ordered, and delisted products, the number of cases and bottles to be shipped, and an estimate of the invoice total at the time of order entry.
• Consolidation of multiple orders (including back-ordered products) into one invoice with a confirmed shipping date and time.
• Faxed customer invoices featuring both display and discounted prices.
• A web-based ordering system, to be operational later in the year.
In our recent wholesale customer survey, a high percentage of respondents expressed an interest in having the ability to order online. In response we are currently developing a “Business to Customer” web-based online ordering site, which will be available late spring. We will be soliciting feedback on the test site from a diverse group of customers (large, small, chain account, computer savvy, less computer savvy) in March to ensure the initial roll-out has industry input. Some of the benefits of web-based online ordering will be:
• Ability to order online 24/7 for customers that currently order through the Vancouver Wholesale Customer Centre.
• An online product catalogue search function, which will allow access to wholesale (formerly speculative) products.
• Ability to save and edit shopping lists to avoid duplicate order entry on future orders.
• Ability to download a CSV (comma delimited format) file from retailer POS systems, alleviating the need to phone, fax, or email a manually produced order form.
• Ability to track current order status and develop an order history by outlet that can be used on a seasonal basis.
• Improved ability for Wholesale Customer Centre sales associates to respond to other customer needs such as product knowledge, order queries, and advice on invalid SKUs or delisted items.

Web-based online ordering will be phased in gradually to ensure customer satisfaction as the site progresses. More information on the look and feel of the site as well as the official launch date for the industry will be in the next issue of The Publican. In the meantime, thank you for your patience and understanding as we update our systems to enable improved service to our customers. The LDB is hopeful that this transition will be smooth and successful with minimal impact to our wholesale customers while providing maximum benefits in the future.

Katharine Jowett is the Director of Wholesale Business at the LDB.