Order Fulfillment includes:

  • Customer Relations
  • Warehouse
  • Order Entry

A few goals for Customer Relations:

  • resolve current issues
  • anticipate future needs
  • provide a consistent message
    • always verify customer info on each contact
  • use policies as guidelines, not rules
    • be a hero, not a cop
    • advisors - if customer wants more than the policy we can refer up to CR and they can make the judgment call
  • put ourselves in the customer's shoes
  • goal of 1.5% error correction rate; now at 1.7%

Miscellaneous info

E-Checks don't ship inside 3 days, usually takes 4 days

Shipping rates for 2007

  • $6.50 online (below $50)
  • $10.00 manual orders (below $50)

Expedited Shipping explanation:

  • Order before 11 AM, will ship that day.
  • Rush out the door and faster shipping
  • Customer selects the faster shipping option when they place the order.
  • If there is an error problem for which we are responsible CR can expedite the order at no charge.

Shipping Options

  • Surface, parcel post
  • M-bag, free shipping overseas
  • Fed Ex is usual choice
  • Customer can ask for UPS if they prefer it in comment section

New in 2007 HLM (Heirloom) - orders under $50 - free shipping for life CLB (Core) - orders under $50 - free shipping on that order

IPD to Canada

  • Package all Canada orders on a pallet
  • They another company distributes the order from there.
  • GST added at order placement for Canada
  • Shipping cost is the same as US

Will offer the same service for Australia this year. Hope to offer for other countries (China, South Africa) in the future.

Customers can pay with wire transfer or money order

Fax Orders

  • no order confirmation via fax
  • will email if given email address and request confirmation
  • CR will call with order confirmation if asked

Email Orders Have the customer break the credit card into two emails.

Time Payment

  • online orders only
  • Total of $500 or more required
  • credit score of 660 or higher
  • changing to immediate online scoring (hopefully soon) - will eliminate upset customers, having to tell them they didn't qualify
  • will cancel or make minor changes on order for free; significant changes, they will cancel order and have customer redo

Cancel/Change Order Fee involved - $10 or 5%

Missionary Policy

  • 25% discount
  • Usual order is through mission agency, though they can put it in the comment section
  • Agency completes paperwork and must be approved by Sonlight

Role of the Advisor

Choosing or Using vs Everything Else

  • You are the first point of contact in many cases for our potential customers
  • Reassure the customer that they are doing the right thing by homeschooling
  • provide accurate and timely information (24 hour response rate)
  • You are a conduit of information from customer to SL

Communication with Customers

  • Winning the customer
    • Reassurance
    • Enthusiasm
    • Share benefits of homeschooling with Sonlight
    • Consistentcy in messages
    • confidence
  • Call control

Being an Independent Contractor

  • Our Responsibility
    • hardware (computer, phone, headset)
    • product knowledge (ongoing education, purchase products to be familiar with them)
  • Sonlight's responsibility
    • support (Order Fulfillment MGR, SCA facilitator, CA's, meetings, intranet)
    • training (meetings, forums)
    • 30% discount to enable you to purchase product

How to fit Advisor work in with everyday life

  • Time - do you have time to commit to the job?
    • Preferred scheduling for those who commit to 20 hours a week year round
    • everyone commits to 20 hours a week for 6 weeks in summer
  • Training children
    • work requires quiet, professional atmosphere
    • children can be taught sign language, to write notes
    • work during naptime an option for a season, but it limits your availability which will limit the number of hours you receive
    • prepare for interruptions before hand - you WILL be interrupted; if you prepare for the doorbell, phone to ring, etc., you won't get frustrated
    • be ready to say, 'I have a minor emergency to deal with, may I call you back in 10 minutes?' You will only need to use that once in a blue moon, but preparation will help you know what to say when you need it!
    • you MUST have a headset with a mute button! Essential for maintaining a professional atmosphere!
  • Flexibility
    • School year round, take off during busy seasons
    • work around SL's open hours
    • we are most able to use you if you are available during the busy times of day and year - those that are get preferential status on the schedule
  • How to set up your work environment
    • two monitors - can look at multiple screens at the same time
    • mute button - again this is essential!
    • cordless headset is nice, but cordless computer headset is expensive, so it may not be an option when we go to LP
    • have your computer and phone together so you can look things up on the intranet while on the phone