This article is relevant if you need to prepare multiple carrier shipping labels for a product return in NetSuite.
Background
Last week, I introduced the conversation on how to Auto-Generate Carrier Shipping Labels to Drive NetSuite Product Returns. In that discussion, I explored the fundamental mechanics of generating a shipping label from a NetSuite Return Authorization. While automating the creation of a single label is useful, it opens the door to addressing more complex, real-world return scenarios.
Now, consider the challenge of assisting a customer with a product return that requires multiple boxes. These situations often involve boxes of varying sizes and weights, adding complexity to the coordination effort.
Although NetSuite provides the foundational records to produce complex returns, organizations realistically require enhanced planning capabilities given the number of records involved and the inherent linkages between them. They need tools to clearly define the return scenario, automate the associated NetSuite transaction structures, and streamline the generation of related carrier labels. How does one tackle such scenarios effectively?
NetSuite Comprehensive Returns Planning Considerations
Effective solutions for managing product returns in NetSuite require frameworks and models that address the real-world scenarios customer service agents encounter. Breaking down the challenge into structured planning records allows for seamless automation and streamlined workflows. To achieve comprehensive NetSuite-driven product returns, our firm developed an approach with a focus on these key components:
Returns Manager: The Returns Manager is the central planning record that organizes all customer transaction elements for a return request. This includes managing tasks such as coordinating returns to original vendors to secure vendor credits. The Returns Manager serves as the foundation leveraging original order information for the following three processes:
- Refunds Manager: Uses the return details to manage and generate related customer credits and refunds while accounting for financial differences.
- Replacement Manager: Handles product exchange situations, ensuring smooth logistics and resolving financial discrepancies for value differences.
- Package Manager: Helps customer support teams plan and manage the packaging requirements for returning multiple items, including shipments to different destinations.
This article focuses on the Package Manager, a critical tool for handling the complexities of multi-product returns and connection to the shipping carriers.
I crafted the foundational article in 2023, Drive Comprehensive NetSuite Product Returns and Refunds.
Click the images to view them in full size and to have a better understanding of the architecture and process flow.
Package Manager Streamlines Automated Shipping Carrier Label Generation
Managing the complexities of product returns requires careful planning. The Package Manager is designed to simplify this process by addressing the following considerations:
- Original Boxes: Leverage the likelihood that original shipping boxes are available for reuse in the return shipment. This helps streamline the return packaging processes that customers will need to pack and ship.
- Return Destinations: Different items may require returns to different locations, such as an original drop-ship vendor’s return address. Ensuring accurate destination address mapping is key.
- Item Weights: Accurate weight data is crucial for generating shipping labels. Pulling item weights directly from the item database makes the process efficient and reliable.
- Multiple Return Packages and Items: Returns often involve complex packaging scenarios. Some boxes may contain multiple items, while others might require multiple packages for a single item composed of several components. This many-to-many relationship can be cumbersome to organize and coordinate.
Handling this data manually is quite time-consuming and easily error-prone. The Package Manager automates the preparation process, ensuring all required information is ready before generating shipping labels with the carrier. Once you produce a complex return with the Package Manager, one can hardly imagine doing it manually again.
Automated Shipping Label Generation
After organizing your packages by return address, weight, dimensions, and batch configurations, you are fully prepared to generate your shipping labels. The key is to have these all planned first. Whether certain items require shipping via FedEx Freight or others via FedEx Ground, the necessary details are now in place to seamlessly interact with carrier APIs and produce the appropriate labels.
Click the images to view them in full size to gain a clearer understanding of the architecture and process flow.
Multiple Carrier Shipping Labels Linked to the Returns Manager
Once the Returns Manager automatically works with the Package Manager to generate shipping labels, the system seamlessly creates the associated NetSuite Return Authorizations and Vendor Return Authorizations, complete with their respective label linkages. This structured approach simplifies crafting clear, professional communications to customers.
Our firm provides license-free tools, such as our Content Renderer Engine, enabling businesses to produce branded email messages and PDF attachments effortlessly.
This streamlined process ensures customers experience a smooth and streamlined return journey, reinforcing trust and deepening brand loyalty.
Watch the Video Demonstration of the Prolecto Returns Package Manager
Click below to view the (20:45) video and see the Prolecto Returns Package Manager in action.
Get the Prolecto Returns Manager with Package Management
Reverse logistics and returns are inherently complex, but with powerful customer support planning tools like the Prolecto Returns Manager, NetSuite’s potential is unlocked to automate workflows, enhance customer return experiences, and streamline support processes. The Prolecto Returns Manager is a comprehensive, NetSuite-driven solution for managing returns. It is especially powerful for organizations that have centralized all their order management into the NetSuite platform as I discussed in my article, Using NetSuite to Drive ROI via Centralized Business Systems Architecture.
As with all intellectual property created by our firm, we offer this solution to our clients free of license fees as part of their well-planned implementation. This approach emphasizes a one-time setup, no recurring fees, and tailored customization to optimize customer support and streamline logistics operations.
I would like to thank Mathieu L., Operations Point Practice Manager, for his design and development leadership on this robust solution. I am blessed to work with a high-caliber team committed to our customers’ success.
If you found this article relevant, feel free to sign up for notifications to new articles as I post them. If you are ready to tackle your product returns challenge, let’s have a conversation.
Marty Zigman
Holding all three official certifications, Marty is regarded as the top NetSuite expert and leads a team of senior professionals at Prolecto Resources, Inc. He is a former Deloitte & Touche CPA and has held CTO roles. For over 30 years, Marty has produced leadership in ERP, CRM and eCommerce business systems. Contact Marty to set up a conversation.
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