In today's real-time, online world, customers demand speedy, transparent order fulfilment. UPM is keeping its finger on the digital pulse with the recently relaunched Customer Online, which provides a smooth and intuitive 24/7 paper purchasing experience.
UPM's user-friendly Customer Online (COL) digital portal offers functionalities uniquely tailored to the needs of the individual customer. This easy-to-use portal provides paper customers with full access to their inventory and account history, invoicing, and order status.
"Through COL, our customers can log onto their personalized dashboard and check for themselves what has been ordered, delivered and invoiced. They can also browse products, conduct various transactions, enter claims and request samples," explains Marika Uimonen, Director, CRM Solutions.
COL has been in use for roughly ten years, and in 2021 the platform was upgraded with improvements to the user experience and a new, fresh look and feel. The upgraded platform offers a more convenient and smoother user experience, and customers are sure to find the visual makeover more appealing.
"We aren't making big changes in the functionalities of the platform, instead we decided to focus on improving usability and user friendliness, while updating the technical platform at the same time,” Marika says.
Only a few clicks away
Easy-to-master, time-saving and hassle-free, the eOrder tool in COL enables customers to order paper anytime and anyplace – whether at six in the morning or ten at night – literally as easily as any other kind of online shopping.
With eOrder, the customer simply logs in, browses the digital catalogue, picks the product, selects the desired quality and delivery date, and then submits the order, all in a few simple clicks. The order is then processed instantaneously.
"Customers don't have to email us and wait for us to review our capacity. With eOrder, the order is automatically aligned with our processes," explains Uimonen.
As eOrder is integrated with UPM's existing information infrastructure, it provides reliable real-time feedback on UPM's order fulfilment capabilities. The risk of mistakes is minimized, as the system automatically scans the input for potential errors.
Full set of services 24/7
In addition to the eOrder application, Customer Online is also offers a quick lane for customer to order samples. Unprinted paper samples can be ordered directly through the platform, with a full overview of the order and the delivery status, as with any other online order. Claims are also handled more smoothly through COL, offering full transparency and tracking of claims, directly linked to the order, delivery and invoice – all this available 24/7.
"COL allows customers to access their services any time. They can order, track their orders and deliveries, get support in claim cases, request samples, and download documentation related to their orders. Because of COL, our customer can get the needed services 24/7, also during hours when our customer service staff is unavailable. It gives our customers the freedom to choose when they are served and what channel is the most convenient for them."
"If you can use Amazon, you know how to place an order with eOrder, it's not more difficult. And you can see the delivery date right away; you don't have to wait for a confirmation"
– Bastian Steinmetz from Steinmetz Briefumschläge in Schenefeld, Germany.
Text: Silja Kudel / Sara Brännäs