This is a very natural question that deserves a bit of exploration.
We all know that there are some superb off-the-shelf eCommerce platforms out there, like Shopify, Magento and WooCommerce - so why would a food manufacturer choose Mezze over one of these big names?
Mezze is specifically designed for the food manufacturing industry
We have spent 6 years in the food manufacturing industry, really getting down to the nuts and bolts of our client’s business processes. Food Manufacturing is completely unique, with its own rules and quirks.
Off-the-shelf systems are built with a B2C mindset only. While they can offer plenty of flexibility in terms of functionality, they tend to be stubborn and difficult to shape to the needs of Food Manufacturing business logic, without significant compromises.
Mezze fits into your existing workflows and processes, without those compromises. It saves time, rather than adding yet more admin for your team. It automates tasks and it reduces the number of mistakes made by both customers and team members.
Crucially, with Mezze, we don’t have to assume that the customer already knows all the ins and outs of your business logic. We can provide a seamless digital experience for your customers that eliminates the frustrations of using software that doesn't quite fit your processes.
Mezze has unique features to help your food business
In 2020, your B2B customers have high expectations. They want 24/7 access to be able to service their own accounts, all without picking up the phone. They want to be able to view orders, make amendments, view product info, download invoices, request credits, and more.
Here are a few examples of the kind of functionality that is standard in Mezze but you won't find working in off-the-shelf eCommerce platforms.
Date-led ordering
Order amendments
Cut off and lead time management
Standing orders / Lists
Crediting
Price codes / lists
Tiered pricing
Product tags (e.g. Vegan, gluten-free, allergen warnings, etc.)
Promotions
Customers can manage multiple delivery points from a single account
...but there are plenty more.
Mezze is not just eCommerce, it's also a Customer Service tool
In order to reduce the Customer Service burden, Mezze has developed tools to support your team. Of course you don’t want to remove all contact with your customers, but it would certainly help to minimise the number of calls that could be serviced through an online portal.
Here are a few examples of the Customer Service tools available:
Error handling
There are lots of things that can go wrong with a customer’s order. Maybe one of your sites has run out of bacon, perhaps a delivery van has broken down or a customer’s account has been frozen due to non-payment. If the platform is intelligent enough to understand these ‘errors’ then it can handle them automatically, or at least give Customer Services the heads-up in time.
Notifications (automated and manual)
Mezze has an integrated notifications system so that users can be instantly informed about anything important.
Automated notifications are sent by the platform itself to both customers and CS agents on key events. Consider how many support emails and calls your team sends and receives on a daily basis - now imagine if we could prevent the vast majority of them and how much time that would save.
Mezze will even automatically add notes to order history so that CS agents have less to log manually.
Manual notifications can also be sent by CS agents. They can send alerts about anything directly to specific users, customer groups or types of customer. This means that communication stays in one place and customers know where to find what they need without having to use up CS time.
Crediting
Being able to automatically provide credits for delivery mistakes or damaged products saves time for customers and staff. Customers can put a request through Mezze and a credit is provided automatically up to a threshold you can choose. If the request is larger then it will be forwarded on to a CS agent to make the decision.
Self-serve
A huge benefit that Mezze brings is the ability for customers to self-serve. It's more convenient (and much less of a burden for your team) if customers can get access to invoice downloads, product info, order history, etc. whenever they like.
Mezze's deep integration with your ERP brings further benefits
It doesn't matter how outdated and clunky your ERP is, Mezze can integrate with it, to some degree. That integration will unlock lots of benefits and insight, saving you time and money.