7 time sinks in B2B ordering

Contents

1. Executive summary
2. Why this matters now: the new financial year effect
3. The real issue: cost per order and cost to serve
4. The seven time sinks, what they look like and how to remove them
5. A practical 30, 60, 90 day improvement plan
6. Measuring impact: simple KPIs that show progress
7. Checklist: what “good” looks like in B2B ordering
8. Conclusion and next steps

1. Executive Summary

As the new financial year starts, employment cost and obligations are changing at a pace many businesses haven’t had to absorb before. Minimum wage rises, employer National Insurance increases, and new employee legislation all land in the same window, which means the true cost of every admin hour goes up overnight.

In that environment, adding headcount to keep up becomes an expensive default. The most dependable alternative is to remove avoidable admin from Sage with B2B ordering and customer service, so the same team can handle more order volume, with fewer errors, and a better customer experience. At the same time, making ordering easier helps drive more repeat purchasing, which is one of the most practical ways to offset higher costs through revenue growth.

This paper sets out seven common time sinks in B2B ordering, why they occur, what they cost, and practical ways to remove them. The recommendations are technology-agnostic, so they apply whether orders arrive by email, phone, portal, ecommerce, EDI, or a mix, and whether your back office is an ERP, an accounts package, or both.

2. Why this matters now, the new financial year effect

The start of this financial year is different. It’s not just the usual budgeting reset, it’s the speed and stacking of changes around employment.

For many businesses, employing people has become materially more expensive in a short space of time, and the admin burden of staying compliant is rising too. That combination creates a simple operational reality: if the business keeps the same ways of working, the cost to serve customers rises, even if revenue stays flat.

That’s why efficiency has become the safest lever. Not “do more with less” as a slogan, but removing the work that shouldn’t exist, especially in ordering and customer service, where repeated manual tasks quietly inflate cost per order. All tasks that are involved with Sage usage.

There’s also a commercial upside. Streamlining ordering doesn’t only save time, it makes it easier for customers to buy, which supports growth that can offset the additional cost base.

3. The real issue: cost per order and cost to serve

In many B2B organisations, leaders track revenue, gross margin, and on-time delivery, but do not routinely track cost per order, or cost to serve.

Cost per order is shaped by the number of “touches” required to take, process, fulfil, invoice, and support an order.

A touch might be, someone re-keys an order into Sage from an email, someone checks stock, someone clarifies price, someone updates delivery details, someone emails an invoice copy, someone corrects an error.

When touch count is high, the business pays three times.

Labour cost rises, because humans are doing repetitive steps.

Error rate rises, because re-keying and manual handling creates mistakes.

Customer experience suffers, because the process becomes slower and less reliable.

Reducing touch count is the core efficiency lever. Done well, it supports headcount neutral growth, better service, and a stronger cash position, because orders, invoices and credit processes become more consistent.

4. The seven time sinks, what they look like and how to remove them

Time sink 1: re-keying orders into Sage from emails, calls, PDFs, and spreadsheets

What it looks like

Orders arrive in different formats, emails with attachments, phone calls, forwarded messages, screenshots, or spreadsheets. Someone manually enters order lines into Sage, then checks totals, pricing, and delivery.

Why it happens

• Customers are trained to order by email, because it “works”
• No simple self service ordering route exists, or the portal is hard to use
• Product data and pricing rules are complex, so teams feel safer doing it manually
• Sales and service teams carry the burden to protect the customer experience

What it costs

• High admin time per order
• Higher error rates, wrong SKU, quantity, address, price
• Slower order processing, and slower fulfilment start
• Sales time diverted into admin, rather than revenue generation

How to remove it

• Standardise order capture, give customers a consistent ordering route
• Present customer specific product range and pricing, so customers can order accurately
• Ensure order data flows into the back office system without re-keying
• Put guardrails in place, minimum order values, pack sizes, credit limits, delivery rules

Quick wins

• Identify the top 20 customers by order volume, prioritise their order capture first
• Introduce an “order template” as a temporary step, to reduce variation
• Map the current order capture process, step by step, and remove duplication

KPIs to track

• Identify the top 20 customers by order volume, prioritise their order capture first
• Introduce an “order template” as a temporary step, to reduce variation
• Map the current order capture process, step by step, and remove duplication

Time sink 2: pricing queries and disputes

What it looks like

Customers ask, “what is my price”, “can you confirm the discount”, “why does the invoice not match”, “what is the price on this product this month”. Teams check multiple sources, spreadsheets, emails, Sage screens, then reply manually.

Why it happens

• Customer pricing is bespoke and not visible in a customer friendly way
• Price lists sit in spreadsheets, not in a usable system
• The ordering channel shows list price, not customer price
• Promotions and contract pricing are not reflected consistently

What it costs

• Frequent interruptions to sales and service teams
• Disputes slow down ordering, and create credit notes later
• Customers delay orders when they are uncertain
• Margin leakage when pricing is applied inconsistently

How to remove it

• Make customer specific pricing visible at the point of order
• Use one source of truth for pricing rules
• Reduce manual overrides by improving pricing data and governance
• Provide clear audit trails, so disputes can be resolved quickly

Quick wins

• Track the top 10 pricing questions that trigger the most back and forth
• Standardise how pricing changes are communicated, and where they are stored
• Create a single internal “pricing truth” view, even before wider improvements

KPIs to track

• Number of pricing enquiries per 100 orders
• Credits issued due to pricing disputes
• Average time to resolve pricing queries

Time sink 3: stock availability checks and delivery date chasing

What it looks like

Customers ask, “is it in stock”, “when can you deliver”, “can you split the order”, “what is the lead time”. Teams check stock, check allocations, check supplier lead times, and email updates back and forth.

Why it happens

• Stock information is not accessible to customers
• Available to promise is unclear, especially across multiple locations
• Delivery rules and cut off times are not clear
• Lead times are managed in people’s heads

What it costs

• Time spent answering repeat “where is it” questions
• Orders placed later, because customers wait for confirmation
• Higher cancellation risk, when customers do not get clear answers
• Operational stress, when promises are made without good data

How to remove it

• Provide customers with stock visibility and realistic lead times
• Show delivery options clearly, and confirm cut off times
• Automate order and delivery status updates
• Reduce manual “promise making” by standardising rules

Quick wins

• Define your stock messages, in stock, low stock, back order, lead time
• Create standard delivery update templates, and use them consistently
• Track the most common reasons for delivery date changes
• Track the top 10 pricing questions that trigger the most back and forth

KPIs to track

• Stock and delivery enquiries per 100 orders
• Order to ship time
• On time in full, if measured

Time sink 4: credit checks, limits and approvals handled manually

What it looks like

Orders are paused while someone checks credit terms, outstanding balances, or requests an approval. Customers are asked to call accounts, sales get pulled in, and orders stall.

Why it happens

• Credit rules are not embedded into the ordering process
• Credit status is not visible to the right people at the right time
• Approvals are handled through email threads and judgement calls
• Payment options are unclear for customers who need to unblock an order

What it costs

• Delayed orders and delayed fulfilment
• Extra admin between customer service and finance
• Poor customer experience, because the business looks disorganised
• Increased bad debt risk, when rules are bypassed informally

How to remove it

• Embed credit rules into the order process, clearly and consistently
• Provide a controlled route to resolve issues, payment links, account contact prompts
• Use exceptions management, not blanket manual handling
• Ensure sales and service teams can see the right account status signals

Quick wins

• Document your credit “stop” reasons, and standard responses
• Create a clear internal escalation path, who approves what and when
• Reduce the number of manual checks by standardising thresholds

KPIs to track

• Orders held for credit reasons
• Time to release held orders
• Credit related customer service contacts

Time sink 5: order status chasing and customer service enquiries

What it looks like

Customer service spends large portions of the day answering, “did you receive my order”, “has it shipped”, “what is the tracking”, “can you change the address”, “can you add a line”, “can you split delivery”.

Why it happens

• Customers cannot self serve basic order information
• Updates are not proactive, so customers ask
• Order changes are handled manually rather than through defined workflows
• The order journey is not visible end to end

What it costs

• High inbound volume, that scales with sales growth
• Longer response times, because the team is overloaded
• Reduced sales time, because sales teams get dragged into service
• Frustration for customers, which quietly reduces repeat ordering

How to remove it

• Give customers self service visibility, order history, status, tracking, documents
• Push proactive updates at key points, order received, shipped, delayed, delivered
• Create clear change rules, cut offs, and processes, so exceptions are fewer
• Use structured reasons for enquiries, so you can improve what drives them

Quick wins

• Categorise enquiries for two weeks, pick the top three drivers
• Create standard answers and self serve routes for the most common questions
• Improve acknowledgement messages, so customers know what happens next

KPIs to track

• Customer service contacts per 100 orders
• First response time
• Percentage of enquiries resolved without escalation

Time sink 6: Invoices, statements and “can you resend” requests

What it looks like

Customers regularly ask for invoice copies, statements, remittances, proof of delivery, and other documents. Finance and customer service spend time retrieving and emailing documents.

Why it happens

• Customers do not have a simple way to access documents
• Documents are stored across systems, or depend on specific people
• The business has grown, but the document process has not scaled
• There is no clear separation between routine requests and exceptions

What it costs

• High admin load for finance teams
• Slower collections, when customers cannot reconcile quickly
• Increased frustration, because customers cannot self serve
• Repeated interruptions that reduce focus and throughput

How to remove it

• Make key documents self serve, invoices, statements, order history
• Standardise how documents are generated and stored
• Automate routine distribution where appropriate
• Reduce document requests by improving clarity and customer access

Quick wins

• Track the volume of resend requests, and which customers drive them
• Standardise invoice naming and referencing to reduce confusion
• Create a clear “how to get documents” path, even before full self-serve

KPIs to track

• Document requests per month
• Time spent on document admin
• Days sales outstanding, if applicable

Time sink 7: fixing errors, credits, returns, and rework loops

What it looks like

Errors appear later, wrong items, wrong quantities, wrong price, wrong delivery details. Fixing them triggers credits, returns, re shipments, and internal blame loops.

Why it happens

• Manual entry and manual handling creates mistakes
• Product data is inconsistent
• Pricing rules are unclear
• Approvals and exceptions are handled informally
• Customers cannot validate their own order details confidently

What it costs

• Direct cost, credits, logistics, rework time
• Indirect cost, delayed cash, lower customer confidence
• Operational disruption, because fixes interrupt normal flow
• Margin leakage that is often underestimated

How to remove it

• Reduce manual entry, reduce touch count
• Improve product and customer data governance
• Put order validation in place, confirmations, rules, and guardrails
• Treat errors as a process problem first, not a people problem

Quick wins

• Track the top five error types, and where they enter the process
• Fix one high volume root cause at a time, not everything at once
• Standardise returns and credits handling, so it is consistent and measurable

KPIs to track

• Credits as a percentage of revenue
• Error rate per 100 orders
• Rework hours per week

5. A practical 30, 60, 90 day improvement plan

Days 1 to 30: Get clarity and quick wins

• Measure touches per order, and time per order, with simple sampling
• Categorise customer service enquiries, identify top drivers
• Identify your top 20 customers by order volume, prioritise improvements that affect them
• Standardise internal responses for pricing, stock, documents, credit holds
• Map current order journey, where data is created, where is it copied, where it breaks

Outputs

• A baseline, time per order, touch count, top enquiry drivers
• A prioritised list of changes that remove time sinks
• A clear definition of what “integrated ordering” means for your business
• Automated invoicing

Days 31 to 60: Reduce manual touches

• Improve customer visibility, pricing, stock messages, order acknowledgements
• Reduce re-keying, standardise order capture, tighten governance
• Define credit and approvals routes, reduce ad hoc exceptions
• Improve document access and reduce resent request

Outputs

• Measurable reduction in enquiries and admin minutes
• Fewer order holds and fewer price disputes
• Better order accuracy and fewer credits

Days 61 to 90: Scale the improvements

• Expand the improvements to more customers and product ranges
• Automate proactive updates and self-serve access
• Create ongoing governance, pricing updates, product data ownership, exception handling
• Build the case for continued investment, based on measured results

Outputs

• Lower cost per order
• Headcount neutral capacity, able to take more orders without more admin
• Improved customer experience, faster ordering, fewer delays, fewer disputes

6. Measuring impact: simple KPIs that show progress

If you measure only three things, start here

1. Minutes of internal time per order, sampling based is fine
2. Customer service contacts per 100 orders
3. Credits and rework volume, either value or count

Helpful supporting measures:

• First response time for enquiries
• Percentage of orders requiring manual correction
• Percentage of orders that arrive via the most efficient route

7. Checklist: what “good” looks like in B2B ordering

Ordering and customer service

• Customers can place orders without emailing spreadsheets
• Customers can see their pricing, product range, and stock or lead time guidance
• Customers can check order status and access order history without calling
• Customers can access invoices and statements without requesting them

Operations and finance

• Orders flow into Sage without re-keying
• Credit rules are clear, consistent, and handled without endless email threads
• Exceptions are managed with defined workflows, not ad hoc judgement calls
• Product, customer, and pricing data has clear ownership and governance

Commercial impact

• Cost per order is falling
• Enquiries per order are falling
• Errors and credits are falling
• The business can grow order volume without growing admin headcount

Conclusion

This new financial year is landing with a different kind of pressure. Employment costs are rising quickly, obligations are increasing, and the true cost of every manual step has gone up. In that environment, the question is not whether you can work harder, it’s whether your processes are efficient enough to absorb change without service levels dropping or overheads ballooning.

The seven time sinks in this paper all share the same root cause, too many manual touches across ordering, customer service, and the handoff into finance or Sage. Re keying, pricing queries, stock checks, order chasing, document requests, credit holds, and rework don’t just add admin, they slow sales, create errors, and make it harder for customers to buy.

The good news is that the fixes are practical. When you reduce touches per order and give customers the ability to self serve the basics, it creates a compounding effect. Internal teams get time back, order accuracy improves, customer enquiries reduce, and order volume can grow without a matching increase in headcount. At the same time, the buying experience improves, which supports repeat purchasing and helps offset the cost base through revenue growth.

Where GOb2b fits

GOb2b is designed to remove those time sinks through integrating trade sales with Sage; making ordering easier for customers and simpler for internal teams.

At a high level, the approach is to:

• Give customers a self0service B2B portal where they can place orders, view customer specific pricing, check stock and delivery information, and access order history and key account information.
• Reduce customer service demand by letting customers answer routine questions themselves, instead of calling or emailing.
• Connect ordering to the back office, so orders don’t need re-keying and data is consistent across sales, service, finance and operations.

Next steps

If you want to turn this into a practical improvement plan, start small and make it measurable.

• Pick a sample of orders and track touches, rework and customer service contacts
• Identify which of the seven time sinks is costing you the most time today
• Prioritise the changes that reduce touch count and improve customer self service

If you’d like, we can run a quick review based on your current ordering journey and highlight where the biggest time savings usually sit, then map what an improved end to end process would look like with GOb2b in place.

 

To learn more or request a demo, visit gob2b.com