The purpose of this document is to detail the steps that are taken in Customer Service when new customer inquiries are received and the criteria that are used to vet these requests.
- New customer account requests are received through one of the various inboxes that Customer Service monitors.
- The Customer Service rep that is assigned the email will reply to the customer with standard, pre-written verbiage and attach the New Customer Inquiry Form and request the potential customer complete and return the form for their new account request to be processed.
- If there is a division-specific new customer form, then that form is sent in lieu of the standard Advantus form.
- Once the New Customer Inquiry Form is received from the potential customer, the Customer Service rep who initiated the process will review the form for completion.
- If the form is not completed in its entirety, the Customer Service rep will send it back to the potential customer requesting the form be completed.
- A completed New Customer Inquiry form is then sent to the Customer Service Supervisor and/or Customer Service Manager for review. The Customer Service Supervisor and/or the Customer Service Manager will then review the Inquiry form for certain criteria that would disqualify the customer from set up.
- Amazon: Does the customer currently have an Amazon FBM/FBA account? Advantus already does business with Amazon, and we do not want to set up a customer that is going to also sell our products on Amazon.
- Physical Address: Google the provided address; is the address a physical place of business? Or is it a residential address? We are looking for commercial buildings due to residential addresses are usually E-Commerce/Amazon businesses.
- Website/Web Presence: Does the customer have a professional, functioning website? Does the customer mention of being an Amazon supplier on their website?
- Products: Was the customer specific in the Advantus product line(s) they wish to purchase? What product(s) does the customer already sell?
- Order Minimums: Can the customer order in the division-specified minimums?
- Should the potential customer meet all required criteria, the Customer Service rep that initiated the communication with the customer will let them know they have been approved and request their first PO.
- The NetSuite Customer Record for the new customer will not be set up until approved and an initial PO received.