Special orders and back orders are where promises get broken. A customer is told a week, the supplier slips, and nobody tells the customer until they ring to chase. OptiFlow tracks the orders and keeps everyone informed, on top of the systems you already run.
The problem with non stock and back orders
Anything you do not hold in stock relies on a chain of follow up: place it with the supplier, track the ETA, chase when it slips, and tell the customer where things stand. When that follow up is manual it slips through the cracks, especially when the counter is busy and it is nobody’s dedicated job. The result is broken promises, chasing calls, goods that arrive and sit unallocated, and customers who quietly lose confidence and take the next job elsewhere.
What OptiFlow does for you
OptiFlow keeps a live view of your special and back orders, watches for slipped or missing ETAs, and prompts action before a promise is missed. It keeps the customer updated automatically at each stage and flags the orders that need a human to intervene.
- Track every special and back order against its promised date.
- Flag slipped or missing supplier ETAs early, before the customer notices.
- Keep customers updated automatically so they stop chasing.
- Prompt your team to act on the orders that need attention.
- Link arrivals back to the customer so nothing sits unallocated.
Why it matters for loyalty
Trade customers plan their jobs around your promises. A merchant who says a week and means it, and who tells them proactively when something changes, is a merchant they keep coming back to. Getting special orders right is a quiet but powerful loyalty driver, and it is exactly the kind of consistent follow up that slips when people are busy but a system never forgets.
Works with your systems, no rip and replace
OptiFlow is an AI layer that sits on top of the platform you already run, whether that is Kerridge, Intact, Ibcos or another trade system, and acts on the data it already holds. There is no migration, no long project and nothing new for your team to learn, and most merchants are live in weeks rather than months. See the fuller picture on our AI for builders merchants page.
See OptiFlow keep your special orders on track. Get a quote.
Related reading: delivery scheduling and order entry automation.
Frequently asked questions
How does it track supplier ETAs?
OptiFlow keeps a live view of special and back orders against their promised dates and flags any that slip or go missing, so you can act before a customer is let down.
Does the customer get updates?
Yes. It can update customers automatically as the order progresses, which cuts the chasing calls to your counter.
What happens when the goods arrive?
OptiFlow links the arrival back to the customer and order, so nothing sits unallocated and the customer is told it is ready.
Who deals with the exceptions?
Orders that need a human, such as a supplier who has gone quiet, are surfaced to your team with the full context so they can step in quickly.
Does it replace my purchasing system?
No. It works on top of your existing ERP and purchasing data.