--- title: Set the right priorities when you start improving your returns process description: Set the right priorities when you start improving your returns process image: https://www.12return.com/hubfs/Blog/returnsprocessing.jpg --- [![12return](https://www.12return.com/hubfs/Website%20assets/Logo%2012return/12%20return%20transparance%20back%20ground%20new%20resolution.svg)](https://www.12return.com) - PRODUCTS ## Software and services for cross-border returns ### [Return portal Digital returns to remove the friction from the customer return journey and to improve sales retention.](https://www.12return.com/return-portal) ### [Merchant dashboard Personal dashboard for support agents to be in control of all returns and to gain insights from returns data.](https://www.12return.com/merchant-dashboard) ### [International shipping Global and local carrier services for hassle-free, cost-effective, and sustainable returns from any customer anywhere.](https://www.12return.com/reverse-logistics) ### [Local returns processing Returns processing services in Europe and the United States for reuse of products in a cost-effective and sustainable way.](https://www.12return.com/local-returns-processing) - [SOLUTIONS](https://www.12return.com/customer-service) ## [Solutions for every team](https://www.12return.com/customer-service) ### [Customer service 45% less time spent on irrelevant customer contact.](https://www.12return.com/customer-service) ### [Logistics 30% savings in freight spent with local shipping.](https://www.12return.com/logistics_old) ### [Operations 25% reduction in time and costs for restocking and reusing products](https://www.12return.com/local-returns-processing) - [INTEGRATIONS](https://www.12return.com/ecommerce-systems) ## [Integrations with systems and service for your returns](https://www.12return.com/ecommerce-systems) ### [E-commerce systems 12return integrates with your favorite e-commerce system.](https://www.12return.com/ecommerce-systems) ### [Carrier services 12return integrates with global and local carriers.](https://www.12return.com/carrier-services) ### [Marketplaces 12return integrates with your marketplaces of choice.](https://www.12return.com/market-places) ### [Fulfillment 12return partners with fulfillment and logistics service providers.](https://www.12return.com/fulfillment) ### [Revalue channels 12return integrates with revalue channels.](https://www.12return.com/revalue-channels) ### [Productivity tools 12return integrates with your favorite productivity tools.](https://www.12return.com/productivity-tools) - [PRICING](https://www.12return.com/pricing_draft0001) - RESOURCES ## Resources to turn your returns process into an asset ### [Help center Documentation for users to work with 12return.](https://help.12return.com/en/) ### [Developer Documentation for developers to integrate with 12return.](https://developer.returnbird.com/) ### [Program The 12return program supports the transformation of your returns process.](https://www.12return.com/program) ### [GDPR 12return takes data security seriously.](https://www.12return.com/general-data-protection-regulation) ### [Whitepapers and more Whitepapers and more to inspire and rethink returns.](https://www.12return.com/whitepapers) ### [Blog Join the 12return blog for more insights into returns management.](https://www.12return.com/company/blog) - COMPANY ## We are 12return ### [Our story We are one...two...return.](https://www.12return.com/our-story) ### [Contact Contact us at any time.](https://www.12return.com/contact) ### [Demo Request a demo of our software and services.](https://www.12return.com/demo) ### [Partner program Become a partner in the 12return ecosystem.](https://www.12return.com/partner-program) ### [Newsroom Stay informed about what's happening at 12return.](https://www.12return.com/company/newsroom) [CONTACT](https://www.12return.com/contact) returns management # Set the right priorities when you start improving your returns process Set the right priorities when you start improving your returns process [Stef de Bont](https://www.12return.com/company/blog/author/stef-de-bont) Apr 20, 2017 --- Are you ready for the upcoming peak season? Are you ready for a potential increase in returns following the peak? Perhaps this is the moment to prepare your returns process for it. If you decide to start improving your returns process make sure that you set the right priorities. The world has not been built in one day, and so can’t your returns process. **Where to start** The operational returns process can roughly be divided into two main parts: [Reverse Logistics](https://www.12return.com/reverse-logistics) (Transportation) and Returns Processing. Both impact the two main business drivers: Cost and Customer Satisfaction. Before you make the call to improve your returns process you should first pick your main driver for improvement. Next, you pick the part where improvements will contribute to that driver the most. Don’t make the mistake to do it all at once. You probably don’t have the time and resources for it and likely you have many other priorities in other areas of business as well. Why not cherry-pick the low-hanging fruit in [returns management](https://www.12return.com/product/returns-management) first and take the next big step in a second run? Just cherry-picking will have you running already. **Set your priority** Let’s say that customer satisfaction is your main driver. It directly impacts conversion and retention so it sounds like a good priority. Good choice. Next ask the question: which part contributes the most to customer satisfaction? Improvements in transportation or in returns processing? **Transportation is more or less a given** If you think about it, transportation is pretty much a given. There are so many reputable carriers with great transportation services. Whether they ship from A to B or from B to A, the performance and costs are more or less a given. Returns transportation just works and there is likely little room for improvement to add to your customer satisfaction objective. On the cost side, you can reduce costs by changing carriers but is this really giving you the big improvement you are looking for? In some cases, like in international returns, there likely is a bigger improvement opportunity but is it the first one on your list? **Returns processing is the really big opportunity** The majority of returns costs are in the returns processing area. Think about costs for administrative customer contact; upfront for returns authorization, during the process for status requests, and at the end in administrative (refund) returns processing. Apart from administrative costs, you deal with the costs of physical returns processing like receiving, checking, stocking, and problem shelf handling. Finally, there are hidden costs like product value erosion while returns are in the processing queue. **Customer satisfaction** But let’s go back to your main priority to improve customer satisfaction. It is fair to say that a reliable and fast “returns-to-refund” (or “return-to-exchange”) cycle not just impacts costs but also largely contributes to your customer satisfaction objective. In the end, it is all about ease of use, reliability, and speed for both you and your customer. Returns management should just be a process that runs and that doesn’t require too much attention. Impacting customer satisfaction should just be easy for anyone involved in the returns process. **Step-by-step improvements** Again, let’s take a step-by-step improvement approach. Here is a simple priority sequence for your improvement plan: - Integrate returns registration by the customer with the back-end returns processing; use a simple tool to make sure that all data is captured in one system. Having all data available during returns processing will contribute to the reduction of the overall cycle time. A returned box without information is a problem-shelf item. - Integrate your (existing) carrier services to simplify the transport booking process. Enabling your customer to directly print the appropriate returns label will also contribute to the overall cycle time. - Integrate the new tool and process with your existing systems. A fast and accurate exchange of data between systems will contribute to the overall cycle time. **A clear result from a simple step-by-step implementation effort** The logic is simple. A shorter cycle time improves customer satisfaction. That is your priority, right? But less time likely also means fewer costs in returns processing. Isn’t that a nice spin-off? Start improving today. [returns management](https://www.12return.com/company/blog/topic/returns-management) [reverse supply chain](https://www.12return.com/company/blog/topic/reverse-supply-chain) [reverse logistics](https://www.12return.com/company/blog/topic/reverse-logistics) [product returns](https://www.12return.com/company/blog/topic/product-returns) ## More from the blog returns management ### [You are prepared for Peak Season, great! What about the Returns?](https://www.12return.com/company/blog/prepared-for-returns-in-the-peak-season-and-beyond) This year e-commerce has boomed and online spending has increased. More shipments and returns are a logical result you have to deal with. Stef de Bont Nov 11, 2020 returns management ### [Top 3 challenges in the returns process](https://www.12return.com/company/blog/top-3-challenges-in-the-returns-process) E-commerce is booming and return volumes are exploding. Do you recognize the top 3 challenges for the returns process? Stef de Bont Mar 11, 2021 returns management ### [Return to Vendor should not become Return to Sender](https://www.12return.com/company/blog/return-to-vendor-should-not-become-return-to-sender) Your returns process should be prepared for another returns process: return to vendor. Stef de Bont Jun 7, 2017 ### Get notified of new posts on the 12return blog Join the 12return blog for more insights into returns management. With 12return, you can connect the frontend and backend returns processes into a digital, integrated business process that is up to the challenges of returns and turns the returns process into an asset for your business. Made with ❤️ in The Netherlands, used by businesses and consumers around the world. ### Products - [Return portal](https://www.12return.com/return-portal) - [Merchant dashboard](https://www.12return.com/merchant-dashboard) - [International shipping](https://www.12return.com/reverse-logistics) - [Local returns processing](https://www.12return.com/local-returns-processing) ### Solutions - [Customer service](https://www.12return.com/customer-service) - [Logistics](https://www.12return.com/logistics_old) - [Operations](https://www.12return.com/operations) ### 12return - [Our story](https://www.12return.com/our-story) - [Contact us](https://www.12return.com/contact) - [Demo](https://www.12return.com/demo) - [Partner program](https://www.12return.com/partner-program) © 2022 12return All rights reserved [Privacy Policy](https://www.12return.com/privacy-policy-website) © 2021 Kalungi, Inc. - All Rights Reserved. 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