What is the real cost of a manual order? The ROI of Order Entry software

In wholesale, companies often look at the price of software, but rarely at the cost of not having it. We are used to the process as it is: a sales rep taking notes and a back-office team processing them later. But when you do the math, the hidden costs of this workflow are often staggering.

At a glance: The ROI of PLGGR Order Entry:

• Time Savings: Reduce order processing time from 15 to less than 2 minutes per order.
• Error Reduction: Avoid recovery costs of €50 to €180 per incorrect order (based on 1 - 4 hours of recovery time).
• Efficiency: Save an average of 22 hours per month per back-office employee.
• Innovation: Use the AI Order Assistant to instantly convert photos of shelves or handwritten notes into digital orders.
• Payback Period: With plans starting at €150 per month, the software typically pays for itself within the first week based on average order volumes.

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The hard numbers: From 15 to 2 minutes

Processinga manual order (reading an email, looking up the customer in the ERP, re-typing part numbers, checking prices) takes an average of 15 minutes. With a professional Order Entry app, that same order is in the system in less than 2 minutes.

Suppose a back-office employee processes 100 orders per month. That’s 1,500 minutes of administration. The app reduces this to 200 minutes. You save 1,300 minutes (nearly 22 hours) per month, per employee. Based on labor costs alone, the monthly software fee (Essential tier starting at 150 euros) usually pays for itself within the first week of the month.‍

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The price of a mistake

Any order that is manually re-typed is a risk. A wrong part number or a typo in quantities is easily made. In practice, fixing such a mistake takes between 1 and 4 hours. This includes investigating the error, arranging a return shipment, re-sending the correct items, and the administrative cleanup.

Based on average hourly rates, a single incorrect delivery costs your company anywhere between 50 and 180 euros. And that doesn’t even account for the damage to customer trust or cost of the return shipment.

A system that prevents these errors at the source pays for itself in no time.‍

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More than just saving: Selling more

ROI isn't just about cutting costs; it's about increasing revenue. A sales rep on the road with an app has instant access to customer order history and real-time stock levels.

Because of the speed and convenience, a sales rep can average two extra customer visits per week. More importantly, because the app suggests related items and the customer sees exactly what is in stock, we see average order values rise. Customers simply buy more when the process is frictionless and they receive immediate confirmation.‍

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The AI Order Assistant: The future of order entry

What makes PLGGR unique is the AI Order Assistant. Imagine standing in a customer's warehouse and noticing a shelf that is nearly empty. Instead of writing everything down, you simply take a photo of all the items that are running low. The AI instantly recognizes which products they are and prepares them for order. Even handwritten notes filled with item codes and quantities are read effortlessly by the AI Order Assistant.

This is not a vision for the distant future; it is technology available today. It removes the final barrier of manual entry and allows your sales team to focus on the conversation with the customer instead of their screen.‍

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Conclusion: Math that always adds up

Whether you choose the Essential version at 150 euros or the Enterprise version starting at 450 euros per month, the investment is negligible compared to the gains in time and the reduction of errors.

The question isn't whether you can afford Order Entry software, but whether you can afford to keep processing orders manually.