The article briefly specifies procedures within customer service for creating quotations and order processing. This procedure applies to all quotations issued by the sales managers, territory managers and all customer orders received within customer service.  Tenders are excluded from this procedure.

Quotations for all pricing quotes (new, renewals and amendments are created by the regional and territory managers and submitted to customer service for signed approval by the Site Coordinator or Controller. Once approved the customer is either faxed or e-mailed a copy of the quotation.

Some customers may send in their own “Request for Quotation” form either by fax or e-mail. When received, the form is given to the contract administrator for handling. If the contract administrator is not available customer service will –

• PDF the form via e-mail to the appropriate territory manager
• Ask the territory manager to provide pricing via e-mail or phone
• Enter the pricing and terms provided by the territory manager on the customers “Request for Quotation” form and get signed approval by either the Site Coordinator or Controller.
• Once approved the contract administrator/customer service will either fax or e-mail the signed “Request for Quotation” form back to the customer.
• Pricing is then entered into database.

All quotations, once signed by the company signing officers, will be entered into official database to ensure the customer is charged correct pricing.

All pricing is verified by customer service when entering orders received either by phone, fax or e-mail.  Orders are entered through database per Customer Service’s Work Instruction. Pricing per product is calculated by the system reflecting agreed upon price or list price.  The price is then verified by the customer before booking the order.  If there are differences customer service will verify through Oracle if the contract has expired.  If so, they shall check to see if a new quotation has been created by looking at either the “Quotations Report” found on the shared drive or in “Terms and Conditions” on the customer service drive.  If a new quotation has not been created the territory manager is contacted and advised the customer has a Purchase Order (PO) with different pricing and a new quotation must be created.  With the territory manager’s approval, pricing is extended for a period of one month to give time to submit the quotation for signed approval and faxed to the customer.  There may be times when the price needs to be extended for longer than one month.  This is allowed based on circumstance however the territory manager will be notified again and quotation must be created.

If a product is on back order and the territory manager requests we substitute the order with a similar product pricing will be matched.  Customer service will adjust the price on the order with a note explaining the details when these requests are received.

If the product has never been on contract the territory manager is contacted either by phone or e-mail and advised of the price the customer has quoted.  If the territory manager approves the prices the product is entered in Oracle for one month.  Once the quotation is received and signed off by the signing officers the pricing is then entered per the quotation.

If the customer’s pricing is incorrect customer service will contact the customer and advise them their pricing is incorrect.  Customer service will document who they spoke with on the PO, the price quoted and when the pricing is effective.  This will be faxed to the customer as confirmation.

The order is then entered and booked.  A note will be placed on the order who provided pricing confirmation and if an e-mail was also sent to the territory manager.  If required a faxed confirmation is sent to the customer.

For a new customer without a customer account number, the customer is faxed credit application to complete.  Once received by customer service, the credit application is sent to accounts receivable for processing.  The customer service representative handling the customer’s P.O. will e-mail accounts receivable requesting to be advised of the new customer number. Accounts receivable will advise by e-mail the new customer number.  The customer is faxed confirmation of order receipt.

Orders placed on credit hold by the system occur when the order, in addition to any remaining account receivable balance, exceeds the customer’s credit limit.  Accounts receivable will review the “Orders on Credit Hold Report” twice daily and release as required.

Customer requests to change an order are handled depending upon the status of the original order.  Requests to change may result in amending the original order, cancelling or adding line items, or cancelling and re-entering the entire order.

Order information is transferred on a pre-defined computer schedule to the company’s warehouse, where the system generated pick list is then printed.

Product is picked and lot numbers are recorded as per procedure for Receipt, Handling and Storage.

An invoice will automatically be generated through Oracle and printed through the nightly process update.  Invoices are typically printed automatically the following business day.  Customer service will photocopy the terms and conditions on the back of the invoice and mail the next business day.

All original customer purchase orders and packing slips are filed in the customer service area for the current fiscal year.  The prior fiscal year is filed in boxes in the warehouse.