Ordertools: Innovate at pace

ADVERTORIAL: Spotting an opportunity to support foodservice wholesalers with an ecommerce and order processing platform built to suit their unique needs, Ordertools was created. Richard Fletcher, MD, explains why it offers such a breakthrough

In the competitive and fast-paced world of foodservice wholesale, staying ahead demands consistent investment, innovation and a commitment to change.

Recognising this, Foodservice Online has evolved from a traditional web agency model to become a dedicated software provider with the creation of Ordertools – a first-party ecommerce and order processing platform built specifically to meet the unique needs of foodservice wholesalers.

This evolution represents a pivotal change in how we support our clients. Moving away from siloed operations has enabled us to adopt a more progressive and collaborative approach, helping us to deliver consistent advancements across our client base. As a software provider, we have significantly increased our investment in research and development to ensure we, and our clients, stay competitive and achieve long-term success through ongoing improvements.

FIRST-PARTY PLATFORMS

The value of first-party ecommerce platforms is becoming increasingly evident in today’s digital landscape. In 2023, our clients generated approximately 50% of their total revenue from sales on their own websites, a significant increase from just 15% in 2020 – a 35-point rise.

First-party platforms have become the largest, fastest-growing and lowest-cost sales channels. By 2030, we anticipate that industry leaders will handle 80% of sales orders through their own websites and apps. This shift is driven by the demand from catering buyers for online self-service options, as well as a foodservice wholesaler’s desire to control the customer experience and maximise their profit margin.

FOODSERVICE FOCUS

The experience of catering buyers is critical to Ordertools, but we also recognise the importance of developing a solution that supports the daily needs of our client’s internal teams. The platform is designed to be used extensively by field sales, telesales, marketing and purchasing teams to support them in their roles and enhance their ability to work smarter and more efficiently.

Every feature of Ordertools has been carefully designed for foodservice wholesale, from managing intricate customer and pricing demands to understanding how marketing and purchasing teams leverage ecommerce to generate supplier advertising revenue.

With a strong emphasis on performance and usability, Ordertools streamlines complex tasks, empowering wholesalers to provide best-in-class online services to their customers, while simultaneously enhancing opportunities for all stakeholders involved.

POWERFUL

We are continuously developing new features based on the shared vision of our clients and the Foodservice Online team, further enhancing Ordertools’ comprehensive suite of enterprise capabilities. At the core of Ordertools is our intuitive Admin Panel that allows internal teams to efficiently manage ecommerce operations, from customer and order management to the creation of pages, blocks and adverts. We also offer native integration with Akeneo PIM for effective product management, as well as advanced analytics capabilities to deliver important business insights.

To further support sales and marketing efforts, Ordertools comes bundled with Algolia’s sophisticated search and merchandising technology and the capability to integrate with hundreds of third-party tools including email marketing, personalisation, CRM, business intelligence and data warehousing solutions. Ordertools’ payment features support options such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and cards across desktop, mobile and app platforms, offering a fast, contemporary online payment experience for users.

The addition of our Ordertools Chat & Announcements feature offers real-time customer support and engagement through web and app interfaces. It allows users to manage orders, share products and documents, send operational and promotional messages, schedule announcements, and facilitate both individual and group chats.

FUTURE PLANS

The platform includes responsive websites, native apps for iOS and Android, and multiple ordering channels, including web, mobile and chat. AI-driven voicemail order processing is due to launch later this year, enabling customers to place orders by voicemail or chat audio messages, automatically converting them into ERP orders within seconds. In 2025, we will also launch email order processing and EDI services, aligning with our longer-term goal for Ordertools to capture orders from every sales channel and become the single source of truth for order management.

MIGRATING TO ORDERTOOLS

With Ordertools, integrating your ERP system is straightforward. Our platform is designed to connect with a wide range of existing systems and our technical team is on hand to ensure the integration runs smoothly. Once the ERP integration is finalised, the Ordertools team take care of the heavy lifting, reducing the workload for your team and simplifying the switch to the new platform. No extensive training is required – if you’re familiar with managing your current web solution or ERP, you’ll find Ordertools intuitive and easy to use, ensuring a smooth transition from integration to launch within 90 days.

SUCCESS

The benefits of transitioning to Ordertools are evident in the success stories of our clients, such as Turner Price which has reported record-breaking online revenue and active accounts since moving to Ordertools.

“Our decision to move to Ordertools was easy. We have worked with Foodservice Online for five years and they have helped us increase our online sales from 10% to 63% of total revenue; they have our trust, and we see them as an essential long-term partner,” said Tom English, head of digital & marketing, Turner Price.

Dunsters Farm also increased its online sales from 9% to 32% of total revenue within a few months of adopting Ordertools. “We feel we have jumped 10 years forward in just a few months,” said Tom Curtin, Dunsters Farm group technology director.

A NEW STANDARD

And they’re not alone. Wholesalers including Savona Foodservice, Woods Foodservice and WestCountry Foodservice (part of Kitwave Group PLC) have also successfully launched their platforms, with other foodservice and retail wholesalers preparing to launch in the coming months.

As more wholesalers adopt Ordertools, it is poised to become the standard in foodservice ecommerce. Ordertools is a strategic move toward a more innovative, efficient and customer-focused future for foodservice wholesalers. The future of sales growth lies in a strong first-party ecommerce strategy and Ordertools is at the forefront of this transformation.

> Visit ordertools.com to schedule a demo, request more information, or speak with one of our experts and discover how Ordertools can transform your business today.

Dunsters Farm ecommerce ERP Foodservice Online Kitwave Group ordering Ordertools Richard Fletcher Savona Foodservice Tom Curtin Tom English Turner & Price WestCountry Food Holdings Woods Foodservice