As a product manager at Skinny & Co. I added several new features to the order management system that led to the elimination of a FTE, but one of the other things I’m proud of was how I worked with Fedex to develop a new 3PL order management interface that allowed us to send them our orders for fulfillment.
When FedEx was first getting into the 3PL space, they bought GENCO in Greenwood, Indiana and we were their first customer. FedEx asked me to work with the UX designer at FedEx and the people working in the warehouse to optimize the order management web interface and the system (Manhattan).
Similar to the middleware I developed for Fishbowl Inventory, the FedEx Fulfillment order management portal used CSV file exports from Fishbowl to import into Manhattan. At first it had basic, limited capabilities but over time, more features were added in subsequent sprints and releases.
As the key stakeholder at the client level, I was in a unique position to give feedback and have influence over the design and process decisions made. Normally I’m the product manager so this was a different type of experience, one I’ve also done for a Celigo by participating in feedback sessions with them.
This system is now in use with all of their other FedEx Fulfillment customers.