Before Building an Order Management System: Why Process & Data Standardization Matters
- Hieu Do
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
By: Hieu Do
Background
Friends. Bakery is a dessert brand selling cakes directly to consumers via its website and social media channels. In addition to its D2C business, the brand also distributes products to 50+ café partners and schools in Ho Chi Minh City.
As order volume grew across both D2C and B2B channels, daily operations — including order intake, production coordination, delivery tracking, and accounts receivable — were increasingly managed through chat-based tools (e.g. Zalo groups).
As order volume and channel complexity increased, the business started exploring options such as a custom app, mobile web system, or Zalo Mini App to replace manual workflows and create a single source of truth across D2C and B2B operations.
This scenario is increasingly common among small and mid-sized consumer brands in Vietnam that operate across both D2C and B2B distribution models.
The Core Challenge
The main challenge was not a lack of technology, but the absence of:
A single standardized order flow
Clear operational rules (cut-off times, order changes, handoffs)
Structured and consistent data (menus, SKUs, pricing, customer-specific terms)
Without these foundations, moving directly into system development would likely result in:
Unclear or changing requirements for IT vendors
Higher development costs due to rework and scope changes
A system that still relies on chat tools for “exceptions”
SOSP’s Recommended Approach
Before selecting an IT vendor or building any system, SOSP recommends a process and data standardization phase, focused on operational clarity rather than software.
For similar D2C + B2B production and distribution cases, this typically includes:
Defining one standardized order-to-cash flow (order → production → delivery → billing)
Clarifying order status definitions and ownership across sales, production, and logistics
Establishing clear rules for order changes, cut-off times, and production locking
Standardizing product data (SKU structure, customer-specific menus, pricing logic)
Identifying the single source of truth for operational and financial data
The goal is to ensure the business knows exactly what needs to be systemized — and what does not.
Expected Outcomes
Based on SOSP’s experience with similar consumer brands operating D2C and B2B distribution models:
30–40% reduction in IT development costs due to clearer scope and fewer revisions
Faster alignment with IT vendors and shorter delivery timelines
Immediate reduction in operational errors, even before any system is built
Stronger foundations for scaling order volume and customer base
Key Takeaway
Technology does not fix unclear operations.
For growing B2B businesses, standardizing processes and data before building systems significantly reduces investment risk and increases the likelihood that digital tools will actually be adopted.
This approach helps founders avoid building the wrong system — or rebuilding the right one at a much higher cost.
If your business is preparing to build an order management system, process and data readiness is often the most cost-effective place to start.
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