WSA UNIFORM FULFILLMENT PROCESS
Context, Background, Production of Understanding

First please understand that WSA did not intend to take on filling uniform orders.  Since 2020 there have been several global and national interferences with inventory and regular stock in multiple industries.  Garments and apparel is one such space. 

On July 5, 2023, WSA was informed that NONE of our previously placed order from November 2022 would be ready until November 15, 2023 at earliest. 

In RESPONSE, Roger gathered 3 workers: Caitlyn, Kurt and Simon.  In 2023 this group of 3 folks (plus myself) completed the entire uniform process given July 5 as our starting point.  Probably 100 others helped at some point along the way - THANK YOU for that! 

On Sept 1, 2023,  90% of every order placed at that time was fulfilled.  We aimed for 100%.  There was some "pain" experienced by team leaders who helped, drove long distances, sweated in our storage unit that reached 140-degrees on days we spent hours sorting, sifting, unboxing, and reboxing, uniforms to get them to your kids.

This year, Caitlyn and myself are the only two uniform "worker" bees.  Two people are managing over 350+ orders for literally 10,000+ different items (socks, shorts, jerseys, GK, diff colors, sizes, etc).  

This is required, because in 2022 there was an inventory malfunction.

We spent the past 6 months in talks with other Uniform Brands (we have 8 different proposals). NOT ONE OF WHICH REQUIRES ANYTHING LESS THAN JUNE 1 DEADLINE for SEPT 1 FULFILLMENT - FACT.  AND NOT ONE WHICH ALLOWS US TO DO ANYTHING EXCEPT RAISE PRICES.   

We are working to see if we can make this process work for you and your families.  I am convinced it is a RIGHT EFFORT to give. 

We currently provide a June 15 deadline, and aim for Aug 1 fulfillment.  This is 15 days later than industry standard on the deadline and 30 days ahead of industry standard for fulfillment promises.  We are giving away 45 days of production and work-flow time in that set up.  We will likely change that next year.  We have been doing this for 15 months, while others have been doing it for 3 decades (359 months longer). 

This year we could not attain Aug 1 fulfillment for the following reasons, which I think you'll understand: 

• We received 225 uniform orders by the deadline, June 15
• We received 160 uniform orders the past month (July & August) 
• We have received 40 the past week (Aug 5th - Aug 12) 

We are able to fulfill orders in "batches".  This is because 5 different stores are involved in decorating the uniforms (adding sponsor logo, white jersey patches, and jersey numbers).  We cannot send a single item for printing.  We have to order logos/decals, we have to prep the stores who do the applique, and all of this process requires multiple garments per time.  The typical work-flow timeline from receipt on our doorstep to completion is 3 weeks. 

Once the decorating/printing is complete then we typically, without delay, unbox, and organize within 48 hours (it takes about 16 man hours to do this).  About 75% of the time this done without AC in 120-140 degree temperatures.  We do the physical and manual labor, while recording the data. 

We then begin "filling orders".  This is when we are texting with particular managers, self appointed leaders, directors of various teams who know more intimately what a team's needs are, why someone has not paid, why an order is missing or see all of the other errors below we correct - one-by-one-by-one-by-one. 

There are a litany of "user" errors that customers make when ordering:  They input a wrong birthday, typo errors for coach names, choose the wrong team, choose Youth Small for an 18 year old boy, choose "small" socks for a 16 year old boy, or large socks for a 7 year old.  After retyping the spreadsheet line-by-line we then use this data to fill the orders. 

In many cases we under or over correct.  In many cases you receive our shipment w/ our corrections, and send it back - only to a week later use our corrections 😉.  We have gained some understanding of preferences for sizes for certain ages in just one year's time. 

Then we also make mistakes.  A lot of them.  We pull from the YXL box, and someone throughout the day who used the facility pushed YL items into that box.  You receive the wrong size.  Or we pull from the YL box thinking it was the YXL box.  

If you train at West Bank your remedy is "same day".  You come by the clubhouse and fix.

If you train in OKC or Pecan Valley, or Wright Park, or Claremore, or All Star, or RiverCity or Salvation Army or Hatbox -  you cannot make a quick fix.  You text us. This now requires a shipment or courrier.  This requires time. During that time things change - a player decides they don't like the size - you add a player - lose a player - make an internal swap, etc....

And meanwhile we might have already passed out the size/color/garment you needed.  We might have prioritized your order based on your order timeliness and we moved to the next order.  Now you are missing what you ordered and you have to wait for the next shipment to arrive (remember above, we order in batches).  We now realign the order we are about to receive to fulfill your order, and meanwhile someone else who was told an ETA has that ETA changed. 

Each mistake creates a change in available inventory and predictable overstock. 

Meanwhile, while all of the above is transpiring, more people are ordering AFTER the deadline, changing the needs.  

THE FOLLOWING IS VERY IMPORTANT:  

We have a TEAM PERSPECTIVE not a CUSTOMER PERSPECTIVE.   We do understand that people who ordered ON TIME or EARLY have waited for their merchandise.  To fulfill ON TIME orders on time - we would have to neglect 200+ late orders.  We understand your members may think of this solely as a "customer-provider" transaction.  As we move forward with a team perspective we consider the fulfillment from an ability to make sure a team "looks the same".  Sometimes we have on hand enough inventory to get TEAM A and TEAM B ready.  So TEAM C and TEAM D must sacrifice. 

This is bc as explained above we must complete orders in "Batches" for decorating/printing purposes.  We do not own a printer or an applique device.  In short we are NOT AMAZON or WAl MART.  And we do not aim to be.  Our goal is not "customer is always right", our goal and mantra is "help the team feel like, look like, and be a team".   The one player with a different jersey is not just impacting the player who failed to order on time - it impacts the ENTIRE TEAM. 

Since we have TEAM PERSPECTIVE we are trying to get TEAM ORDERS COMPLETED together.  
This creates a level of difficulty that is much greater than filling indvidual orders.

But my members will get angry you say?  You belong to WSA.  It is unapologetically a community that REQUIRES PER YOUR MEMBERSHIP that you are LESS IMPORTANT than the WHOLE.  The TEAM the WHOLE is looked out for, while it is expected the individual will sacrifice and suffer. 

Financial transparency you ask.  Any order you want us to cancel and refund.  We will, if it is after the deadlines we have provided. 

What are the deadlines?  We are working on an operative to fulfill orders prior to September 1. 
We provided an "aim/target" of August 1.  This was not a guarantee. 

What is the club's VISION/ AIM: 100% fulfillment by August 1.  We are working towards that.  We are failing forward. 

Why do you not send updates in 2024 like you did in 2023?  In 2023 I sent an update every 36 hours for approximately 9 weeks.  This was because the July 5, 2023 news that we had NO INVENTORY (after we had placed an order November of 2022) was catastrophic in nature.  You deserved to be informed.  I also learned that the information was not useful.  We cannot guarantee ETA's any more than our vendors can.  Those are unreliable. When I send you an ETA you plan around that.  That creates anxt which leads to stress, tension and eventually people potentially saying or acting in ways not tolerable at WSA.  We are now sending monthly to 2X monthly "uniform updates" via email. 

WHAT DO WE EXPECT OF YOU

1. LEAD OTHERS - carry forward the narrative and do your best to understand, and then your best to explain. 

2. TAKE COMPLAINTS and MOVE THEM TO SOLUTIONS:  average mediocre people will complain.  Since noone at WSA is average or mediocre we understand complaints are temporary emotional outbursts to a specific situation or byproducts of the fact that life is at times hard.  Help shape the pespective of others, move complaints to suggestiosn for solutions.  

3. FAIL FORWARD TOGETHER:  We live in a "I'll take my business elsewhere Capitalist" society.  This fine and aligns to a degree with American values.  However, this small sliver of America at WSA is not adapting those values. We value EFFORT, GROWTH, TRANSFORMATION, and FAILURE TOWARDS OUR BEST.  

4. I HOPE YOU DO NOT CHOOSE THIS ONE - If needed - resign now if you are not willing to lead through this process.  Paid or not you are expected to LEAD.  To carry forward a narrative of who we are as an organization. To co-participate in process and not ask process to deliver for you.   

WSA is NOT for EVERYONE.  WSA will never claim to be the BEST CLUB for all.  Other clubs do that.  I am amazed at their claim considering I hope they are being honest with that claim.

We are the club will do our absolute BEST.  And the only guarantee is your EFFORT is required to co-participate in BUILDING THE COMMUNITY YOU WANT TO BELONG TO.  If you aim to be served, or require customer service guarantees - this is not your place. If are willing to put forth and bring forth EFFORT, to sacrifice and SUFFER to bring out the best in others - then you'll have a great Experience. 

IT IS DIFFERENT HERE.  

GOALKEEPERS?
 

WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS FOR 2025 and beyond 

Outsource the entire uniform process:  We might. It would be SO MUCH EASIER.  But we are reluctant to do "easy".  Easy is not a champion of effort or greatness. 

Why not outsource? 

• First - all research indicates we are outperforming the industry standards. 
• Second, we think the community participating in uniform dispersal, through it's pains, is part of who we are and it is important to interact through this process. 
• Third, we believe we can make it better. 
• Fourth, it appears that financially it would be a bad move for the members (price points goes higher w/ lesser service and/or lesser quality/brand) and for the club there is less opportunity to leverage uniform deals (coach packages, etc). 
• Fifth our members expectations for deadlines is not built culturally within WSA expectations at the moment.   
• Sixth our members require payment plans for "up front" costs at the beginning of a season (when given the option to "pay at once" or "finance" over 50% of our members finance or self-elect payment installments).  This is not offered anywhere except within WSA.  Other companies require FULL UP FRONT PAYMENTS.  
• Seventh - our processes have improved exponentially in 15 months.  What if we can outdo the standards with just a bit more energy and effort. 

Do not fill orders for Pre-Labor Day Events:  This is highly likely to be a new standard.  Across the industry we discovered this is not a standard or expectation.  Unless we find a way to move to a strict June 1 deadline.  And this deadline impacts player experience related to WSA's hope in reestablishing healthier timelines for "open sessions" and "tryouts" and "team commitment" decisions. 

Raise prices for overstock so that reordering is not necessary.  Our board will review.  Every 5-year vision for WSA points to reducing fees, prices, etc... and making soccer more affordable.  We believe WSA is too expensive and we are trying to find ways to reduce, not increase parent out of pocket expenses. 

PreOrder.  Our board will review. This requires capital.  WSA has operated on a "shoestring" budget literally and is still in recovery from Flood19, COVID20, and INFLATION21.  These are real challenges for our orgnanization and finding capital to preorder is a challenge. 

Use Last 2 Years Data to Refine the Next Cycles Process:  This we plan to do if we do not elect an option above.  We believe there is a way to pre-SIZE in all community club locations which eliminates most exchanges, to order enough overstock to cover a full year with minimal to no price increase for members.  We have a plan.  If you want more intimate details you are invited to join the Uniform Committee.  Contact Caitlyn.