BWL: Customer Inquiries and Order Planning

Vocabulary flashcards covering the verification of customer inquiries, elements and types of inquiries, and the order planning process in business administration (BWL).

Customer Inquiry Review Criteria

The step-by-step checks performed upon receiving an inquiry, which include determining if the product is in stock or producible by the requested delivery date, confirming company benefit (such as profit or image gain), identifying customer status (new vs. existing), and checking creditworthiness.

Creditworthiness Check (Bonitätsprüfung)

The verification of a customer's financial reliability; information must be obtained from a bank for new customers, whereas for existing customers it is already available in the internal system.

Non-binding Nature of an Inquiry (Unverbindlichkeit)

A legal characteristic meaning a customer inquiry imposes no obligation; the customer may withdraw their interest at any time and discontinue contact with the inquiring enterprise.

Formal Requirements for Inquiries (Formvorschriften)

The principle that no mandatory legal form is required for a customer inquiry; it can take place orally (mündlich), by telephone (fernmündlich), electronically, or in writing.

General Inquiry (Allgemeine Anfrage)

An inquiry formulated in general, non-specific terms, typically requesting information material such as catalogs and price lists.

Specific Inquiry (Bestimmte Anfrage)

An inquiry directed toward a specific, clearly defined product.

Order Planning (Auftragsplanung)

The operational sequence following an inquiry: Sales forwards the inquiry to Accounting to check creditworthiness, the warehouse verifies stock, Purchasing orders goods if needed, Sales sends an offer, the warehouse picks the order upon confirmation, goods are shipped, and Accounting posts the invoice and payment.

Commissioning / Order Picking (Kommissionieren)

The task performed by the warehouse department to assemble and prepare ordered goods for shipment once a customer's order has arrived.

Outgoing Invoice and Settlement (Ausgangsrechnung & Abschluss)

The accounting procedure where the outgoing bill is booked upon product delivery, and once the customer pays, the incoming payment is booked to finalize and close the order.