lundi 25 juillet 2016

Five Excellent Tips For Supply Chain Optimization

By Deborah Bell


Optimizing the supply chain demands adoption of responsive and efficient methods that reduce the cost of operation to the lowest possible. This is meant to expand profit margins or tame expenditure. Supply chain optimization revolves around wide ranging changes that should touch on all affiliated departments. In the process, the cost of running some operations might increase. This should be ignored if the general operating budget is reduced.

Thinking globally and acting locally is an effective way to optimize. This allows you to take advantage of international best practices, technology, raw materials, etc and integrate that will local dynamics through sourcing and incentives. There is a cost advantage when you use localized technology, infrastructure and assets. This combination enables you to produce international standards at a localized cost. It makes your offer more competitive and acceptable.

It saves time and resources to outsource functions that are not central to your services and product. This leaves room for you to concentrate on functions that are directly related to your operations. The functions that can be outsourced include IT, freighting, distribution, accounting, etc because of their repetitive nature and the fact that they do not relate directly to your product or service. The resources and time that will be saved are used in developing and improving your core products or brand.

Collaboration between players within the channel enables optimized operations. Players like retailers, distributors, suppliers, manufacturers, etc must be ready to work together. This involves sharing information and data to enable better inventory management and forecasting. The availability of data simplifies production and makes it easier to predict the market. This will reduce waste and increase certainty when projecting profits. This is the best strategy for long term planning.

Mobile technology is a revolution that is changing different operation environments. Similar benefits will be experienced within your chain when you adapt the technology. Some of the functions that require mobile technology intervention include marketing, monitoring, field management and customer service. This technology allows direct contact with the client which builds trust and loyalty. With direct feedback, a manufacturer can provide personalized services and products and at the same time get unfiltered feedback.

An open and responsive chain will deliver better results. Use channels such as social media to get response from clients faster as well as communicate about your product offering. Such channels are cost effective yet have a wide reach and can be used to increase sales. Your clients will also feel that you are listening to their issues and thus will remain loyal to your brand.

Change in strategy will bear more fruits where one plan fails. The idea is to find new channels of reaching to customers, delivering your goods, producing cheaply, etc. Your target when shifting gears should be long term efficiency. It is likely that the initial cost will be high but it will be covered by long term gains. This is especially a call to innovate and be creative around all your operations as well as customer interactions.

Supply channels depend on the players involved and the products or services on offer. All strategies developed must take to account the uniqueness of operation environment or market. Utilize all the opportunities available within your operation environment. All efforts should go towards cost reduction and efficiency over the long term.




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