The Ethical Implications of Outsourcing You Need to Know
What is outsourcing? Outsourcing is the practice of hiring outside your business, or getting an individual to perform contracted work as opposed to paying your employees to do the work. Many businesses use outsourcing to: Reduce costs Focus on their core business Resolve capacity issues Enhance service quality Access to intellectual capital Busines ... Read More
December 16, 2019 suppliers, supply chain, supply chain challengesThe Pros and Cons: International and Domestic Sourcing
It’s easy to oversimplify the differences between sourcing for parts locally or internationally. When considering where to purchase from, the prevailing idea seems to be that domestic sourcing allows for better control and shorter lead time, but international sourcing is more cost-effective. Let’s compare the strengths and weaknesses of both in ... Read More
December 16, 2019 inventory control, logistics, shipping, supply chainThe Remarkable Supply Chain of the Coffee Bean
For so many people, coffee is a staple of their everyday routine. And its popularity is apparent in the global market — global coffee production reached 158.6 million 60-kilogram bags in 2018, up from 148.6 million 60-kilogram bags in 2015. In fact, the average per capita consumption stands at 1.0 kg in 2019. Within each […] ... Read More
December 9, 2019 coffee, inventory stock, logistics, supply chainPurchase Orders and Purchase Requisitions: What’s the Difference?
Supply chains are a fundamental tool for any inventory business. However, supply chains are a very involved and sometimes complex process. It’s vital to understand how the procurement process works and making sure you understand what different parts of the process mean. Two key parts of the procurement process are the purchase order and purchase ... Read More
September 10, 2019 inventory control, inventory management, purchase order, supply chainLet’s Talk About Delivery In Full and On Time
If you’re involved in the manufacturing or distribution business, you’ll know how important it is to deliver to your customers on time. When a product lands into a customer’s hands on time, this leads to greater customer satisfaction. On the other hand, if a product is late, a customer can become disgruntled and brand loyalty […] ... Read More
August 17, 2019 customer satisfaction, inventory reporting, order fulfillment, supplier relationship, suppliers, supply chainHow Printed Product Labels Can Assist Manufacturing
If you run a manufacturing business, you’ll appreciate the complexities of procuring, producing and shipping products. The supply chain is full of raw materials that need to be tracked and turned into a final product. It’s a busy process with production lines churning out goods, warehouses stacked full of inventory stock, and transportation log ... Read More
August 3, 2019 cost efficiency, inventory accuracy, manufacturing, supply chain4 Key Differences Between B2B and B2C Supply Chains You Need to Know
Business relationships for the sale of goods and services can be split up into two broad categories: business to business (B2B), and business to consumer (B2C). B2B products and services are sold from one business to another business, and in B2C, the products are sold from a business to the end user. As a result, […] ... Read More
May 7, 2019 B2B, B2C, supply chainSupply Chains Made Simple: 4 Tips to Improve Your Business’ Supply Chain Performance
When it comes to improving a business’ inventory performance, interrogating the supply chain can be an intimidating prospect. Supply chains are complicated and difficult, and the prospect of change typically provokes a reflexive ‘if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it’ response. Businesses see the upfront pain but fail to recognise ... Read More
May 3, 2019 stock control, supply chainWhat a Multichannel Strategy Means for your Supply Chain
A shift in consumer shopping preferences and behaviours is driving the growth toward multichannel retailing. This multichannel strategy has a direct impact on a business’ supply chain and creates different priorities for both retailers and their suppliers. For retailers, supply chain priorities include increasing on-shelf availability while reduc ... Read More
April 23, 2019 eCommerce, multi-channel, retail, supplier relationship, supply chainThe Impact of a Multichannel Strategy on Your Entire Supply Chain
Multichannel retail strategies open up selling opportunities to the vendor, increasing the level of interaction with consumers and offering a more and more customised approach to retail. However, this does not come without impact to the supply chain, both positive and negative. So, what are some of the effects to be aware of? Top of […] ... Read More
April 17, 2019 inventory management software, multi-channel, retail, supply chainIdentifying the Key Differences Between a B2B and B2C Supply Chain
There are two broad categories of business relationships for facilitating the sale of goods and services. B2B is the business to business category and B2C the business to consumer category. In B2B, transactions take place between one business and another business, whereas with B2C the transactions happen between the business and the consumer. B2C b ... Read More
April 15, 2019 B2B, B2C, eCommerce, inventory control, multi-channel, retail, supply chainSupply Chain Efficiency vs. Effectiveness
Supply chain managers can often think that if a process is efficient, it is also effective. In fact, this is not always the case. Confusion can arise because the relationship between efficiency and effectiveness is interrelated yet independent. This article will explain the difference between supply chain efficiency and effectiveness, and although ... Read More
April 6, 2019 business growth, supply chain, supply chain challengesHow Inventory Management is Paving the Path Forward in an On-demand World
Inventory management in an on-demand world is one of the biggest challenges in the supply chain today. No longer is a business merely buying in bulk and selling from just a brick-and-mortar store. Customers now have the ability to buy from many places online and also expect to be able to return things easily too. […] ... Read More
March 20, 2019 eCommerce, inventory management, order fulfillment, retail, supply chainHow You Can Tackle Your Supply Chain Inefficiencies
The supply chain is a dynamic, logistical-laden beast. It has so many interworking parts, organisations, relationships, information, technology and people. Everything and everyone is dependent on the suave execution of supply chain getting them the right goods and services, at the right time. They call it a chain for a reason — everything is inte ... Read More
March 15, 2019 supply chain, supply chain challenges, supply chain managementThrifty Inventory Management to Save Money and Increase Profits
In today’s manufacturing arena, the common mantra is to produce more ‘faster, quicker, cheaper’ with the common goal being to instigate more interest through marketing, drive sales up and increase profits. This is all very well, however to achieve this goal, inventory management needs to be a focus. If inventory management is not considered c ... Read More
March 8, 2019 inventory control, inventory cost, inventory management, supply chainSteps to Take When Creating an Efficient Supply Chain
When a company is aiming simply for continuous improvement, supply chain analysis is imperative. This is because the supply chain can make or break the business in terms of its ability to maintain the supply of product or services to their customers. And let us face it, without that, there is no income and no […] ... Read More
March 2, 2019 supplier relationship, suppliers, supply chain, supply chain management5 Quick Solutions for Simplifying Supply Chains
Supply chains are becoming increasingly complex so simplifying them can be a complicated matter. In an attempt to get back to supply chain basics, companies need to scrutinise their processes, from procurement through to storage and shipping. Here are five quick solutions for simplifying supply chains: Clear the clutter With the rapid rise in our [ ... Read More
February 26, 2019 inventory management, supplier relationship, suppliers, supply chainHow You Can Simplify Your Supply Chain
For many supply chain managers at wholesale, distribution, and manufacturing companies, simplifying the supply chain can be a difficult task. An efficient and effective supply chain is fundamental to the success of these types of businesses, and the key to ensuring their efficacy is their simplification. In this article, we outline three key ways b ... Read More
February 21, 2019 3pl, distributors, inventory management software, manufacturers, supply chain, wholesaleJust-in-time in the Real World of Inventory Management
Just-in-time inventory (JIT) is the antithesis of just-in-case inventory and can be a valuable method of reducing waste and streamlining the supply chain. The benefits of JIT inventory are numerous, although they can only be realised with hard work to set up an intricate system involving many synchronised components. In this article, we will consid ... Read More
February 20, 2019 inventory management, JIT, just in time inventory, just-in-time, just-in-time methodology, supply chain4 Strategies to Improve Supply Chain Efficiency for Manufacturing Business Owners
Manufacturers typically perform planning, sourcing (finding suppliers), making (manufacturing), delivering and returns. Supply chain efficiency, therefore, is the measure of getting the right product to the right place at the right time — and at the least cost. Remember, efficiency is not the same as efficacy. Traditionally, supply chain manageme ... Read More
February 18, 2019 manufacturers, supplier management, supplier relationship, supply chainEfficient versus Effective Supply Chains
A well-functioning supply chain is not only effective, but also efficient. In this article, we explain the differences between efficiency and effectiveness, and how you can ensure your business model produces both. Efficiency versus effectiveness Efficiency generally refers to the extent to which a process uses resources in the best way possible to ... Read More
February 14, 2019 business efficiency, supply chain