Introduction
Supply chain management system involves the efficient management of the network of key suppliers and the important customers of the company. This business function is essential for the success of any manufacturer or trader. Companies today define supply chain management as an activity of information sharing, planning and giving value additions to the activities of the company, right from the purchase of raw materials to the final distribution, also including logistics. In the e-commerce environment prevailing today, supply chain management will be the cornerstone of success for online retail companies. The company, which has a robust supply chain system, will be the winner in the race for the customer’s attention and patronage. We have already seen what Dominoes and Pizza Hut have done to the Pizza delivery activity. They are both promising free pizzas to compensate for late deliveries.
This piece will give you seven easy ways to make your supply chain system faster:
- Inventory management
Remember, you can say ‘no’ to your customer only if the crisis in your store or inventory department is big enough. You may think of keeping your inventory costs low by stocking just enough material as required for the next one week. However, you have to contemplate well in advance, whatever shortages are likely to occur in the stock levels, so as not to affect the supply of goods, in response to enhanced demand.
- Improve your distribution network
Every supply chain network stands on a sturdy distribution network. You can improve your distribution network either in a cluster view or with a holistic approach. In the latter, you have to assess whether all the parts of your supply chain system integrate well within themselves. In the cluster view, on the other hand, you group graphs, charts and other details together and help keep a close watch on the specific company function.
- Devise a distribution strategy
A sound distribution strategy is the cornerstone of any good supply chain network. It is pertinent to mention here that an efficient supply chain strategy can help a company enjoy long-term financial stability. Eminent supply chain experts have credited a good distribution network with achieving profitable growth. If you want an industry award for timely delivery, improve all the major stakeholders involved in the distribution, namely, production supervisors, delivery teams, etc.
- Separation of supply chain and corporate strategies
Separate your business goal from your supply chain goal. If your business goal or corporate strategy is to provide superior service, let your supply chain play a part in facilitating your achievement of the business goal. Each department in your company should work in an integrated manner to see that you are able to achieve your business goal. Make all your managers aware of the benefits of an efficient supply chain network and its effects on the business.
- Supplier cash control
Your supplier contracts will give you great insight about your purchases. However, every company must take care not to buy stock that is not necessary. Whatever partnerships you forge with your vendors should be verified for their utility. Every process should be optimized judiciously. If you do not want to allow useless material to enter your storehouse, all supplier orders should be verified before they are accepted for payment. You should also optimize your payment processes with your vendors.
- Reducing operational expenses
In many organizations, there are many opportunities to reduce the operational expenses. When you assess the reasons for incorrect supplies, you should not only restrict yourself to correcting that corresponding order. You should make it a point to search where that discrepancy crept up in your process and correct it at that point. This will help you avoid any recurrence of such a mistake. In this way, you can also reduce your operational expenses, as no duplicate work will be done.
- Creating an innovative supply chain organization
In today’s times, sophisticated data analyses have enabled managers to manage supply chains end-to-end. In the retail industry, a single leader is given responsibility of not only carrying out conventional functions like manufacturing, marketing and procurement, but also managing the supply chain network. This can be done by sophisticated data analysis. Every business owner should set up teams for supporting decision-making and identification of new opportunities to arrange unstructured data into suitable groups so that it may become actionable and aid decision-making.
Conclusion
If you wish to understand the effects of having a fast supply chain management system, then you need to calculate the effects of having changes in your operational costs, service provisions, working capital and importantly the revenue of the company.
Author Bio:
Sunny Chawla is a Marketing Manager at AIS Technolabs – a Web design and Development Company. Helping global businesses with unique and engaging tools for their business. He would love to share thoughts on Supply Chain Management System, Web Designing and Web Development.