Thursday 28 February 2013

Benefits of Effective Supply Chain Solutions

Effective supply chain management is about delivering the right product in the right quantity and in the right condition with the right documentation to the right place at the right time at the right price. Globalization of the business in its real essence depends on how efficiently an enterprise can reach out to the geographically spread customer base. With the growing complexities of trade, supply chain solutions are getting increasingly sophisticated. For improved flexibility and future growth and fueled by global competition and changing market dynamics, supply chain managers are seeking new solutions that better position their organizations.

When dealing with a global supply chain a business usually needs to address a number of issues. It is essential to have a transparent and a well-structured process, as a flexible and integrative system leads to efficient supply chain management. Competent supply chain solutions provide best practices to ensure that your entire business is handled as a consistent unit. Solutions with credible characteristics like optimal utilization of resources without wastage, accurate and relevant real-time information can enhance visibility and greater control over the business process leading consequently diminishing the risks. 
  • Supply chain solutions fundamentally look at reducing inventory, increasing the speed of transactions with real-time exchange and increasing by efficiently fulfilling customer demands.
  • Supply chain solutions help in getting the right things to the right places at the right time.
  • A successful supply chain solution contributes to business performance by finding out ways to get goods to the customer better, faster and cheaper.
  • The right supply chain management solutions can help in lowering operational expenses with timely planning for procurement, manufacturing and retail fulfillment.
  • An effective supply chain provides competitive advantage for all retailers. With complete visibility, there is reduced costs that enable a business to work smarter, to remove nonessential activities, and to shorten lead times.
  • It can minimize logistics expenses by consolidating shipment and order while also minimizing logistics administration staff globally.
  • Effective supply chain solutions will coordinate the different pieces of the chain without losing any of the quality, to gain a competitive advantage while keeping costs down.
  • An optimal supply chain solution will be one that can be customized to meet the business requirements
  • Supply chain management solutions offered by experts in the field include services -from supply base qualification and Procurement, Fulfillment solutions, Systems integration, configuration and tests, logistics and distribution, Returns management and even reverse logistics.
Partner with the specialists who can capture your supply chain processes, goals, and key metrics to understand what you wish to achieve in terms of meeting supply challenges and making improvements. It is essential that they have the experience and know-how to keep your supply chain at top efficiency while also keeping costs low for your company.

Other Links - returns management

Thursday 24 January 2013

Robust Solutions - Ensure Consistency in Global Supply Chains

A company's supply and fulfillment arrangements are a significant aspect of company success. Supply chain solutions can make enormous difference in the full product cycle when it comes to handling and taking the goods and items to the final destination. Recent years have seen major changes in the logistics and supply chain management (SCM) landscape. Organizations need to start looking at their supply networks as a competitive channel to deliver low costs and effective top-line growth.

Visibility of the entire global supply chain is a fundamental necessity for reducing risk, without a completely integrated vision and approach an organization may take the wrong decision. Efficient supply chain solutions help in the mapping of goods, complete and accurate reports, implementing correct handling measures and making the product line reach its final destination in best of conditions are the signs of effective supply chain solutions.

Global supply chain management is an important issue for many businesses. As it is necessary to have a transparent and a well structured process, it is a flexible and integrative system that ensures an efficient supply chain management. An optimized supply chain management solution can help in lowering operational expenses with timely planning for procurement, manufacturing and retail fulfillment. It can efficiently decrease unnecessary expenditure by simply enhancing inventory management it can ensure that there are no needless expenses.

As a global supply chain is an expansive and complicated chain of network where each segment is interlinked with the other, it is important to need to employ competent supply chain solutions that provide best practices for order and contract management, quality and certification management, logistics management, warehouse and inventory management, returns management, legal disposal of electronic equipment, product configurations, systems integration and testing, fulfillment and retail distribution services.

By integrating all the global network assets into a single instance, an efficient solution provider ensures consistency in global supply chains and simplifies service management with improved precision. Just like the traditional supply chain management it looks at diminishing the costs of procurement and reducing the risks related to purchasing activities, a renowned service provider will keep in mind the interest is in the company’s world wide suppliers and not just the local suppliers.

As the future growth of the market depends on international customers, customized products, supply chain globalization needs to be managed effectively. Look for a solution that provides detailed information about order and backorder status, inventory levels, real-time demand visibility, quality and delivery status.
Also read more about
: reverse logistics

Thursday 17 January 2013

Advantages of Rack and Stack Integration Systems

The data centers are of great importance in this fast expanding business scenario. This expansion is followed by an increase in corporate data that keeps on shifting all through the networks. Hence, it is essential for companies today to systematize and organize this flowing bulk data in separate racks for convenience. The enterprises are going to benefit if they can arrive at unique solutions that would efficiently minimize the footprint as well as enhance the equipment density by resorting to solutions that are cloud-based. When this innovative framework is deployed it becomes easy for the organization’s to grow and drive greater revenues from order fulfill services. The system integration services are assisted by devices that well equipped with a high-end and comprehensive frame level set up with customized solutions, fast deployment and a consistence quality that fulfills all ISO regulations.

The modern day computing is becoming very complicated as competition increases with every passing day. At the same time, there are companies that are needed to integrate innovative devices to shared racks. Rack and stack integration solutions that are provided by leading solution providers works towards incorporating as less as ten servers within a single rack. There are times, when it even can integrate as many as thousands of servers with an aim to set up a super computing cluster. Eminent service providers are capable of configuring, building, installing, deliver and provide performance testing to offer an effortless execution of cloud based solutions. Eminent elements of rack and stack solutions provided by leading market players are listed below:

·         Offers material planning and procurement
·         A complete rack integration, imaging and testing solutions
·         Specializes in offering network cabling, server components, customer supplied materials or an integrated model
·         Deals in automated and extensive information that is captured in comprising asset id’s, MAC addresses and serial numbers

The modern day business landscape is led by competition and hence enterprises are looking for an innovative economical data center rack and systems integration solutions. Top notch service providers of rack and stack solutions help an enterprise to focus more on their core competencies. They further assist in data center execution solutions that combine a wide range of optimized services, such as testing, on-site professional services, network configuration, campus installation, functional testing, cable management, custom detail labeling and so on. These apart, advanced solution providers today take up a partnering approach that helps them to better understand client and end user requirements.


Wednesday 26 December 2012

Optimize Supplier Performance With Advanced Supply Base Management Strategies

Developing effective business relationships with suppliers is not easy, particularly  when suppliers are situated in various parts of the globe.Purchasing and supply managers who want to reduce costs and leverage value from their supply base are increasingly focusing on a base strategy to determine the optimal number of suppliers. To build customer value and promote profit, critical supply chain capabilities need to be integrated with core business competencies. Making improvements in supplier selection and relationship management can be an advantage in today's competitive marketplace, as such improvements result in better products, reduced costs, stronger supplier partnerships and more efficient business processes.

Supplier base management is a systematic, holistic, strategic approach to planning, developing, and managing the supplier base. While the supplier base needs to be carefully and continuously managed, it is more important for the supplier base to be managed strategically, not tactically. It must be managed with the perspective that the supplier base, like the business environment in which it operates, is dynamic and ever changing.  As enterprise must understand that managing a supplier base does not always mean supplier reductions. 

Supply base management plays a fundamental part for enterprises since it improves global supply chain liquidity and helps maintain a record. Supply base management allows the identification of new suppliers, evaluation of existing suppliers, improve supplier performance and supplier portfolio. It is possible to measure and develop supplier performance in a proactive way by mixing and collaborating tools. Consequently there is a reduction in risk and also ensuring that the suppliers are in the best in class.

While many strategic quality approaches and supply base management tools are positively correlated with firm performance, our results show that quality management and supply base management techniques and tools must be implemented conjointly to achieve superior financial and business performance.

Increased focus on supply base management makes sense as the business environment it is increasingly complex and volatile. The right supply chain solutions will assure that your products are always cost competitive, taking complete advantage of global economic trends. In many cases, managing a planning and procurement department and maintaining communication with your suppliers requires a massive commitment of personnel, management time, and money that can drive your production overhead through the roof. Your service provider must be abreast of market changes and be capable of  responding rapidly with new options.  

Read more about:
Rack and stack
 


Tuesday 18 December 2012

Enhanced Reliability with Effective Supply Chain Consulting


Supplier relations are a necessary part of business. Today's rapidly changing business needs to operate at a lower cost to compete and create its own core competencies to not only distinguish itself from competitors but also stand out in the market. Various activities in the supply chain management solutions involve the processes of turning the raw material using resources into finished product to be delivered to the customer. While technology is important and will help you do things you can’t do today, it may not deliver the results you need unless you also rethink your chain design and processes. 

Nowadays with the increased competition supply chain consulting firms have become in high demand which is not surprising with because of their numerous benefits. Using supply chain consultants can bring many benefits to your business. Acquiring the services of supply chain consulting firms will help you plan according to your business needs. The experienced and professional consultants will work with you on your business plan and specific company needs in order to minimize the time it takes to produce the product and get it delivered.

For a business that is having problems getting their supply chain running smoothly, sometimes the best solution is to bring in supply chain consultants. A qualified supply chain consultant can help ensure that products are being delivered to the correct locations and tracked properly. They work on reducing the inventory level and hence maximizing your productivity. Before choosing to use a supply chain consulting firm in to your organization, you need to look into is the experience of the consultants. It is essential that they have enough experience and knowledge about the market or industry in which you are operating and more importantly, they should know your business and your business needs.
With a supply chain consultant your business will have a new and fresh perspective to the situation as they will be able to provide unbiased and informed guidance on the various strengths and weaknesses.

They can help you maximize your business income and can often make the money you pay them a very worthwhile investment. Partner with a specialist consultant who also have effective supply chain solution and also offer advice on long-term strategies that will fit in with your overall business goals and plans. A supply chain consultancy may also be more knowledgeable in current industry best practice than you due to otheir constant immersion in the industry. They can offer ideas or innovations that you would never have considered or come across otherwise.

Also read more about :  Systems Integration

Monday 10 December 2012

Leveraging the Benefits of SCM Solutions

Supply chain management is a very complex area in an organization. Therefore, it has the chance to be a source of great efficiency and cost-savings gains. Organizations are realizing it today than before, that supply chain management excellence leads to a competitive edge over others, shareholder value and better consumer relationships. The business case for an improved supply chain management mandates a thorough review of the multiple source of potential benefits that comprises task productivity and SCM staff. Generally, the productivity enhance includes savings in sourcing, production planning and analysis, supplier management, production staff, production management, change for order processing and management, sales order entry, quality control and analysis, promotions management, fulfillment solutions, logistics and transportation.

Benefits of Supply Chain Management
When an organization implements reasonable supply chain management solutions then it can generate great value, such as:-

Enhanced supplier collaboration
Collaboration and dialogue to enhance social and environmental conditions that will strengthen ties with suppliers and might also help to minimize expenses resulting from maximized productivity and minimized resource consumption

Enhanced product quality
For numerous organizations, reasonable supply chain solutions assist in ensuring product quality and set up more sustainable products

Guaranteeing compliance with consumer demands and expectations
Today more and more organizations are witnessing demands from consumers to manufacture their products under various social and environmental circumstances

Eliminating the risks of negative PR
Efficient supply chain management program helps to secure an organization from negative PR resulting from social and environmental hazards in the supply chain. In worst cases, responsible supply chain management can function as a security body against possible human rights violation.

Today eminent brands specializing in reverse logistics introduced innovative supply chain solutions with which you can package products for store shelves or installation, ship products directly to the retailer, distributor or any other destination. Furthermore you can fill orders track orders from the inventory stage from your desktop. Other services include:
  • Material Planning and Procurement
  • Turnkey Materials
  • Consigned Materials
  • Domestic and Offshore Sourcing
  • Supplier Qualification and Certification
  • Vendor Managed Inventory
  • Kan/Ban
  • Lifecycle Management
  • Web Based Inquiry and Reporting
That is not all. Efficient supply chain management can also help in attracting and maintaining employees. Today a good brand reputation is essential for organizations who are looking forward to attract and retain qualified employees. When an organization outsources, it is essential to signal the employees that it prioritizes social and environmental conditions.

Read more about : Rack and stack

Tuesday 4 December 2012

Understanding the Supply Chain Process

Supply chain is defined as “a system of organizations, people, technology, activities, information, and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer.” It is the supply chain activities that help to transform natural resources, raw materials, and components into finished goods, which is finally delivered to the end customer. Hence, supply chain consists of various phases such as sourcing, procurement, storage of raw materials, production planning and scheduling, logistics, warehousing, inventory, order fulfillment, customer service or returns management. Let’s look at each phase in detail to understand the reasons that make supply chain management a challenging task.

Sourcing
Sourcing is the process of finding, evaluating and engaging suppliers of raw materials or services. It is a very important business process since sourcing and procurement constitute one of the largest expenses. Sourcing involves activities such as market research, vendor evaluation, and negotiation of contracts.

Procurement
It is the acquisition of goods and services that satisfies the procurer’ needs in terms of quality, quantity, location and time that too at the best possible price.

Raw Materials Storage
It refers to the process of segregating, separating, and storing raw materials so that when the production process starts the raw materials are in good condition.

Production Planning and Scheduling
It refers to the process of planning, scheduling, and coordinating all manufacturing activities. It is managing and allocating resources, events, and processes for creating goods and services. Simply put, it is finding answers to questions such as what, when, where and how to produce.

Logistics
It is “the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, effective flow and storage of goods, services, and related information from point of origin to point of consumption for the purpose of conforming to customer requirements." It includes both forward and reverse logistics.

Warehousing
It refers to the storage of manufactured goods and products. It includes functions such as receipt, identification, and assembling, testing, verification and so on.

Inventory
It is a detailed itemized record of the finished but unsold goods.

Order Fulfillment
It refers to the complete process right from sales enquiry to the delivery of the product to the customer. The different steps in the order fulfillment process are product enquiry, sales quote, order configuration, order booking, order confirmation, invoicing, order planning, order processing, shipment, and delivery.

Returns Management
It refers to the effective management of the returned goods.

Supply chain thus covers all the movement of a product from the point of origin to the point of consumption. Hence effective supply chain management is essential if the company wants to enhance company revenue and profitability.

Read more on - Systems Integration