All companies hoping to be successful and competitive in providing products and services to consumers need to have implemented a strong, reliable logistics strategy. Having this in place will allow your service levels to be high and unaffected during times of change throughout the rest of the business structure. This is true of companies no matter how large or small. How though does a company pursue this dream? Here are some tips to guide your company in the right logistics direction.
The first piece of advice is to reduce logistic prices, FTL, LTL and courier by leveraging your predicted volumes. You must find a logistics provider that will offer your business competitive pricing upon start up using your predicted volume when you have no historic information to pull from. This can save you a significant amount of money in discounts offered in freight costs. This in turn improves your competitive edge and increases your cash flow.
Another tip that is effective in strategies employed for effective logistics is to practice a demand driven logistics method. Match the demand for your products with your supply and this will decrease the amount of money spent on transport. It also offers savings in replacing inventory and offering a high level of customer service which is the most important need of your business for growth.
Companies should initiate communication between sales and operations planning. All of the business’s primary functions should come together and work as one. Reviewing, discussing and planning future business activities with all partied who impact or are impacted in regular operations of the business. A team approach will allow common goals and methods to achieve them to be understood throughout the company.
In larger companies it may be imperative for a logistician to be employed that can connect to the logistics world and lead with great interpersonal skills. This person would be responsible for creating, implementing and creating a logistics plan that would be constantly changing to meet the demands of the business. This person should bridge the gap between shipping and receiving allowing a flawless logistics flow. They would work with all different freight carriers to not only find discounted shipping rates but unsurpassed service.
Creating a successful strategy for the logistics of your company could be something as simple as defining exactly what it is you wish to accomplish and what goals are to be achieved. The supply chain strategy that is employees must bring into line the goals of the company, supporting them and helping them to be achieved. Consider the goal and work your supply chain strategy around it. If you have a goal of faster shipment speeds this logistics plan will look a great deal different from a company that is focused on low cost shipping.
Not all companies’ logistic goals are the same. What is right for your company may not be considered a viable option to another. Logistics is all about finding out what works well in line with your companies goals and future and creating a supply chain that fits into that plan.