Monday 27 August 2012

Need For Distribution Management In Business

Distribution management is a wide-reaching term that encompasses the management of the events from the starting point of the distribution process, right up to their final delivery to the required destination. It can also be defined as the management of events from the point of production to the point of sale. Every person involved in the supply chain has an obligation to complete the process assigned to him, and since each process is interconnected to the other, one step going wrong could affect the entire chain of distribution.

By investing in a reliable distribution management system, a business owner can benefit with a higher ROI stemming from greater customer satisfaction, and hence increased customer loyalty. You might have the best products and a high demand for them, but if you do not have the resources to deliver them at the right destination, within the stipulated time, and in excellent condition, they are of no use to boost your revenues. A distribution management system ensures that all these aspects of distribution are taken care of, hence streamlining your business processes. This has a direct impact on your brand, giving it a stamp of reliability and integrity, hence making repeat orders flood in.

The role of distribution management does not simply end at delivering products to customers in time and in perfect condition. It also plays an important role in determining how far you can expand your business. For instance, say you own a cake shop in Birmingham, Alabama, and you sell the best cakes in town. With a reliable distribution management service in place, you can build an online presence for your business, and provide shipping for customized cakes across Memphis and Boston as well. Before you know it, you will be a household name miles away from where your brick-and-mortar business is sold.

With the special packaging and premium shipping required for most businesses, distribution management is the key to ensuring that your strategies to improve the visibility of your brand actually work. Depending on the industry that you are dealing in, distribution management can have a different definition for your business. For instance, while selling cupcakes, taking customized orders and streamlining deliveries is what you need to focus on; but in a business of HVAC installation and maintenance, the meaning of distribution can extend to selling your instruction, or maybe licenses for your franchise. It’s all about being exploratory and innovative!

McLane Logistics Technology provides a very reliable Distribution Management Software at a very affordable price. For more details contact them at 4001 Central Pointe Parkway, Temple, TX 76504 or call at 1-800-989-7568.

Monday 20 August 2012

Key Processes Of Transportation Management

Transportation management is a key element of logistics management, the key focus of which is on revenue generation and customer satisfaction. The three key goals of any transportation management strategy are to reduce cost, minimize time, and increase profit. Even though transportation management is a highly elaborated part of the supply chain, it can be better understood by dividing it into the following key processes that constitute it- 
  • Generating a prospective report- The first step that needs to be undertaken in the process of transportation management is planning major aspects such as transport costs, routes to be followed, number of stops on each route, vehicle load, carrier selection, service quality, lead time, etc. You can make use of a transport management system to deduce the cost that shall be incurred by adopting different strategies in terms of these aspects. At the end of this step, you should generate a report of the final prospective schemes to be followed, and the cost that is expected to be involved in the process. 
  • Up-to-the-minute customer communication- A key feature of an efficient transport management system is the ability to track on-road merchandise within seconds. If a customer wishes to know the status of his delivery, being able to provide an accurate answer without wasting any time can give you a significant competitive advantage. Making use of cutting-edge GPS navigation systems to track vehicles makes this a fully automated process. In addition to this, customer communication also includes sending alerts of transport delays, and viewing and acting upon customer feedback. 
  • Detailed post-implementation analysis- Undertaking a follow up of the transportation strategies adopted by your business is just as important as doing the initial groundwork is. Once you have put your initial plan to action, you must generate a detailed report of how the process actually worked. Was everything executed as per the plan, or did any unexpected issues arise in the field? Looking into these details can help you to further tweak your transport management strategies, finally arriving at a dynamic plan that optimizes cost, time, and efficiency. 
With transportation being one of the most essential parts of logistics, managing your company’s transportation services efficiently will not just improve customer satisfaction, but will also significantly cut down on the cost incurred during transportation. The money thus saved can then be invested in other revenue-generating areas of your business for a higher ROI. 

McLane Logistics Technology provides reliable and customized transportation management software and transportation management systems to give your business an edge over competition. For more details visit them at 4001 Central Pointe Parkway, Temple, TX 76504 or call them at 1-800-989-7568.

Monday 13 August 2012

Warehouse Receiving And Put-Away Process

Warehouse receiving and put-away refers to the processes that take place right from the receipt of the products in the warehouse to their final storage or usage. Effectively carrying out these processes plays an important role in maintaining the accuracy of the inventory. Not only does it improves control in the supply chain, but also helps in timely fulfillment of customer orders. The warehouse management system streamlines the process of inventory control, right from the point of warehouse receipt to the put-away, hence saving on both time and resources. Since such a system is web-based, it ensures accuracy in the process by matching orders with receipts.

To ensure the effective operation of this process, warehouse staff must be well-trained regarding the put-away process. They should be able to choose the right location for each product, as well as execute order-picking in time. The warehouse management system can be used to automatically allocate a location in the inventory for put-away, as well as update inventory records in real time each time a purchase is made. Along with this, it also makes it possible to view receipts in a single click by applying filters for customization.

Another essential feature in a warehouse management system is the provision to receive unanticipated orders. This is made possible either with the help of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), or manually. Not only does this enable immediate updating of stock levels in case of blind receiving or damage processing, but it also helps in easily dropping orders when required. Some warehouse management systems make use of advanced product-identification technologies like case tags and wireless devices to collect important information during the receiving process.

It is the role of warehouse management to choose the best put-away route to save on travelling time. Features like fast shipping and cross-dock locations make the put-away process more efficient. While most warehouse management systems choose the most-suitable location for each product during the put-away process, by taking into account factors like velocity and best fit, there is usually provision for manually overriding the suggested location, as per the discretion of the warehouse staff. All through the process, fully automated material handling systems like customized conveyor systems and automated guided vehicle systems should be used. Both warehouse receiving and put-away significantly affect the warehouse efficiency, making them critical aspects of warehouse management.

For customized warehouse management software form your businesses, visit McLane Logistics Technology at 4001 Central Ponte, Parkway, Temple, TX 76504. You can also call them at 1-800-989-7568.

Monday 6 August 2012

Boost Service And Reduce Costs With Inventory Management

With an effectively managed inventory in place, business owners can experience a significant boost in their enterprise, both in the terms of efficiency as well as productivity. Efficient management and control of inventory practices results in a two-thronged benefit, with there being clearer visibility as well as better cost-efficiency and customer fulfillment. As far as cost-efficiency is concerned, inventory management works in two ways- firstly, it helps in reducing operating costs, and secondly, it increases repeat orders due to there being more satisfied customers.

With a well-managed inventory, business owners can steer away from both extremes of an inventory- under-stocking and over-stocking. Inventory managers are increasingly becoming aware of the need to increase inventory turnover ratio, and to clear old inventory periodically. These simple strategies are an efficient way of keeping the working capital flowing, and determining which items are worth investing in, when replenishing the inventory. On the other hand, having what your customers are looking for most of the times, is a sure-shot way to increase customer loyalty and satisfaction.

While it was previously sufficient to monitor the physical movement of materials in the inventory and maintain inventory balances, the definition of inventory management has changed for modern businesses. It now includes additional tasks like devising replenishment techniques, analyzing the projected inventory in relation to the current one, setting targets over specified term periods, and making necessary changes in the execution framework. These efforts help in creating a competitive edge in the market for the products being sold, hence contributing to enhanced productivity of the business.

Most businesses are now adopting computer-based inventory management systems, which can be integrated into the pre-existing system being used by the business. Such a system makes inventory data easily accessible, enabling employees to look into details of the inventory like reorder statuses, and the movement of various products, in just a single click. In order to make the most of inventory management, business owners should bear the following tips in mind-
  • An accurate entry must be made for each stock receipt.
  • The business should devise a replenishment strategy for each item in the inventory.
  • Excess inventory and on-going dead stock should be efficiently handled with pre-decided strategies.
  • Businesses should invest in a stock-analysis tool for instantly available information regarding the inventory.
A strong inventory management system is definitely crucial to the success of a business, and is critical to saving cost as well as boosting service.

McLane Logistics Technology provides reliable and customized inventory management software to give your business a competitive edge. For more details visit them at 4001 Central Pointe Parkway, Temple, TX 76504 or call them at 1-800-989-7568.