It is a department where the margin of error is very limited and consistent, systematic failure can potentially drive you out of the business before your products and supplies are driven to the point of sale. Business leaders have opted for a number of strategies which have worked wonders for others. In addition, there are a set of mistakes which can be regarded as the nuisances which every business should avoid. Here is an overview:
Not getting your cost-to-serve right – In the supply chain, cost-to-serve is integral to your business performance. However, most organizations have a remote understanding of it and simply overlook it. Questions like understanding which customers contribute to the most profits and which lead to losses; customers which yield zero profit; products that are being supplied to customers at a loss. Most business leaders do not have an answer to these questions and it ultimately leads them to failure. This is because companies do not generally get in depth and run exercises to get a grip on the costs involved in the supply chain.
Partnering with the wrong ones – Outsourcing is a popular trend and partnering with the wrong partner means failure. It is important to partner with only the most reliable partners, such as Transmed, an Africa-based Supply Chain and Distribution giant that caters to a large group of FMCGs. Transmed’s success translates to the success of their clients and they run an all-rounded supply, logistics and distribution model for the food industry and consumer brands with top-notch logistics mechanism and management. Some of the brands in their portfolio are Colman’s, Wrigley’s, Knorr, Lipton, Skittles, Mars, Ariel, Gillette, Duracell, Oral-B and many more.
No customer service – Many companies do not pay attention to the complaints and reviews that they get from customers. The logistics team fails to comprehend the valuable insights that they can learn from the feedback of customers. Plus, any mishandling or disgruntled customer can cause a bad impression on the business. If there is mismanagement or some problem occurs during freight service, it is top-tier customer service that mitigates damage and reassures the trust of the customer.
Working out inaccurate forecasts – This is another area where problems occur. Preparing wrong forecasts of revenue leads in distribution and the external factors such as the weather and law and order situation which can have an impact on the business. Getting your facts wrong can ultimately cause many problems for the business.