Jan. 8 2012 04:14 PM

In today’s market place, your business can be hamstrung if you’re operating without good command on your supply chain. 
While products will vary from one company to the other, one business need seems to be the common fact of life for manufacturers and distributors: The Supply Chain Management.

Why should you have a good command on your supply chain? Well, have you experienced demand spikes, unexpected order, operation shut down or wrong order fulfilled? Sounds familiar? It is fair to say that companies experience any of these issues on monthly, weekly or even daily basis. Only those companies that paid attention to the power of a sound supply chain management can handle any unexpected situation with relative ease.

So what should you do? Here are some steps that will help you take charge of your supply chain:

• Gaining the data - Tap into your data base for previous year inbound and outbound activities.
• Reporting - Generate a report that separates normal activities from the urgent or the unexpected.
• Consulting – Contact transportation companies that have the expertise and the knowledge to customize a supply chain solution that suits your business goals.

And what should you not do? Here are some of the mistakes that could lead to more logistical nightmares:

• Do not rely on a couple of month data. You may have ignored the most common issues in your industry or your company specifically. A 12 month data provides a clear indication of what took place in your operation that affected your supply chain for that year.
• Do not ignore the smallest incident that affected your operation, it may reflect an issue that can be avoided or corrected.
• Do not consult with one company for all your inbound and outbound business. No company is an expert on all areas of the world. Maximize your success by utilizing the strength of each transportation provider.

Remember, your supply chain is as strong as the experts that you hire to help you manage it, select wisely.

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