I’ve shied away from writing about the United States Postal Service in this column. The reason is simply because the situation is so dynamic that it lends itself more to the immediate feedback from... View More
It is well-documented: efficiently run companies hire less and invest more in technology. Businesses that want to compete and grow get complete visibility and control over transportation costs and processes... View More
Every time my grandkids see a commercial about “moving to the cloud,” they want Grandpa to take them there. The National Institute of Science and Technology defines cloud computing as the delivery... View More
While the troubled global economy appears to have entered recovery mode, the pressure to deliver goods efficiently has only intensified for warehouse and logistics managers. Margins remain thin and consumer... View More
There are times when a single word can completely change the meaning of an expression. Just look at Greta Garbo, whose misquote, “I want to be alone,” was repeated so often (and was so off-base)... View More
It is a common question heard throughout the parcel industry: Should I single source or dual source my network? The reality in today’s shipping environment is that the vast majority of shippers have... View More
In the course of a given week, I speak to a handful of our clients and invariably, I find one common theme that separates exceptional shipping departments from their average counterparts. Simply put, the... View More
Today there is too much focus on analytics, technology, and software as the answers to management problems. Many experts will tell you that systems dictate process rather than support process. Many experts... View More
Hi, I’m a piece of plastic born in an industrial town in central China. In a very short time, I was put together with a bunch of other parts to become this electronic thing. After I was 30 days old,... View More
On Thursday, March 22, 2012 FedEx published results and held a financial analysts conference call to discuss their fiscal third quarter. The subtitle on the release reads, “FedEx Ground Operating... View More
Customers, not available inventory, determine demand. Tompkins International’s new paper, Demand-Driven Supply Chains: Getting It Right For True Value, shares strategies for companies to respond... View More
Last month in Part One of this article we examined options for keeping your own position functioning when you are unable to do so yourself. Today we'll look at some ways to insure yourself against the... View More
Last month in Part One of this article we examined options for keeping your own position functioning when you are unable to do so yourself. Today we'll look at some ways to insure yourself against the... View More
It is the season for New Year Resolutions! Optimizing your warehouse is one way to enhance customer service and add dollars to the bottom line. First, let’s review some things that can be done without... View More
Some of the most frequently asked questions I receive from shippers of all sizes regard rolling averages used by parcel carriers. Typical questions include: - What are rolling averages used for? - How... View More
Management has decided to upgrade its Order Management System (OMS). The company will look at Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP) as well as industry specific OMS. As the Director of Operations,... View More
Do you know if your carrier is adding percentage charges to your base rates as a result of bill of lading (BOL) errors? Most BOL errors occur due to incorrect linkages to account numbers and/or the... View More
This article completes a trilogy of approaches to surviving various Supply Chain disasters by planning ahead. In last April's eUpdate we discussed: "Are Your Suppliers’ Supply Chains Strong Enough... View More
Global supply chains face a variety of macroeconomic and microeconomic risks. In particular, sourcing risk management is becoming increasingly important not only because of increased global sourcing, but... View More
This survey always seems to be a draw for many of our readers;I think part of it has to do with the fact that it allows themto rate their carriers' performance. After all, who doesn't liketo give their... View More
