What is demand planning?

Demand planning is one of those things you might not notice until it’s too late. When you don’t work out your expected demand in advance, the results can be devastating.

This is something Nike learned the hard way. Poor demand planning led to supply issues that cost Nike over $100 million in lost sales and dropped its stock price by 20% in just a few months. So what happened?

Basically, a supply chain software glitch created an erroneous demand forecast and led to the company overordering thousands of one type of sneaker and drastically underordering one of its best sellers.

And all of it was preventable with better demand planning.

While demand planning isn’t perfect, it can help ensure your inventory levels remain more consistent and help you save money. Combining that with supply chain management lets you ensure the right parts and products are where they need to be at any given time.

What is demand planning?

Demand planning is using data to predict the demand for specific products so you can set inventory levels and plan for supply needs. In other words, if forecasting predicts that you will need a certain number of a product to meet customer demand, planning is the process you use to know when and how much to order to meet the forecasted demand. It is the actual scheduling and actions taken to meet demand.

Demand planning is done after forecasting. Forecasting looks at the amount of supplies and labor available and ensures that your company doesn’t exceed these limits. This process involves gathering data from the company’s historical sales, consumer buying patterns, and market trends.

It then combines this information with variables like weather conditions, shipping issues, and lead times to get an accurate picture of future needs, like which items your team should order and the amounts.

Demand planning is:

  • Putting in inventory orders for the correct items in the right quantities at the right time to prevent overstocking and stockouts.
  • Making sure there’s enough space in the storage area for them.
  • Ensuring there are enough cardboard boxes in the shipping department to get them out the door.
  • Making sure that every section of the supply chain is ready and can process orders with as little downtime as possible and with the least amount of waste.

When demand planning is done right, the supply chain is humming. Inventory is at optimum levels, and orders can be filled in good time, efficiently, and with the least amount of expenditure.

Demand planning examples

So, theories are great, but what does it look like in the real world? Let’s look at some examples of demand planning in real life.

  • Seasonal demand planning: If you run a seasonal business, like a swimwear business, you probably have most of your sales at specific times of the year. Using demand planning, you can look at previous years’ data to plan your wholesale orders and keep inventory levels adjusted to meet changing demand.

For example, you might need 100,000 more units for May and June, your busiest months of the year. You want to place these orders early enough, so you have the items in time instead of arriving in July when sales are starting to slow again.

Demand planning also helps you plan schedules to interview, hire, and train seasonal staff to be ready for the summer rush. You’ll also need to make sure you have enough shopping bags, shipping materials, and advertising materials.

  • New product launch demand planning: When launching new products, you can use demand planning to analyze expected initial customer demands. You can survey potential customers to try and gauge interest levels in your new product, determine whether your pricing seems acceptable, and figure out how many units you should order based on this feedback. Then production can be planned based on the needed initial stock and the new product lead time to make sure you’ll be able to meet inventory levels starting day one of sales.

Demand planning can also help you plan out your timeline for your pre-launch advertising campaign. For example, if you find out that most people you’ve surveyed have no idea how to use your new product, you might want to spend more time advertising ahead of the launch to educate the market about what your new product can do.

  • Status quo demand planning: You can also use demand planning in your day-to-day operations. By understanding your product lead times, you can reduce backorders by ordering new inventory at the optimal time for just-in-time restocking.

For example, if you regularly sell 500 units a month of a product, you want to have just that much stock, not 400, and not 600 on hand. Demand planning helps you more accurately judge when to order so that your inventory arrives as you need it.

Components of demand planning

Demand planning is a multistep process that involves looking at data from many sources. Let’s break the process down into 10 parts to help you create a more accurate forecast.

Analyzing sales data across multiple channels and locations

Analyzing the sales history across sales channels is a good place to start. You need baseline data to begin forecasting and planning. However, when you’re an omnichannel seller, gathering and analyzing all the sales data can take time and effort. Luckily, with all the great automated options available today, doing this manually is no longer necessary.

Cin7 inventory management software connects your online and offline sales channels, enabling you to access all the sales data at your fingertips. You can view the aggregated sales history of your customers from multiple sales channels on Cin7 Omni’s homepage dashboard in one easy-to-digest set of data.

Using this, you can easily understand the customers’ purchasing behavior, buying patterns, your best-selling products, and identify slow movers. You can also target your customers with relevant products based on their past orders.

Calculating inventory turnover ratio

Your inventory turnover ratio indicates how efficiently your company uses its inventory and your overall business performance. With Cin7’s insight tools and precise inventory and sales data reports, you can accurately measure Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) and inventory turnover ratio.

Knowing and monitoring your normal turnover ratio lets you spot problematic changes and intervene quickly by adjusting outstanding inventory orders if you find any excess inventory or a lag in your sales. You can also create competitive price structures with this data to stand out from the competition, meet existing customers’ demands, and attract new customers.

Independent demand

Independent demand is the demand you have for a finished product — how much of your product customers want. For manufacturers, this means finished pieces, and for retailers, it means the items shipped out to customers. Knowing the quantity needed of the end product is a crucial step in demand planning.

Independent demand can vary greatly by season and economic factors, and can be impacted by changes in fashion or the weather.

Dependent demand

Dependent demand, on the other hand, refers to the demand you have for the components that make up the finished product. For a manufacturer, the planners have to make sure they have all the bits and pieces and raw materials needed. If they don’t have every component ordered, your staff won’t be able to manufacture the right quantities of finished goods to satisfy the independent demand.

Cin7 inventory and production management software is a useful tool for dependent demand planning. It can generate a detailed Bill of Materials (BOM), an itemization of the raw materials needed to assemble particular goods and the quantities needed to fill a particular order.

Cin7 also creates weekly reports on both materials used and progress production, which allows you to check that your demand planning is on target. As a bonus, the cloud software can even instruct the machinery on the shop floor to start up, and it can do this as soon as it detects that stock is at the minimum level you’ve already set.

Monitoring the production process

If you’re a manufacturer, monitoring the raw materials, tracking the finished goods, and streamlining production time is vital for running a successful business and meeting your customers’ demands on time.

You also need to track the quality of your products and processes. To do this, many companies rely on statistical process control (SPC) software. Despite the recent drive in automation, however, many companies still manually enter data in Excel. In fact, so many still use Excel that even Microsoft tries to push users to swap to a different product, even though the one they suggest still requires a lot of manual work.

Instead of relying on outdated technology, automating your inventory and manufacturing processes can save you time and money. Automation helps reduce human error, reduces the need for frequent inventory counting, reduces revenue and manufacturing time lost from missing inventory, and reduces the staffing needed to manage your inventory and manufacturing processes.

Monitoring, tracking, and managing inventory

Strong inventory management that lets you know what you have on hand is integral to knowing what you still need to order.

With Cin7’s inventory management software, you can readily conduct regular stock assessments to ensure your stock is in optimal condition. You can also assign a batch number or serial number to track goods more accurately under your preferred inventory method.

By tracking your inventory carefully, you can minimize the risk of your inventory aging out and sell goods at a greater profit margin. The right inventory at the right levels, location, and condition ensures a smooth supply chain at every stage.

Cin7 also supports product bundling, enabling you to bundle relevant products and sell them at a competitive price. To top it all, you can also rely on Cin7 for managing your returns.

Internal processes demand

Demand planning is part of your Internal processes. It makes sure there’s no hitch in the supply chain on your end. Knowing the demand on your internal processes is also about ensuring you have enough space in the warehouse or storage area to place items for those projected orders as they come in from the suppliers.

When your internal processes are well-defined and working properly, your warehouse can ship to the end consumer without delay. These processes should clearly spell out each stage of the delivery process, so when someone asks, “What’s next?” there’s always a clear next step to take, whether that’s how an item is packaged, where it is stored in the warehouse, or what shipper is used.

On top of knowing your processes, this also means you have things covered in an emergency, like enough spare parts to cope with machine breakdowns and staff to keep everything flowing smoothly.

Managing product portfolios

Demand planning requires businesses to understand their products and lifecycles from introduction to phase-out.

Your product portfolio includes every product your company sells, including details like their market share, how the product is growing, and information on the customers. Your products are often interconnected, and the sale of one product affects the sales of another.

Maintaining a product portfolio is helpful, especially when you add new products to your portfolio, as it helps you understand how the new product impacts the sale of existing products. You want to be careful not to cannibalize another product, make sure each product aligns with your business goals, and have a clear overview of how each product is performing at any given moment.

Analyzing current trends

Besides internal factors, external factors outside of your control, like weather, staff health, and economic events, impact business performance.

Having a dedicated team to monitor external data on current events like recessions or natural disasters and develop contingency plans will help your business adapt to market volatility and prevent possible supply chain disruptions.

A transparent system will help you stay connected with your suppliers and track your goods during uncertain times.

Managing trade promotions

While marketing and promotions may seem unrelated to demand planning, arranging for advertising, discounts, and giveaways is an actionable part of the sales cycle and should be included. Publicity attracts interest and helps sell your products and goods, so it directly affects demand.

While Cin7 is primarily a connected inventory software, it can also help set up discounts, set start and end dates for a particular promotion, and apply those promotions to whichever of your products you choose.

Demand planning and supply chain management

Demand planning has a big impact on supply chain management. We’re only a couple of years post-pandemic, with supply chain disruptions still affecting many countries, a possible recession looming, and drastic changes in demand becoming more and more common.

Strong demand planning helps you manage your supply chain by:

  • Streamlining inventory management.
  • Putting relevant sales strategies in place.
  • Ensuring efficient use of all resources.
  • Encouraging companies to negotiate with suppliers for better deals.

When you manage your demand effectively, you are able to react to both internal and external factors much more quickly. The National Retail Federation forecasts that sales in the US will grow 4-6% in 2023, reaching a total of $5.13 trillion. In order to meet these levels, retailers will need to grow their inventory levels as well, but this growth won’t be linear.

Companies need to carefully track their demand and adjust inventory based on changes in their supply chain as well as customer demand. Using a connected inventory system will help you do this accurately and quickly.

Wrapping up

Having the right amount of inventory in place when it’s needed is at the heart of a well-run business, and it’s why getting demand planning right is so crucial.

Cin7’s inventory software helps maintain flow from one stage of the inventory process to another. The software has features that can make supply chain management hassle-free, and the data it produces can be put towards forecasting and, as a result, better demand planning.

To find out more, schedule a demo with one of our experts today.

11 Best Order Management Software [2024]

Order management software (OMS) simplifies all the tasks related to getting products to customers. With the right OMS software, businesses can automate order fulfillment processes and centralize all order-related information, thus saving time and money.

Fulfilling a customer’s order is more complex than picking and shipping products off the shelf. The process starts long before that. Businesses must consider getting the parts or inventory into their warehouse, sorting everything out, and tracking inventory to ensure they’re well-stocked. They also need to ensure that their shipping schedules operate at a sufficient pace to get products to customers quickly.

Order management software is a powerful tool businesses use to streamline and automate their order fulfillment processes. It enables efficient order management from initiation to final delivery. This software centralizes and organizes all order-related information, customer details, product inventory, and shipping information. By integrating with various systems, such as e-commerce platforms and inventory management software, order management software provides real-time visibility into order statuses, inventory levels, shipping updates, and more.

Order management software additionally provides industry-specific benefits to business owners in different sectors. Some include:

  • Retailers: OMS allows retailers to manage, track, and fulfill orders from many different sources, like brick-and-mortar stores, online marketplaces, and other e-commerce platforms.
  • Manufacturers: OMS allows manufacturers real-time visibility into orders and inventory levels.
  • Wholesalers: OMS lets wholesalers easily track available stock, monitor replenishment needs, and avoid stockouts or overstocks.
  • E-commerce businesses: OMS empowers e-commerce businesses to centralize all order-related information, allowing companies to manage orders from multiple sales channels in one place.

While an order management system will benefit your business, some solutions make more sense than others, and some come with advanced features that make your day-to-day operations easier. Here are the 11 best order management software options, details on who they’re best suited for, their prices, and key features.

Methodology: To compile our list, we weighed software that serves different markets, the features of each, their prices, and their user reviews.

Best order management software solutions in 2023:

1. Cin7

At Cin7, we set ourselves apart from competitors by offering two strong products with robust order management capabilities. Cin7 Core, our comprehensive small business solution, automates tasks like data entry and reordering, so you can spend more time running your business. The software also works as a strong point of sale (POS) solution, allowing you to easily track your sales, find new customers, and manage sales from anywhere.

Cin7 Omni, our tool with native EDI & 3PL integrations, elevates order management for small and midsize businesses by connecting products, sales, orders, warehouses, and more in one centralized and automated solution. With your orders living in the same place as the rest of your business data, you can focus more on creating value for your business rather than digging through spreadsheets.

We believe in our tools and their ability to help customers achieve their business goals. See what Software Advice and Forbes say about our software.

Best for: Small and midsize businesses looking to move their order management process from spreadsheets to a centralized platform

Pricing:

  • Core
    • Plans start at $325/month
  • Omni

Key features: Automated inventory replenishment, e-commerce order downloads, 3PL pick requests, automated purchase orders, Amazon order management

 

2. Brightpearl

Brightpearl allows businesses to manage order fulfillment with ease so more resources can go into business development. With various fulfillment options ranging from dropshipping to multi-location fulfillment, Brightpearl can be an effective option for various product sellers.

With multi-channel integration, Brightpearl makes it easy for product sellers to integrate with their preferred sales channel. But while Brightpearl can help product sellers reach more customers in different markets, it falls short in providing insights into sales numbers.

Best for: E-commerce brands looking for a scalable order management solution

Pricing: Available upon request

Key features: Plug-and-play e-commerce integrations, automatic sales channel updates, automated stock replenishment

3. IBM Sterling

Designed to give large organizations the ability to centralize order management across platforms, IBM Sterling is a strong choice for companies looking for a tool that can simplify more complex product order management processes.

Described by IBM as a “single source of truth” for companies that use various sales channels, IBM Sterling works to centralize order information, allowing enterprise companies to manage all their orders in one place.

Best for: Large companies looking to simplify complex product order management processes

Pricing: Available upon request

Key features: Automated sourcing decisions, multi-location inventory management, enables transfers in the event of a stockout, uses aggregated inventory information for order fulfillment

4. QuickBooks® Enterprise

QuickBooks offers a comprehensive order management feature within their Enterprise tool that allows businesses to manage order fulfillment within one system — simplifying order entry, invoicing, payments, and more.

While the tool is an excellent way for businesses to streamline inventory and order management, advanced inventory management features are locked to Gold users and only available to Platinum and Diamond users — making it a little more costly for growing businesses to access the full order management capabilities.

Best for: Product-based businesses looking for a scalable order management system

Pricing:

  • Gold: $1,830/year
  • Platinum: $2,250/year
  • Diamond: $4,400/year

Key features: Simplified order entry, centralized order management dashboard, automated invoicing

5. monday.com

For businesses looking to easily track incoming orders and gain complete visibility into the order cycle, monday.com is a compelling choice. A comprehensive work and project management tool, monday.com offers several templates and tools that can help product sellers streamline the order process.

While monday.com offers many integrations that are prime for project management, it falls short in providing all the integrations to sales channels that product sellers may be interested in, making it difficult to reach new customers.

Best for: Small businesses looking for more management and visibility into the order cycle

Pricing:

  • Free version (up to 2 seats)
  • Basic: $8 per seat/month
  • Standard: $10 per seat/month
  • Pro: $16 per seat/month
  • Enterprise: Available upon request

Key features: Order tracking dashboards, automated order updates, email integration, custom order templates

6. Zoho Inventory

Zoho Inventory is another good option for multi-channel product sellers, as it integrates with Amazon, Shopify, eBay, and Etsy to centralize product and order information.

With Zoho Inventory, you can also automatically print packing slips, generate shipping rates, and track shipments through the order process. Zoho additionally gives you insight into your most and least profitable items — so you can make data-driven decisions about which items to prioritize.

Best for: Solo entrepreneurs or small businesses looking to streamline their order process

Pricing:

  • Free version
  • Standard: $59 per organization/month
  • Professional: $99 per organization/month
    • Premium: $159 per organization/month
  • Elite: $239 per organization /month
  • Ultimate: $329 per organization/month

Key features: Sales channel integrations, package slip creation, payment integration

7. Veeqo

Veeqo’s appeal comes mainly from it being a free tool, but it’s still a strong option for solo product sellers or businesses that are just getting off the ground.

Allowing you to print branded shipping labels and create custom invoices, Veeqo can help you create a name for your business — at no cost. Its reporting features can also give you insight into popular products, order history, and accounting.

Best for: Individual product sellers or young businesses looking to speed up the order process.

Price: Free

Key features: Bulk shipping label printing, branded custom invoices, sales reports, internal shipping notes, ability to reroute lost packages

8. SAP Commerce Cloud

SAP Commerce Cloud has a built-in order management feature that can benefit retailers and wholesalers looking for more visibility into stock and order tracking.

Built within the SAP Commerce Cloud’s order management feature is the Backoffice Order Fulfillment Cockpit, a dashboard that allows users to manage customer orders, review package information, and manage warehouses — providing a centralized view of all your order information.

Best for: Enterprise companies with complex product order management

Price: Available upon request

Key features: Automated order workflow, sourcing, order splitting, ability to view fraud reports, ability to pick, pack, and label shipments

9. Salesforce Commerce Cloud

The Salesforce Commerce Cloud includes an order management feature to centralize omnichannel sales in a single platform. The top CRM in the world, Salesforce’s inclusion of an order management tool makes it convenient for existing customers to handle all their resources in one place.

The main advantage of Salesforce order management is its ease of integration with its other products. If you use Salesforce for different business needs, like B2C Commerce or B2B commerce, your OMS will easily fit in with your other tools.

Best for: Existing Salesforce customers looking to streamline omnichannel order management

Price: Available on request

Key features: Order servicing, distributed order management, omnichannel inventory, automated order rerouting

10. Katana

Katana’s order management system simplifies order management for manufacturers — allowing them to automate manufacturing cost calculations using bill of materials data and gain complete visibility to the shop floor through a mobile app.

Additionally, the insights from Katana’s order management tool allow manufacturers to view all available raw materials and make sales and production decisions based on what is and isn’t available.

Best for: Manufacturers and e-commerce businesses looking for a centralized order management solution

Price:

  • Essential: $99/month
  • Advanced: $299/month
  • Professional: $599/month ($799/month after the first year)
  • Enterprise: Available upon request

Key features: Real-time data management systems, automated manufacturing cost calculations, shop floor visibility through a mobile app

11. Sana Commerce

Sana Commerce helps product sellers elevate their online stores by automatically creating custom product pages based on the products in your ERP and PIM system.

From there, the software uses its native ERP integration to ensure all changes made to product pages get reflected in your online store — allowing you to focus on driving sales rather than keeping tabs on your online marketplace.

Best for: Product sellers looking for streamlined order management and an elevated online store

Price: Available on request

Key features: Automatic language translation, automated returns, automated order editing, order tracking

Benefits of an order management system

Order management systems are not only helpful for you, but they can also benefit your customers and vendors. You’ve probably had some unfortunate instances in shopping yourself; maybe you’ve ordered an item only to find out later that the company sold out of that piece, or perhaps the company didn’t have very good order tracking, meaning you didn’t know where your package was until it showed up at your door.

With the right OMS, you shouldn’t have to stress about orders reaching customers on time, but there are more perks than that. Some other benefits include:

Better customer service

Customer trust isn’t built just by getting deliveries to a customer’s door. Consumers want to know the process end to end: From estimated delivery time to real-time updates in the shipment process.

Order management software significantly improves customer service by giving businesses real-time visibility on order statuses, shipment updates, and delivery tracking, allowing them to provide accurate and timely information to customers. By offering this, businesses can create a sense of transparency and trust with their customer base, encouraging them to make repeat purchases.

Improved vendor relationships

Order management software strengthens vendor relationships by streamlining communication and collaboration regarding vendor managed inventory (VMI). By facilitating order placement and providing clear insight into order fulfillment, OMS can help businesses maintain efficient communication with vendors.

OMS also allows companies to track vendor performance, monitor delivery times, and identify any bottlenecks in the supply chain. Order management software helps build strong and reliable vendor relationships by fostering effective collaboration and transparency.

Automated reordering

OMS allows businesses to automate inventory tracking, triggering alerts for low stock levels or potential stockouts and reordering certain products accordingly. Companies can improve operational efficiency, reduce carrying costs, and ensure timely order fulfillment by maintaining optimal inventory levels.

By automatically setting reorder levels for you, the right OMS will ensure that you never experience a situation where you can’t get products to customers.

Robust reporting

Order management software offers robust reporting capabilities that enable businesses to gain valuable insights into their order fulfillment processes. This software can generate comprehensive reports on various aspects, such as order volume and status, and insights into your most and least popular products.

With these extensive reporting features, businesses can identify trends, track performance metrics, and analyze operational efficiency. By leveraging these insights, companies can make informed decisions, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategies to enhance order management and fulfillment.

 

What is the difference between CRM and OMS?

Customer relationship management (CRM) and order management software (OMS) serve different functions. While a CRM focuses on managing customer relationships, an OMS prioritizes optimizing the order fulfillment process.

While OMS focuses on addressing the order fulfillment process and logistics, CRM is broader in scope and encompasses a more comprehensive range of customer-centric activities. Some solutions, like Cin7 Core, include both order management and basic CRM functionality –– including tracking leads and opportunities.

How to select an OMS

While industry-specific needs will undoubtedly play a role in deciding your OMS, you should consider certain universal elements when switching to a centralized platform. When browsing OMS, you should:

1. Ask about scalability

As your business grows, you’ll want an OMS that can grow with it. A good OMS scales with your business by accommodating increasing order volumes and expanding business operations. The best order management software should be capable of handling a growing number of orders, managing a more extensive inventory, and supporting additional sales channels.

2. Consider integrations.

If you’re a retailer, you’re undoubtedly using several different sales channels to reach your customers, so choosing an OMS that includes all the integrations you need to reach your customers is crucial. Ensure you’re selecting an OMS that integrates with all your sales channels to get the most out of your solution.

3. Look for specific features

Different industries may have unique requirements and processes related to order management. The best order management system should offer industry-specific features and functionalities catering to the business’s needs.

For example, those in the food industry might need features for managing expiration dates, batch tracking, and order freshness since they’re dealing with products with quick turnover.

What software is used for order management?

Finding an order management system is just one part of running your business effectively. One of the reasons these systems work so well is that they grant the ability to consolidate all your information in one place.

The best order management systems should free you from monotonous data entry and worry that products aren’t reaching customers and let you instead focus on adding value to your business. With a centralized solution like Cin7 Core or Cin7 Omni, you can streamline your processes and make sure you never miss a beat.

Ready to ditch spreadsheets and track orders more efficiently? Start your free trial of Cin7 Core to see what automated order management can do for you.

How to identify bottlenecks in the supply chain, and ways to prevent them from happening

Any company aims to have their operation run so smoothly and efficiently that they’ll have minimal outlay and make maximum profit. Sadly, many fall short of that goal because of holdups along their internal supply chains. These holdups create bottlenecks, jams in the system that slow the process down at the point they’re happening and have a domino effect on everything that follows.

In this blog, we’re going to look at overarching causes of these bottlenecks and put forward ways to overcome them or, better yet, ways to prevent them from happening in the first place.

 

Bottlenecks defined and how to spot them

The term literally comes from the shape of a bottle, specifically the way the top of it – the neck –  is narrower than the bottom. As this shape restricts, or slows, the flow of liquid when it’s poured out, so, in a manufacturing process, a bottleneck is where there’s an obstruction that holds everything up.

It is, of course, essential for a manager to know where these bottlenecks are occurring, to find these obstructions, and the best way of doing this is to conduct a “bottleneck analysis.” That basically involves taking a close look at every step in the supply chain, from the beginning – receiving raw materials – to the end – the final product, and everything in between.

 

Common areas where bottlenecks happen

While individual companies will have bottlenecks in their supply chains that only apply to them, there are general areas common to all that can also cause obstructions in the workflow. These areas are:

Labor

It’s important to have the right amount of employees to carry out a particular task; too many or not enough and inefficiencies creep in. It’s equally important to assign tasks to those that have the right skill set for them; again the over- or under-qualified will slow operations down.

Typically, workers fall into four categories:

  • Unskilled,
  • Skilled,
  • Highly-skilled,
  • Professional.

Making the best use of the talent each worker brings isn’t the only consideration for management when it comes to labor. Employee morale is important too. Employees who feel valued and have job satisfaction work better. This includes making sure one department isn’t favored over another. Allowing that to happen could create interdepartmental rivalry and could lead to a bad working environment for all.

Misuse of labor in any of the ways described above will affect the speed of the workflow and be the reason for bottlenecks.

Capital

Capital for a business is divided into fixed and working. The former applies to permanent assets like factories, warehouses, and equipment, while the latter refers to liquid assets, those finances needed to run the company day to day like payroll, bills, and inventory.

While having enough capital is, of course, important, it’s also essential to use the money wisely. You should invest the right amount of it in those areas where it’s most needed, and have sufficient funds on hand to keep everything flowing. It goes against your interests to put a large chunk of your capital into a larger-than-you-need, state-of-the-art warehouse when you can’t afford to fill it with inventory, even if you are doing that with future expansion in mind.

While an expert will be able to do a thorough analysis of your use of capital and highlight those areas where you may be investing too much or not enough, it’s important to keep in mind that an imbalance will create bottlenecks. Not being able to afford an extra truck when orders spike, for instance, will result in your deliveries slowing down in a major way.

Planning

Here we’re talking about working out precisely what each employee, department, and division is responsible for and letting them know that. For example, if a production department goes directly to a supplier for new stock when they’re running low, bypassing the purchasing department, there could be confusion about who’s responsible for reordering next time. The result could be a stockout that might shut the whole operation down. To avoid a scenario like that, exact planning has to be in place, meaning that everyone has to be clear on their specific area of responsibility, and everyone in the company has to be aware of it.

If there’s any kind of confusion in your company about who’s responsible for what, automation could be a big help. An inventory management system (IMS) gives a clear picture of your entire operation, and that’s information you can use to set up those planning guidelines. Once they’re in place, your operation will run seamlessly, eliminating any bottlenecks you had before in that area.

Communication

Miscommunication can lead to all sorts of problems, each of which could be a potential bottleneck. To avoid this, the right information has to be given to the right person at the right time. It’s no good giving your supplier an order if you haven’t listed all the details they need or let them know exactly where they’re supposed to deliver the items to; and you’re not going to get the results you want if one of your departments doesn’t let every other one know when they have a problem that will affect the entire supply chain. Good communication is key to everything.

To ensure good communication, everyone has to know who they report to and when to report to them, and they should be responsible enough to pass on the correct information in an easily digestible way.

Technology

While most manufacturing and sales companies are automated now, some try to save money by sticking to old technology thinking that it’s good enough and works for them. But that’s probably not the case.

An older automated system might not integrate all departments, and it probably won’t be able to “speak” to systems used by outside suppliers and contractors. These capabilities are found in newer systems, and they are a great boon to a company’s operation because they help speed everything up and create smooth processes. When you have that, you’ve gone a long way to eliminating supply chain bottlenecks, especially those that are unique to your company.

If you’re in the market to upgrade your software, check to see that it’s compatible with your existing in-house applications; it’s also a good idea to verify that the system will communicate with the software used by the outside contractors you deal with.

 

Steps to identify and prevent bottlenecks

In addition to the overarching areas that can cause the bottlenecks listed above, there are blockages that are unique to every company. While it’s up to each of these companies to identify their individual holdups and rectify them, there are some preventative steps all managers can take:

Find out where bottlenecks are occurring.

It can be difficult to locate exactly where the bottlenecks are in a large, complex operation. Examining your supply chain from different perspectives in detail may give you answers, though if you’re going to do something as complicated as that it would be easier and quicker to have an expert take a look.

A better idea is to use your supply chain management system, which can highlight those areas that are not working as efficiently as they should – those bottlenecks. If you haven’t already automated your supply chain management, you should seriously consider doing so.

Carry out data analysis.

Your data can be a good friend when identifying and overcoming bottlenecks. While any automated system you use will produce a lot of data, you can sort the data to get pertinent information about what’s happening at every part of your supply chain.

A reliable software like Cin7 Omni, will give you data that can point out trends, which is another way of uncovering bottlenecks. You can discover these trends by comparing data produced over a period of time. For instance, your data may show that a supplier is taking longer and longer to ship your orders, something that may not be a problem right away, but which could be later on. With that information, you can address it.

Map out a detailed plan.

When the company doesn’t have a detailed plan, it is often observed that all the departments follow their own agenda rather than working collectively towards a common goal. This kind of erratic behavior will lead to several bottlenecks in the supply chain. The management must consider all the options before setting out a plan. This plan should be based on historical data and future predictions. Every department should follow this plan to achieve maximum success.

Moreover, the company management must analyze and revise the plan when the circumstances change. Continuously updating the plan can prevent bottlenecks in the process.

Automate the supply chain procedures.

Automating the supply chain procedures can help eliminate the bottlenecks arising from manual management. Cin7 Omni inventory management software can not only help you to manage your inventory but also to regularize the supply chain bottlenecks. In addition, it can also seamlessly integrate with supply chain planning software like StockTrim, Streamline, Health Check, and Toolio, among others.

 

In a nutshell

Bottlenecks slow down the supply chain and affect your bottom line, so it’s important to find them and put an end to them, or at least mitigate their effects. The best way to do that is by conducting regular analysis of your processes and operations, and the simplest way of doing that is with an automated system like inventory management. More than just being the most reliable way to identify and prevent bottlenecks, automation is a great way to improve your company’s operation all round.

To learn more about Cin7 Omni’s inventory management system and how you can use it to prevent bottlenecks in your supply chain, click on the link to request a demo.

Why your business should use supply chain visibility

All businesses need a strong supply chain to ensure the goods they want to sell are delivered on time, in perfect condition, and at a competitive price. Yet, the supply chain is a complicated system with many players, each with its own goals and strategies. Every step in the production process — from sourcing materials to shipping products to customers — is handled by a dedicated group of people or systems.

Having a well-functioning supply chain can save you time and money. For example, if you have trouble finding a specific product type, you can use your network of suppliers of your other products to help find it. In many ways, your supply chain is critical to the success of your business.

In recent years, there’s been a revolution in how businesses use the supply chain. As the way we buy things changes, the supply chain has undergone a transformation, changing how companies operate in many ways. One essential part of this transformation is the use of technology. Today’s businesses rely on digital tools to manage their supply chains more effectively than ever. This includes electronic data interchange (EDI), which allows companies to send and receive information.

 

What is supply chain visibility?

Supply chain visibility is the ability to see everything that happens in the supply chain. This includes tracking the progress of products from their origin all the way to your customer. It allows you to make sure that products are delivered on time and in accordance with your specifications. You can also track inventory levels and forecast future needs.

When a supply chain is visible, you track the flow of products and materials to ensure they are delivered on time, in the correct quantity, and at the correct cost. This helps you identify and fix problems early, preventing the development of larger issues that could disrupt your operations. Many different tools can be used to track your supply chain, including internal systems, cloud-based ERP systems, and third-party suppliers.

 

The increasing complexity of strategic supply chains & role of technology in managing them

One of the most critical aspects of the supply chain transformation is the increasing complexity of strategic supply chains. A strategic supply chain is essential to your overall success, and it involves multiple steps and connections between different companies. The more complex the supply chain, the more difficult it is to manage.

One way that technology has helped to manage this complexity is by making it easier to track products throughout the supply chain. This tracking can be done with electronic data capture (EDC) systems or radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. EDC systems allow you to track products as they move through the manufacturing process, and RFID tags allow you to track products as they move through the distribution process. These systems allow you to detect problems early in the process and fix them before they become significant.

Another way that technology has helped to manage the complexity of supply chains is by making life easier for purchasing and planning departments. Purchasing departments now have access to more information about their suppliers, including information about the products those suppliers are manufacturing. This allows purchasing departments to be more efficient in selecting the best suppliers and helps them stay competitive in their industry. It also helps companies ensure that their supply chain remains stable and reliable.

Another benefit of technology is that it allows you to expand your sales worldwide and across different regions of the country. For example, you might have factories in several other countries or need goods produced and shipped directly to stores in another region. With modern technology, this kind of operation can take place with ease, as each factory in the supply chain can use technology to get information on how to produce, package, and ship all of the goods they’ve been tasked with supplying.

 

How does technology help make a supply chain visible?

Technology has helped in increasing supply chain visibility. One of the most important ways technology has done this is by creating a digital trail. This trail records all the actions that have been taken along the supply chain, from the sourcing of materials to the delivery of goods to the customer. This information can be used to track down any issues that may have occurred and to make adjustments as needed. It can also help companies to improve their communication with their suppliers. Two technological advancements in the supply chain are the use of big data and Internet of Things (IoT) technology.

Improve analytics with big data

With automation of the supply chain, more data are available for statistical analysis. This can lead to better decision-making at every stage of the supply chain. For example, in your warehouse, picking zones and warehouse space allocation can be determined by analyzing data on the most popular products and efficiency of workers. Similarly, production scheduling and transportation processes may be improved by analyzing such facts as cost, inventories, capacities and consumer patterns.

See more with Internet of Things technology

Although not widely used in the supply chain yet, IoT technology has huge potential. IoT refers to objects that are connected to one another or to a central sensor and communicate with one another. For instance, sensors may be placed on freight containers that report their location and condition to a central source. By tracking devices and data in real time, you can take corrective actions, such as replacing a shipment of food that has been exposed to unsafe temperatures. You can also collect data that over time can reveal patterns, such as where you consistently have bottlenecks in your distribution, that can be used for predictive analysis and preventative measures.

 

How does supply chain visibility enable better inventory management?

By digitizing and automating various aspects of your supply chain, you can improve your inventory management.

Improve inventory management

Inventory management is an important part of any business. It’s essential to be able to track inventory so that you can make sure that you’re always getting the supplies that you need and minimizing the amount of inventory that you have on hand. By having high supply chain visibility, you can ensure that all the different parts of your business are working together as a cohesive unit. This will lead to increased efficiency and reduced costs overall.

Maintain healthy inventory levels

Maintaining healthy levels of inventory allows businesses to avoid excess stock that can lead to increased costs and reduced profits. By automating your inventory, you’ll be able to submit orders for high volume products and make decisions about poorly performing products more quickly, allowing you to maintain healthy inventory levels. This will help to ensure that the inventory remains in good condition and does not exceed the company’s needs.

Boost demand forecasting

By using big data analytics to understand which of your products sell well at certain times of year, you can better predict demand, plan for shortages and manage your inventory effectively.

 

How can Cin7 improve your inventory and supply chain visibility

There are many possible reasons brands lose track of their stock. Generally speaking, though, a lack of visibility tends to come down to inadequate inventory management. If your inventory management system doesn’t automatically include purchases, sales, and other activity that impacts the big picture or if it doesn’t track information in real-time, the information you have about your inventory is not complete nor up-to-date. Here are two common examples:

1. Using manually updated spreadsheets

This is one of the biggest reasons for lack of visibility. Small companies that sell few products can manage fine with spreadsheets. With even a little growth, however, spreadsheets can get out of date quickly, giving you a lack of visibility of what’s in your inventory. Reported stock levels will not match reality, and you may not realize it’s time to restock.

2. Managing sales channels and inventory separately

When you use separate systems for sales channels and inventory, you risk overselling your inventory. For example, if you are a company with a Shopify store and you add Amazon Seller to your channel mix, you will now have at least two places to track inventory, plus any spreadsheets or siloed inventory software you may use as a “master.” The information in your master inventory depends on the people who collect and update the information. If the information is even a little off, the company could end up selling customers a product that isn’t available.

Inventory visibility cannot be an estimate of the products you think you have. It must be the actual inventory based on current sales and any other activity that impacts accurate stock levels and locations, such as purchases, which increase inventory, and branch transfers, which move products to different locations.

 

How to achieve inventory visibility

Proper stock visibility requires accurately recording everything that happens to products in your inventory. This includes purchases, sales, stock transfers, returns, and any workflow that changes inventory quantity, location, or cost. To that end, visibility can only be achieved if all data are integrated with and tracked in a central inventory master, including:

  • All purchases that increase your inventory of components and finished goods,
  • Production jobs that lower component inventory and increase finished goods inventory,
  • Sales orders that reduce your inventory,
  • Dispatched orders that reduce stock on hand and change order status,
  • Purchases and sales that adjust inventory at each stock location,
  • Stocktakes that confirm or adjust inventory at each stock location, and
  • Stock transfers that decrease inventory in one location and increase inventory in another.

The key to visibility is to integrate your data so that you can track products in real-time as they move through your supply chain, affecting stock levels and inventory value along the way.

The benefits of inventory visibility

Integrating data allows your company to

  • Reduce data entry and eliminate related errors.
  • Eliminate the use of redundant software and portals.
  • Increase order accuracy.
  • Maintain optimal inventory levels / reduce overall storage costs.
  • Fulfill orders faster and increase order transparency.
  • Build customer satisfaction and drive future purchases.
  • Increase forecast accuracy for improved inventory planning.
  • Reduce losses due to obsolete inventory.

 

Achieving inventory visibility is simple with Cin7

By providing real-time visibility into the status of shipments, Cin7 helps companies to identify potential issues in a timely manner and take corrective action. By using Cin7, businesses can confidently rely on the software to help them make informed decisions about their business operations. Book a free, no-obligation demo below to learn more about how Cin7 gives product companies complete, real-time inventory visibility. Request a Demo.

Wholesaling 101: Challenges and growth strategies

To avoid running out of stock, retailers need to constantly replenish their inventory. But have you ever wondered where shop owners get their products?

Many retailers get their products from wholesalers — who play the crucial role of bridging the gap between manufacturers and retailers. Thanks to wholesalers, manufacturers don’t need to worry about distributing their products. Instead, retailers are able to get their products from one place.

Wholesalers are an indispensable part of the supply chain, and the global wholesale market is estimated to reach around $64 billion by 2025. So, just how important a wholesaler’s role is in the supply chain? If wholesalers can’t do their job correctly, both manufacturers and consumers suffer. In this article, we’ll go through common issues wholesalers face and practical strategies to overcome those challenges. Let’s dive right in!

 

What is wholesaling?

Wholesaling is a distribution model where businesses buy items in bulk from manufacturers or distributors and sell them to other companies. Wholesalers are able to acquire products cheaply because they only purchase in large quantities. Essentially, wholesalers are the middleman between manufacturers and retailers.

Although wholesalers and retailers are very closely related and perform similar functions, they are different from each other. The difference between wholesalers and retailers can be explained with three terms:

  • Quantity – Wholesalers purchase in large quantities from manufacturers, whereas retailers purchase in small amounts from wholesalers.
  • Purchase intent – Individuals who purchase from wholesalers resell those items at a higher price to their customers. Conversely, individuals who buy from retailers plan to use those items rather than sell them to someone else. Retailers – who purchase from wholesalers – are not consumers; instead, they resell to consumers.
  • Transaction type – Wholesalers are generally business to business sellers (B2B), whereas retailers are usually business to consumer (B2C).

Alibaba is the largest B2B marketplace, and you can find plenty of wholesalers selling their goods to retailers there. In the United States, Orangeshine is a popular online wholesaling marketplace that allows fashion wholesalers to sell products.

 

4 reasons why wholesalers are essential

Reason #1: Wholesalers support manufacturers and retailers

Wholesalers purchase products in bulk from manufacturers. They assemble products from various manufacturers and then sell them to multiple retailers by breaking them down into smaller quantities. This helps distribute products from manufacturers to retailers.

Reason #2: Wholesalers help store products

Manufacturers have limited storage space, and it’s not feasible for them to continue producing items if their storage space is full. Wholesalers solve this problem by purchasing inventory in bulk and storing it in their own warehouses. This helps manufacturers focus more on production and less on worrying about inventory storage.

By taking care of storage on their own, wholesalers facilitate the assembly of products from various manufacturers and safeguard them in one place.

Reason #3: Wholesalers stabilize supply and demand

Since there is time between the manufacturing and consumption of goods, there can be a mismatch between goods demanded and goods supplied. Wholesalers help in striking a balance between demand and supply. They are able to store products when demand is low, and then they can sell products when retailers’ demand rises.

Reason #4: Wholesalers take on risk

Wholesalers are responsible for transporting goods from their warehouses to various retailers. If there’s any damage during transit or storage, wholesalers take full responsibility and cover that loss.

 

Wholesale challenges and how to overcome them

Challenge #1: Cutting out the middleman

Manufacturers and retailers often try to streamline operations and cut out middlemen to increase profit margins. And in this example, the wholesaler is the middleman. By cutting out wholesalers, retailers can save money, and manufacturers can make more money.

Obviously, this is a concern to your existence as a wholesaler. In these situations, your solution might be dropping your prices, which in return would reduce your profit margin. While this might be a viable option for the short term, there will always be another wholesaler who’s willing to offer even lower prices than yours. At that point, you’re simply in a race to the bottom.

Rather than focusing on decreasing your margins, you should focus on increasing the value that you bring to the table. You should ask yourself, “How can I better serve my customers — other than lowering my prices?”

For example, you can help manufacturers take care of logistics and distribution. Bulk purchases can get you a discount from manufacturers, and retailers can benefit by purchasing from you instead of manufacturers.

However, manufacturers are now exploring ways to handle shipping and logistics of their products on their own to increase profit margins. Some retailers are even searching for ways to connect with wholesalers themselves to find a better deal directly.

To offer more value in this case, you should try to leverage your existing distribution network. You might be able to convince manufacturers that they would get better returns by working with you, rather than experimenting and trying to handle logistics on their own. By offering quicker delivery to retailers, you can prove that you provide better value.

As you deal with large amounts of stock, tracking can turn into a nightmare. That’s why it’s essential to invest in a good inventory management system that tracks inventory in real-time and automatically places purchase orders when stock is low. This, too, can be a differentiator.

Challenge #2: Slow shipping

Delays from wholesalers can lead to stockouts for retailers, which can reduce customer loyalty. Modern consumers are accustomed to 1-2 day delivery thanks to Amazon. This has, in turn, also raised the bar for wholesalers. Retailers now expect wholesalers to quickly deliver products so that they can serve their own impatient customers.

The challenge for wholesalers is not just shipping more quickly; in reality, it’s both shipping quicker and making fewer mistakes. Inaccurate delivery affects wholesalers’ reputation and often requires paying a fee.

Accurate delivery can be a great value add-on for savvy wholesalers. If you successfully provide quick and precise delivery, you’ll be able to convince retailers to buy from you.

This is exactly why it’s necessary to invest in good order management software. Barcode scanners can also be implemented to cut down on packing and picking errors, too. You can scan items at multiple stages, which further boosts accuracy and speed of processing.

Optimizing your warehouse helps reduce storage costs and speeds up inventory processing — which in turn, leads to faster shipping.

Challenge #3: Inventory damage

Damage to inventory is also another huge factor in a wholesaler’s performance. The core function of wholesaling lies in storing inventory and distributing it to retailers. Property damage is a serious threat to any wholesale business, and it can lead to huge losses in both value and ability to store products.

There are several ways stock can be damaged — fire, earthquakes, flooding, and more. Transit can also damage items due to heat, or if the ride is too bumpy. Mistakes from workers can lead to damages, too. This is exactly why it’s so important to constantly troubleshoot both equipment and machinery.

It also might be a good idea to get your property insured to help cover losses when natural disasters do occur. Plus, employee-related damages can be reduced by offering adequate training on products and their use.

Lastly, you should make sure to check product quality as soon as you receive them. This way, you’ll be able to detect damage and return products before they become inventory.

Challenge #4: Slow growth

Every business aspires to grow fast and constantly improve sales. Fostering relationships with your partners is a great way to help in accelerating the growth of your wholesaling businesses.

International expansion can also aid in getting more customers. When you focus on building contacts locally and internationally, you can expand your customer base. The COVID pandemic has proven the value of an online presence and international supply chains.

Challenge #5: Fines and penalties

In the early stages of their career, many wholesalers do whatever it takes to get contracts with manufacturers.

While having a contract certainly offers assurance, it can also backfire. If contract guidelines are not correctly adhered to, manufacturers can legally penalize wholesalers. And these penalties have to be paid, whether mistakes occurred accidentally or intentionally.

Therefore, rather than signing a contract hastily, you should first consult a lawyer and get a comprehensive understanding of all the terms and conditions mentioned in the agreement.

A lawyer’s cost when going over contracts is negligible compared to the amount that could be paid in the penalties. Only once you are fully aware of the terms should you proceed with the deal.

If you have any concerns about specific conditions, you should openly discuss and negotiate with your manufacturer. If your manufacturer refuses to negotiate, you can always go to another manufacturer who meets your demands. Remember that a signed contract is the foundation of your relationship with the manufacturer — so it should be carefully considered.

Challenge #6: Theft

Employee theft and shoplifting led to retail sector losses totaling $61.7 billion in 2019. The wholesaling business is not immune to theft, either. Since wholesalers deal with large quantities of goods, theft can compound quickly and lead to significant losses.

Theft can occur in warehouses and transit, so investing in security is necessary. You can install security cameras to monitor goods on your premises regularly. You should also consider arranging for staff to monitor goods when in transit and when unloading inventory.

Challenge #7: Inaccurate data

Wholesalers need to know exact quantities for goods purchased, goods sent to retailers, inventory in stock, and more. Storing information manually in ledgers can lead to human error and cause severe losses, which makes it challenging to get accurate information about current levels.

Real-time data helps when trying to meet the demands of manufacturers and retailers. A manual counting process simply isn’t good enough when dealing with massive numbers. Therefore, the best option is to invest in real-time inventory management solutions.

One solution is Radio Frequency Identification Tags (RFID), but they can cost up to $50 per unit. Still, RFIDs allow you to accurately track inventory without employees having to enter any data. Since wholesalers already operate on thin margins, implementing RFIDs might not make financial sense.

A cloud-based inventory management system does the same job and offers real-time information about inventory without being as expensive. Plus, It also helps create a dashboard and generate reports to get important information at a glance. This allows you to make data-driven decision-making.

 

Grow by focusing on value instead of price

Wholesalers are an important part of supply chains — but they can’t get complacent about upgrading business practices. As retailers explore technological advancements like ecommerce stores, wholesalers must also upgrade their systems and processes to keep up with new challenges.

Ultimately, to survive in the long run, wholesalers need to focus more on delivering value, and less on lowering prices. That’s where Cin7 can help separate savvy wholesalers from their competition. Get in touch with the Cin7 experts to learn more about how we can help you with automation, data collection, and more.

 

Here’s how digitizing your supply chain can breathe new life into your business

Digitization has reached almost all aspects of businesses — including supply chains. New technology like embedded sensors, RFID, and GPS have helped companies transform their traditional supply chain structures into flexible, agile, open, and collaborative digital models.

In fact, according to a McKinsey survey, 93% of supply chain executives say they are actively planning to make their supply chains more resilient. And in this day and age, “resilient” means digital. Many companies are seeing the need to become more organized — and they’re doing that  by regionalizing their supplies and nearshoring their processes. This type of organization ensures products don’t have to travel long (and expensive) distances.

Either way, there’s no denying that digitizing supply chains will allow these companies to improve their agility, visibility, and efficiency. Digitization allows for organizational flexibility and accelerates innovation.

Now, let’s dive into the meaning of digital supply chain management, understand how it’s different from a traditional supply chain, and explore the benefits of supply chain digitization.

 

What is a digital supply chain?

In a traditional supply chain, companies need to source parts and raw materials to make their product. After they understand demand for their product, companies will then find the correct sales channels and use logistics to provide customers with visibility into their orders.

A digital supply chain, in contrast, offers significantly more visibility throughout the process. The integration and application of advanced digital technologies allows customers and stakeholders to monitor supply chain operations — from procurement data and inventory management, to distribution and transportation.

For example, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) asset tracking can offer instant updates on location, including when cargo is in transit. The main goal of supply chain digitization is to enable insight for greater efficiency. This, in turn, can cut down on redundancies and greatly increase profits.

Companies with digital supply chains can move their resources, assets, people, and inventory to where they need it at any given time. Digitization helps you reduce costs by giving you the ability to respond proactively to both transportation and manufacturing risks.

The potential payoffs of any fully-realized digital supply chain include saving time, money, and resources. It will allow your company to be less wasteful and more environmentally sustainable.

 

Traditional vs digital supply chains

Traditional supply chains work based on historical transactional inputs, while digital supply chains function in real-time. Digital supply chains are networks, while traditional supply chains are linear. Supply chain networks communicate almost instantaneously, whereas linear supply chains move slowly and inefficiently.

Digital supply chains are also more accurate. Information from operational technology and IT systems are integrated with digital supply chain management, while traditional supply chains rely on standalone systems. When companies go digital, they can more efficiently find potential problems and predict likely risks.

Traditional supply chains rely on humans to make nearly every decision. Digital supply chains, on the other hand, have built-in automated decisions that are monitored by humans. Because of this, digital supply chains are exponentially faster.

 

Why your supply chain should go digital

Digitization in supply chain management empowers planning, sourcing, and logistics teams to collaborate. It also allows those teams to automate processes and leverage analytics. This type of synergy among teams drives growth, mitigates risk, and optimizes costs. Here are some more supply chain digitization benefits:

More organizational flexibility

A digital operating model gives management more freedom and flexibility. For instance, what degree of centralization is needed to support specialization? How can you minimize process costs when you factor in local labor? How can your processes become more productive? With Digitization, you can answer these questions by analyzing data in multiple ways. And then you can be more flexible when implementing solutions.

Better decision making

Once you integrate your supply chain with digital technologies, you can also make faster and more informed decisions for each function. Digitization helps you measure performance accurately and efficiently by aggregating and organizing transactions. This, in turn, allows you to access information at both the micro and macro levels.

For example, BASF (a German multinational chemical corporation) uses AI and machine learning-based technologies to predict the optimal time to replenish supply when stock is running low. This type of automation leads to increased inventory visibility that supports smarter replenishment planning, more efficient decision-making, and better customer service.

Increased automation

An end-to-end digital platform can improve data accuracy, enhance efficiency, and increase supply chain efficiency by automating many labor-extensive processes. From determining the most appropriate shipping mode, implement smarter scheduling, and more — automation saves time and money.

Alerts can also be generated automatically, especially if purchase orders are in danger of delays or complications. This helps companies take precautionary measures and be prepared to handle customers who may have logistics-related complaints.

Accelerating innovation

All digital transformation processes inevitably lead to innovation. Why? When data becomes available, it’s much easier to see trends and inefficiencies. This improvement over conventional supply chain management helps to strengthen the company’s business model over time and builds stronger relationships with suppliers and customers.

End-to-end customer engagement

Digital transformation in supply chain management also increases customer engagement throughout their buying journey. For instance, when placing an order, digitization allows your customers to automatically stay updated with their order details. They know their order status all the way up to receiving it — thanks to the supplier’s automated tracking system. Here, digitization ensures that customers feel more secure and in control when buying.

For example, Farmer Connect uses Blockchain technology to connect coffee growers with the consumers they serve. By launching a mobile application, “Thank My Farmer,” they allow coffee lovers to trace the origin of their coffee and directly support the farmers who grow the beans. The app is a win-win for companies, workers, and customers. It connects the purchaser to traders, farmers, brands, and roasters.

 

Top trends for supply chain digitization

If you’re looking to improve your organizations overall productivity and performance, here are some supply chain trends you should try:

Integrate your eCommerce website

Integrating eCommerce helps provide a more seamless customer experience and makes your operation more efficient. Once again, the free flow of information across departments is key. Thus, companies immediately see the benefits of interconnected supply chains for eCommerce operations.

Utilize artificial intelligence (AI)

AI in the supply chain helps companies analyze data, enhance performance, and perform routine tasks. AI also helps supply chain leaders solve problems with increased visibility across networks that were previously disparate or remote.

Leverage the Internet of Things (IoT)

An IoT is a network of physical objects connected to the internet. The IoT already plays an important role in the supply chain, and it will gradually grow in importance with increasingly diverse applications. As a matter of fact, within a few years, up to 50% of companies could be using these advanced technologies to support supply chain operations.

IoT has the ability to improve fleet tracking, warehouse management, inventory control, and even technological and mechanical maintenance. Plus, imagine how “smart” warehouses and fleets might increase the accuracy and efficiency of multiple areas of the supply chain.

Integrate Blockchain

Blockchain can be greatly beneficial for businesses to minimize supply chain disruption and improve customer service. In fact, by 2024, global blockchain spending is expected to reach almost 19 billion U.S. dollars.

Blockchain has already helped integrate carriers, logistic providers, and shipping lines into a single platform. The transparency offered by blockchain technology helps to identify issues and cut out waste early in processes.

Create a supply chain digital twin

A digital twin is a model that  simulates the supply chain’s performance with AI and advanced analytics, and explores the complexities that show risks and vulnerabilities. Basically, it’s a virtual representation of the supply chain that consists of hundreds of warehouses, assets, inventory, and logistics positions.

Having a digital twin helps increase visibility. It also allows leaders to be more strategic and ready to take advantage of opportunities — especially in complex supply chains.

 

Five steps to digitize your supply chain

Transforming your traditional supply chain into a digital one is a complex process. However, it’s absolutely necessary to stay competitive. Here’s how to do it in five steps:

Step #1: Define your vision

The first step in implementing digital transformation in the supply chain is to define a clear vision and set some clear, attainable goals. These goals can be related to business objectives like faster decision making, improved supply chain visibility, and automated operations. When defining a vision, you need to:

  • Assess your resources and existing systems: Identify where you are, and see where you can improve. Do your existing systems use technology that supports your new goals? Can you Identify digital solutions that help you achieve desired business outcomes?
  • Access your current ability to analyze data: Can you currently collect, generate, and analyze data? If not, it may be hard to come away with actionable insights.
  • Access your workforce’s skills: Does your team have the necessary skills to work with and adapt to the new business model?

Step #2: Unify your processes

When you unify your processes into one system, you gain end-to-end supply chain visibility. That means you get enhanced transparency to streamline core functions including warehouse management, inventory management, logistics, demand forecasting, and more.

Step #3: Automate as much as possible

Wherever you can, you should replace recurring or routine tasks with automated processes. Not only does it help you simplify tasks, it also allows you to derive meaning from large volumes of data. Make sure not to automate processes that include complex situations or require collaboration between planners — but look at each part of your business and see what can be automated.

#4. Leverage data and analytics

Supply chain leaders need access to real-time data to make more informed decisions. Access to data and analytics helps you deal effectively with partners, suppliers, and your workforce. Real-time data also helps you identify potential disruptions and greatly increases visibility across the supply chain.

You can use AI-powered analytical tools for improving planning processes and drawing actionable insights. For example, using analytics, you can help prevent stock from being depleted completely and adjust your inventory accordingly.

#5. Align your people with your processes

Even if you are looking to shift to a digital supply chain, the switch would be worthless unless your team members are aligned with your new techniques and processes. Always make sure your shift integrates technologies with people, processes, and management. Without full integration, teams won’t be able to achieve your desired results with your new business model.

 

Allow Cin7 to help with your digital transformation

The quickly evolving technological landscape and increasing customer expectations are causing organizations to revisit how they do business. Adapting new technologies and integrating your supply chain leads to greater flexibility, efficiency and resilience.

For businesses re-evaluating their supply chains, now’s the time for action. Supply chain digital transformation isn’t easy, but it’s definitely worth it. If you have any questions about digitizing your supply chain, get in touch with Cin7 today and we’d be happy to assist you on your digital transformation journey.

Vertically integrating your supply chain

Businesses are always looking for ways to increase profit and expand market share. However, there are countless challenges that impede them from achieving this goal — pandemics, supply chain disruptions, delays from the suppliers, cutthroat competition, and more.

One of the best strategies to overcome these issues and increase profitability is to become more self-reliant. In order to control more aspects of production, Henry Ford, the famous founder of Ford Motor Company, purchased railroads, acquired coal mines, built a sawmill, and bought over 700,000 acres of timberland!

When businesses reduce dependency on intermediaries on distributors and suppliers, they can better control their supply chain and avoid disruptions. Vertical integration is a strategy utilized by famous companies like Amazon, Netflix, and Apple. After reading this article, you’ll understand how these companies use vertical integration. You’ll also see whether it’s suitable for your business or not. Let’s get started!

What is vertical integration?

There are many stages in the supply chain that facilitate a product’s journey to a consumer. First, the manufacturer gets raw materials from a supplier. After finishing production, the goods are sent to a distributor. The distributor then transfers goods to retailers, who finally sell goods to consumers.

Vertical integration is the process in which a business expands in order to gain ownership and control of more than one stage of their supply chain. In simpler terms, vertical integration is when a business attempts to perform production and distribution in-house instead of outsourcing it.

Vertical integration has been common since the industrial revolution. Andrew Carnegie was one of the pioneers — he owned iron mines that were utilized to mine steel resources for his company, Carnegie Steel. He also owned coal mines to get fuel for creating steel, and he owned railroads for transporting his materials. With this level of vertical integration, Carnegie created an entire ecosystem that helped him control his supply chain from production to transportation.

 

Types of vertical integration

There are three types of vertical integration: Backward integration, forward integration, and balanced integration. Let’s look at these concepts in more detail.

Forward integration

In forward integration, businesses expand, acquire, or merge with another business that’s “farther up” in the supply chain. For example, EA sports – a video game development company – relies on distributors to sell their games to customers. EA sports decided to acquire a retailer (Gamestop), which is an example of forward or “upstream” integration. Generally, forward integration aims to seek control over distribution.Backward integration

In backward integration, businesses expand, acquire, or merge with a firm “below” them in the supply chain. For example, IKEA – a DIY furniture company – needs wood to manufacture furniture. IKEA decided to acquire a wood supplier, which is an example of backward or “downstream” integration.

Generally, backward integration aims to seek control over supply or manufacturing of a product. That way, they’re able to source everything themselves. This cuts costs and makes businesses more self-reliant.

Credits

Balanced integration

Balanced integration is the combination of forward and backward integration. Through balanced integration, the company attempts to take control of both upstream and downstream activities in their supply chain.

 

The difference between horizontal and vertical integration

Like vertical integration, horizontal integration helps businesses expand and gain more control over the supply chain. Many people get confused between horizontal and vertical integration. After finishing this section, you won’t be one of them!

 

Horizontal Integration Vertical Integration
The expansion in the same level of the supply chain (usually within the same industry) The expansion into different stages of the supply chain (forward and backward)
Aims to increase market share and product differentiation, leading to a monopoly or oligopoly. Aims to make a business self-reliant and get greater control over various stages of the value chain — from manufacturing to distribution.
Example: Facebook acquiring Instagram (a competing social media platform) Example: Netflix is a video streaming platform (distributor) that also creates movies and web series (producer).

 

Examples of vertical integration

To better clarify vertical integration, here are some real-life examples.

Vertical integration example #1: Apple

Apple is a premium consumer electronics company that leverages vertical integration to scale its business. Apple performs backwards integration by owning manufacturing plants in San Jose, Taiwan, and more. They also perform forward integration by owning retail outlets (The Apple Store) that help them connect with their customers.

Vertical integration example #2: SpaceX

We all know that Elon Musk wants to colonize Mars and explore space. Like Tesla, SpaceX is one of Musk’s companies that manufactures rockets and spacecraft. SpaceX uses vertical integration to reduce the cost of space exploration.

At first, Musk wasn’t able to source rockets at an affordable price. After some research, he realized that it only cost 3% of the sales price to manufacture a rocket! This incentivized him to produce rockets in-house (backward integration). One of his competitors, United Launch Appliance, was charging $460 million for each satellite launch into orbit, SpaceX was able to achieve the same for just $90 million.  This is how vertical integration helps SpaceX offer their services for 5x less than their competitors.

Vertical integration example #3: Zara

Zara is a famous fast-fashion brand that has over 1,000 stores worldwide, and they are vertically integrated with their manufacturers and designers. While their competitors are at the mercy of independent designers, Zara designs in-house. This way, they can rapidly adapt to market trends. Because they own both retail and distribution, Zara is able to more efficiently manage their stock.

Vertical integration example #4: Ikea

Ikea is a do-it-yourself (DIY) furniture brand that offers ready-to-assemble furniture and fittings. Customers can choose furniture from Ikea stores and assemble it at home. Ikea primarily sells wooden furniture, so they purchased a Romanian forest and integrated vertically. By doing this, they gained more leverage on raw material production (backward integration), which in turn gives them more control over manufacturing and distribution processes.

 

Advantages of vertical integration

Most companies have realized how advantageous vertical integration is. Here’s why.

Advantage #1: Leveraging economies of scale

Economies of scale have an inverse relationship between cost and quantity. For example, if you increase production, the cost of producing each unit goes down. Whenever a business doubles its production output, the manufacturing costs fall from 70% to 90%.

So, how does an increase in production lead to a decrease in cost? When you manufacture goods in larger quantities, you place a larger order with your supplier. When you purchase items in bulk, you can get them at a discounted rate — which helps bring down production cost.

There are also some Technological benefits to economies of scale. As a company produces more of a product, they discover better ways to make the product. This leads to specialization and reduction of wastage.

Finally, there are also Governmental benefits, which is an example of external economies of scale. For example, there may be a shortage of oxygen cylinders at a time of medical emergency – like COVID – and the government may want to incentivize businesses to produce more oxygen cylinders. To achieve this, government can give tax benefits to the manufacturers to incentivize them to increase production. This would reduce the manufacturing cost.

When an organization adopts vertical integration, they achieve economies of scale by eradicating intermediaries and streamlining operations.

Advantage #2: Greater control over your supply chain

When a business is not vertically integrated, it depends on other parties in the supply chain. When and if there are supply chain disruptions, this can stop or slow down your operation. Through vertical integration, your business enjoys more control of the supply chain. You are able to maintain stability by solving problems external distributors can cause.

When you are not dependent on external suppliers and distributors, you’re better positioned to negotiate and do less business with suppliers who attempt to dictate the market. Protection of trade secrets is also easier when you’re not outsourcing manufacturing. Plus, by manufacturing on your own, you can shorten turnaround time and ensure that production quality matches your standards.

Walmart is an excellent example of this. Since they own their distribution centers, they have a massive amount of leverage. Walmart constantly experiments with emerging technologies such as augmented reality, drones, and hyperlocal distribution centers.

Advantage #3: More market knowledge

When retailers maintain direct contact with customers, they are better positioned to understand customer’s preferences. If you’re only a manufacturer, you focus solely on producing goods. Through forward integration, manufacturers are able to better understand customer behavior and calibrate their process to make products that are in higher demand. They can also create “knock-off” products of competitors’ best sellers to meet market demand.

By catering to customers’ needs and offering a better value proposition than other players in the market, fully integrated companies are able to win more market share.

Advantage #4: Better profit margins

Profit margin shrinks as more players enter your product’s supply chain. Successful vertical integration eliminates intermediaries and saves you money. By producing on your own, you’re able to leverage economies of scale and reduce your overall transaction cost. You can leverage these savings and even transfer them directly to your consumer by offering better deals. This strategy is commonly used by platforms like Best Buy and Walmart.

Advantage #5: Global expansion

Vertical integration allows you to beat your competitors. By opening your own distribution centers, you’re able to offer a superior customer experience. This is exactly what Apple did in 2001 when they opened their first retail store, and it helped them out-compete Microsoft.

For geographical expansion, companies can either acquire other brands or launch their own distribution centers. Louis Vuitton, a luxury fashion brand, became a worldwide destination for leather goods after opening stores in fashion capitals across the globe.

 

Disadvantages of vertical integration

Even though vertical integration is a great strategy for some of the most successful companies, there are some downsides. Let’s take a look.

Disadvantage #1: Massive upfront investment

This is by far the biggest drawback of implementing a vertical integration strategy. As a distributor, integration requires extensive capital. You need to invest in land, labor, and machinery if you want a factory. Building and maintaining production plants is expensive, too. And when a manufacturer decides to integrate forward to acquire distribution channels, they’ll need to invest in developing both their distribution centers and necessary personnel.

Disadvantage #2 Decreased flexibility

When a business is not vertically integrated, they have the flexibility to choose and replace vendors and distributors when a better alternative is found. When you attempt to do these tasks in-house, it’s a lot more tricky.

Since technology keeps on evolving, it can be expensive to adapt to trends and upgrade processes. Retraining employees on new technology requires a lot of time and money. If you’re not vertically integrated, you can simply source products from a different, more technologically up-to-date vendor. And you don’t have to worry about maintenance costs, either. Vertically integrated businesses may also find it difficult to outsource production to foreign factories with cheaper labor and operating costs.

Disadvantage #3: Losing focus

Running a distribution or retail business is a lot different than running a factory. Retail stores require sales and marketing personnel, whereas a factory requires people with engineering backgrounds. In an attempt to become a “jack of all trades,” businesses may lose focus and put valuable time and energy into places where they aren’t as skilled or experienced. This has the potential to lead to a worse product, declining profits, and worse.

Disadvantage #4: Antitrust and labor Issues

If you are the dominant player in a market and attempt to further control the supply chain process by controlling production, it can lead to antitrust issues. By trying to consolidate via vertical integration, you can face conflicts from both government and competitors. Vertical integration can also lead to labor issues, especially when a union company integrates with a non-union company.

Disadvantage #5: Intense competition

Doing everything on your own can increase profit margins,However, it often takes a long time to reach that stage. When you first set up your new production unit, you will make mistakes that can lead to manufacturing inefficiency and higher production costs.

You might also find it challenging to compete with existing players who outsource their production to companies that are both more experienced and cheaper. Vertical integration makes your business less flexible, too. Thus, vertical integration has the potential to backfire — resulting in the loss of your competitive edge.

Warren Buffet sums it up best: “Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.”

 

Is vertical integration right for your company?

Vertical integration can help businesses increase profitability and provide better experiences for their customers, but it doesn’t come without its risks. When done right, however, the results can be amazing. All we have to do is look at Amazon, which has complete control over distribution. This allows them to offer quick delivery and lower transportation costs. By analyzing sales data, they’re also able to track best-selling products and create their own branded variants (AmazonBasics) — which is an example of perfectly executed backward integration. Amazon also offers a video streaming service called Amazon Prime, which improves customer experience and ensures recurring revenue.

Vertical integration can be a great expansion strategy, provided that the company has deep pockets and the ability to take risks and overcome challenges. Unfortunately, not every company can do what Amazon does. It’s best to find the balance that works for you. Should you focus on what you’re best at, and outsource everything else? Or is vertical integration the best way forward? Contact us for a Cin7 demo and gain advice, tips, and more information about your options.

7 core benefits of AI-powered supply chains

The global supply chain is filled with several variables that add to its complexity: government regulations, ever-changing customer demand, rising transportation costs, and international events such as pandemics. Any innovation that helps improve the supply chain’s efficiency can help increase your bottom-line profit.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one such innovation that helps optimize the supply chain by better forecasting customer preferences and cutting costs by automating some repetitive manual tasks.

IBM defines AI as, “leveraging computers and machines to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind.” In common parlance, AI is a technology that can think like humans to solve problems.

A survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers New Zealand (PWC) suggests that AI-based applications could potentially contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the world economy by 2030.

Artificial intelligence is soaring in popularity —  in fact, Gartner predicts that by 2023, 50% of IT leaders will move their AI projects from proof of concept to maturity.

Giant conglomerates such as Amazon already leverage AI to   better control   the supply chain. For example, Amazon has already transformed the ecommerce business through free shipping and 1-day delivery practices. It is now devising systems using AI and machine learning (ML) to automate its warehousing processes and drone delivery.

If you are considering AI-powered supply chains, here are seven benefits that could help transform and evolve your business:

#1 Warehouse automation

The warehouse should not be treated simply as a place to store goods. Furthermore, if the items in the warehouse are not properly stored, there could be difficulty in retrieving the items when required. This in turn can increase your fulfillment time, not to mention your customers’ frustration. Instead, the warehouse should be regarded as a strategic asset that can help with storage and faster fulfillment of goods, thanks to automation.

Automation can help with the timely retrieval of goods from the warehouse and facilitate a smoother fulfillment of orders. As you keep purchasing inventory, the algorithm continues to learn from the data, and – based on this purchase and supplier data – the AI can provide stocking recommendations.

Lack of real-time information can lead to inefficient warehousing. Using a warehouse management system can offer much-needed clarity and help in streamlining your operations. A warehouse manager can get real-time insights about the various parts, components, and finished inventory stored in the warehouse, since the technology takes virtually no time to process and analyze large swaths of data.

Drones are also helping to automate warehouse operations. In movies and wedding ceremonies, drones are often used for videography from a higher altitude. At the warehouse, drones scan and capture information from barcodes and RFID tags, as well as reconcile data with your warehousing software.

Apart from scanning, the drones can also pick up inventory and aid with quicker shipping. Using drones to fetch items from higher shelves also mitigates the risk of warehousing staff injuries caused by falling from height.

Helpful hint: Apart from speeding up the work and saving you time, AI automation can reduce the otherwise required number of warehousing staff and save money that would have been devoted to payroll.

#2 Minimize operational costs

Plant managers deal with several challenges in running business operations. There can be inventory shortages, unplanned machinery downtime, or a rise in raw material pricing. All these can increase overall operational costs. If you are operating on lean margins, any activity that helps with cost-cutting can be crucial for your success. To combat such supply-demand mismatches, businesses have started implementing AI technology, leading to cost minimization and delivering a better customer experience.

Research from McKinsey suggests that after introducing artificial intelligence in their supply chain, 44% of executives reported cost reduction, and 63% had increased their overall revenue.

Helpful hint: Unlike humans, technology can run 24/7 with maximum productivity. It is free of human error and reduces workplace accidents.

#3 Predicting trends

It can be challenging to plan for the supply chain due to globalization, competition, increasing product varieties, and varying customer preferences. Unplanned events such as pandemic-related lockdowns and logistical issues can fuel the fire.

When final production relies on the timely availability of several spare parts and critical components, their unavailability can create bottlenecks in the supply chain. With a robust AI-powered forecasting system, businesses are equipped with the necessary intelligence to prepare themselves before such events disrupt production.

Along the lines of AI, there is a buzzword called “Big Data” that is commonly used. As the name suggests, Big Data refers to data that is huge in volume and keeps compounding over time. For example, when customers purchase items from Amazon, they browse through many products that can yield insights into their consumption patterns.

Analyzing such a massive dataset may seem unfathomable by humans, but it can be done through AI-driven tools. Intelligent systems can analyze data and guide the forecasting of supply and demand. This can prevent your business from accumulating excessive stock. A study by McKinsey suggests that implementing artificial intelligence and machine learning can reduce supply chain forecasting errors by up to 50%.

Through machine learning, businesses can also leverage predictive analytics. This way, companies can spot patterns from historical data and current buying patterns for better forecasting.

#4 Better fleet management

The term, “fleet,” refers to a group of vehicles owned by businesses used for transportation. Fleet management is crucial for the smooth functioning of the supply chain as it links the manufacturer (supplier) to the customer. From rising fuel costs to labor shortages, fleet managers need to tackle many challenges. Managing a large fleet can be an arduous task if the necessary information is not available in a timely manner.

Using AI in logistics can offer real-time tracking and vital information for shipments. AIcan also assist in reducing the losses arising from fleet downtime and make the most of the fuel capacity.

AI-powered autonomous vehicles are also gaining popularity. Utilizing self-driving trucks can help reduce the cost of drivers and improve efficiency. Although it is a relatively new technology, the trend for autonomous trucks is gaining traction in the US logistics market, and it will continue to expand over the coming years.

#5 Improve inventory management

Inventory management lays the foundation of proper supply chain management. Effective inventory management can ensure a logical flow of goods in and out of the warehouse. With so many variables to consider – like order picking, packing and fulfillment – manual inventory management is time-consuming and prone to errors.

Inventory bottlenecks lead to delays and reductions in revenue. With the help of AI, businesses can gain complete visibility of supply chain variables and identify the processes that act as bottlenecks. Upon identifying bottlenecks, you can quickly eliminate them by strategically finding opportunities for improvement.

Apart from bottlenecks, understocking and overstocking are also issues that adversely affect your business. Understocking leads to losses arising from missed sales opportunities and risks reducing customer loyalty. Conversely, overstocking poses the risk of loss due to not being able to sell the inventory. Businesses can use demand forecasting (through AI) to avoid overstocking and accurately predict trends. Based on the data, the production and stock levels can be calibrated to maintain optimum inventory.

Cloud-based inventory management software can provide a centralized view of all inventory across multiple locations. With accurate information about their inventory, purchase managers can determine when to place new orders.

Thanks to technological advancements, even the purchase order process can be automated. By customizing quantity thresholds, a purchase order can be automatically generated and sent to  suppliers to avoid stockouts.

Helpful hint: Machine learning algorithms can also mitigate fraud by automating auditing and inspections. Audits help to spot any deviations from common product patterns. Privileged credential abuse is another challenge that causes a breach in the supply chain, but with the help of AI technology, such misfortunes can be prevented.

#6 Speedy shipping

What good is producing excellent products and services if you cannot deliver them to your customers in a timely fashion? Even after using state-of-the-art technology to improve your warehousing and operational processes, if you cannot ship products on time, your profitability will suffer.

Using AI in the supply chain can not only assist you with forecasting the products’ demand but can also lead to better shipping control. It factors in customer’ locations to deliver the products, along with the time it takes to ship them.

Your operations managers can get real-time information about the delivery schedules, and the team can be warned upon detection of a discrepancy. You should not overlook last-mile delivery as it constitutes around 28% of delivery costs.

#7 Enhance customer experience

Offering a stellar buying experience is essential to fostering a better relationship with your customers. Happy customers not only lead to repeated sales but also act as ambassadors to promote your brand through positive word-of-mouth.

It is plausible that your customers have questions about your product and will contact the company. If your support team makes them wait too long, the chances of them switching to your competitor are all but guaranteed to increase.

Implementing AI-based chatbots on your website can help you tackle such issues. Chatbots are available around the clock, and studies suggest they can answer up to 80% of routine questions. As the answers are already installed in the system, the bots can quickly solve the queries, allowing your support team to prioritize other projects.

Apart from answering questions, chatbots can also act as sales agents allowing potential customers to interact with and submit purchase orders.

Amazon has a fine example of machine learning to offer a better customer experience. Their algorithm helps them to provide better product recommendations based on previous orders and searches made by the customer. They also use chatbots to offer assistance regarding purchases, returns, and refunds.

In summary

Based on the benefits examined in this article, it is evident that AI can make a breakthrough impact on the supply chain. From reducing costs to optimizing operations, it can help your business outpace the competition.

As challenges in the supply chain increase, businesses will welcome the opportunity to upgrade their technology and better serve their customers. While external variables might accelerate the adoption of AI, it is already transforming from a nice-to-have to a must-have item that will help your business stay relevant and represent the standard in supply chain management.

Cin7 inventory and order management software should be your go-to solution as you pivot towards AI for your sales operations. Gain the same advantages as the top product sellers who have already discovered Cin7’s connected multichannel solution. Book a demo with one of our consultants and take a step closer to adopting the efficiencies that await.

Strategies to Strengthen Your Supply Chain

In these times of supply chain disruptions, online sellers are looking for ways to mitigate the delays caused by the scarcity of raw materials, labor, drivers and warehouse space. One option sellers have in an effort to appease impatient buyers is to shave time off the fulfillment of products they have in inventory by partnering with a 3rd party logistics provider (3PL).

 

Winning Supply Chain Strategies

A recent survey conducted with over 4,000 businesses found that product sellers who use 3rd party logistics providers (3PLs) to manage their warehouse network are 30% more likely to improve their profitability. Why take on the HR burden of extra employees and processes to oversee?

A reputable 3PL allows sellers to manage the geographic distribution of their products and the fulfillment operations within their warehouses.

Successful businesses are responding to the rapid developments in retail and online selling by investing in robust inventory management systems (IMS) to further streamline order management and fulfillment. Speeding product turn increases the bottom line and makes up for time lost due to supply chain disruptions. Companies that continue to rely on patching legacy, on-premises inventory systems or that rely on manual processes will lose out to more modern competitors.

Businesses would be wise to assess their current inventory and order management software solution to determine if it integrates with 3PL providers and increases product turn by shaving time off restocking, order management and fulfillment. A cloud-based IMS improves information flow, speeds the flow of physical products and introduces multiple process automation efficiencies.

Sellers can also increase the number of opportunities for buyers to find the products they’re shopping for by expanding their number of sales channels. The right IMS allows for seamless integration of multichannel sales operations.

The same survey referenced above found that in 2020 when 28% of single channel retailers experienced more than a 5% decline in revenue, 6% of multichannel product sellers achieved a more than

20% increase in sales and 23% enjoyed more than 10% growth.

The primary difference between the businesses that grew during the pandemic and the ones who suffered was the number of sales channels the winners chose to integrate with. Multiple sales channels broaden the available customer base that these successful businesses are able to sell to.

Let’s review the types of sales channels necessary to run a modern, profitable sales operation with the broadest possible market presence. Keep in mind that some IMS providers charge per sales channel connection while others include them as part of an affordable monthly subscription fee.

Ecommerce

Successful online retailers who sell directly to consumers know that the more ecommerce channels they integrate, the more buyers they’ll reach and the faster their businesses will grow. These companies benefit most from an inventory management system that includes connections and costs to integrate multiple channels like Shopify Plus, WooCommerce, Magento and BigCommerce.

Marketplaces

As with ecommerce channels, the same holds true for connecting to multiple online marketplaces. IMS Solutions that include connections to online marketplaces like the complete Amazon selling suite, Etsy, Walmart and Ebay help retailers to gain significant market share and rapid sales growth.

EDI Retailers

For successful online sellers who supply major retailers like Walmart, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Target, an inventory management solution with built in electronic data interchange (EDI) is the key to automated order fulfillment. When EDI connections are built-in and included in the monthly cost of an IMS, major retailers replenish their stock by sending electronic POs that flow straight through to the seller’s order management system eliminating human error and delays associated with manual processes.

Retail

Finding an IMS that also offers a built-in POS solution for brick-and-mortar and connections to 3rd party POS systems is ideal for the sellers who rely on traditional retail. A robust IMS will allow for the transfer of inventory wherever it’s needed – to other geographic locations, including stores.

Innovative companies that leverage these supply chain strategies will continue to mitigate the effects of the current disruptions through 2023 and on into the future. Key to their success will be the adoption of a robust inventory and order management system that creates a coordinated ecosystem that serves their multichannel goals.

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A Resilient Cold Chain Starts with Automation and Nearshoring

The pandemic has completely altered global supply chains and continues to be unpredictable. This has been especially tough on the cold chain due to rigorous traceability standards and perishable products, meaning that there is little-to-no room for error or delay. And, as we continue to experience many challenges that affect the overall functionality of our global supply chains, perhaps none has been more impactful than the countless supply shortages we’re still dealing with today. And, there’s seemingly no end in sight with food distributors recently warning schools and districts that they will likely run out of supply to meet the expected demand with students returning to the classroom this fall.

As troubles persist in procuring materials amidst supply and labor shortages, transportation issues and more, supply chain managers have had to substantially revamp their operations in order to compete in today’s challenging and dynamic landscape. The time for stopgaps is clearly over, and the future cold chain must be built to ensure a resilient, flexible foundation.

To be prepared when issues arise, many business leaders have turned to technology to help automate and make processes more efficient and traceable. They also must have channels in place to nearshore supply, so that when the unexpected does occur, they have access to product in another warehouse that can be shipped and guarantee orders are fulfilled.

Increased visibility with nearshoring

U.S. manufacturers have already begun witnessing the benefits of nearshoring with average operating costs being cut by 23% when shifting operations from China to Mexico. By bringing supply and warehouses closer to home – such as neighboring countries rather than overseas – organizations have been able to increase visibility and reduce risk for stakeholders and third parties so that shipments and individual products can be tracked on every step of the journey from start to finish.

While nearshoring is becoming increasingly necessary for business operations as the sustainability of global logistics remains uncertain, it also requires sophisticated software and technologies that will allow for collaboration and integration with third-party logistics (3PL) providers. Many organizations do not have the necessary resources to build out their own warehouses in different locations across the globe, so being able to work with a 3PL is particularly important for nearshoring efforts or even temporary pop-ups for a few months at a time if businesses need to reroute operations.

Cloud-native enterprise resource planning (ERP), warehouse management and inventory management systems will be essential for future success because they are highly flexible, easily adaptable as business needs shift and allow for businesses to scale quickly. For example, if a U.S.-based company is moving all operations from China to Mexico because of increased tariffs, cloud-based software helps enable a fast and seamless integration with a new partner.

Enhanced traceability and compliance

Modern technologies not only allow you to easily operate with third parties, but they also enable you to track goods as they move throughout the supply chain. Traceability is important in every sector operating within the supply chain, however it’s doubly important in the cold chain because businesses must comply with strict regulatory standards, or they may face costly fines and risk losing the ability to operate within certain markets.

Utilizing cloud-based software ensures that all supply is accounted for and can be easily traced on every step of the way from Point A to Point Z, which leads to quality control, reduces waste, minimizes loss and allows businesses to guarantee they are in compliance with local regulations. For instance, if a food distributor learns of a recall of their products, they must be able to track down each and every product that came from a specific farm and alert customers of the compromised product. Only an integrated warehouse and inventory system is able to quickly identify which items need to be taken off the shelf or thrown away by consumers.

Supply chain resiliency

As we’ve learned – and continue to learn – throughout the course of the pandemic, our supply chains are extremely fragile and face mounting pressure with growing regulatory, public and consumer scrutiny. To encourage trust and dependability of your organizations’ preparedness to get product into customer hands – even during a shortage or unforeseen disruption – business leaders are taking steps today to strengthen and future-proof operations with continual investment in technology and automation. Forward thinking producers operating on cloud software have a large and growing advantage over their competitors depending on older technologies and legacy software.

 

While supply chain operations may have been an area that businesses could cut costs for in the past, consumer demand and expectations no longer withstand missing or delayed product availability, inferior quality of goods or the inability to trace where exactly their food or other items originated from. By investing in nearshoring and persistent innovation, we will ultimately experience a more seamless movement of goods across the globe and create a resilient infrastructure that cannot be so easily disrupted in the face of adversity.

 

Originally published by Food Logistics here.

What Is 4PL and Does Your Business Need It?

Amazon in the US was carrying 480 million products in its catalog as of the end of 2015.

This ocean of inventory is what has turned the eCommerce giant into a logistics enterprise, enshrined by Amazon’s Operation Dragon Boat, a strategy for building an international shipping and logistics company within company walls.

The strategy includes buying up 3PLs and fleets of trucks, directly operating cargo planes, and generally taking ownership of the entire supply chain without third-party support to reduce shipping expenses, the bulk of its cost for order fulfillment. Aside from owning the supply chain outright, Amazon is doing for itself what Fourth-Party Logistics (4PL) providers do for others: take control of an entire supply chain.

The 4PL concept originated in 1996 when the management firm Accenture consolidated a multinational company’s freight forwarder base. 4PL became a somewhat self-serving acronym for any contractor who manages all the pieces of a supply chain and to give clients the “control tower” view of complex supply chains with a huge mix of warehouses, shipping companies, freight forwarders and agents to oversee.

Amazon’s strategy owning and managing its supply chain itself is simply out of the question for companies that aren’t rooted in eCommerce, moving very high volumes of product, and, well, that aren’t Amazon. So what does the rest of the world do?

Proceed from Your Business Model

Most businesses don’t have anywhere near the complex supply chain that Amazon has, but a business of any size must start out with a supply chain strategy suited to its business model.

Still, light manufacturers, suppliers and wholesalers will have to contract at least one 3PL to store and/or move inventory. A 3PL historically specializes in one particular aspect of a supply chain: warehousing, packaging, freight forwarding, cross-loading, logistics analytics, even IT services.

The boundaries have become fluid over the years. Bigger 3PLs will manage their own fleets of trucks and warehouses, and most 3PLs will also offer 4PL services themselves or team-up with a 4PL to provide it as an add-on service.

Early-stage businesses won’t need 4PL services, frankly. If your supply chain management strategy matches your business model, and you’re meeting your fulfillment rate targets, and it’s small enough to easily monitor and control everything that’s happening in your supply chain from your office, you won’t need 4PL services.

Rethink Strategy with 4PL

A 4PL is defined as an integrator that assembles and manages all the resources, capabilities and technology of a supply chain across multiple providers and internal company managers.

The 4PL function undertakes overall responsibility for logistics performance and the ability to impact the entire supply chain and not just single elements and aims to manage people, process and technology. Businesses tend to look to 4PL to improve efficiencies and increase the bottom line through back-end system integrations, standardization, and automation of order placement, and reduced procurement costs and order cycle times.

However, the time to consider a 4PL provider is after you’ve established a supply chain management strategy after you have internal processes in place and experienced staff that can evolve with new systems. In other words, 4PL is more geared to the older or larger enterprise that has to manage a multi-tiered and highly complex supply chain.

See for yourself how Cin7 can give you the control you need to manage your supply chain.