Archive for Guest Commentary
Are you asking customers to do business with you based on processes defined by your systems rather than the way they want to do business with you? If so, what is this costing you in revenue? As the economy improves, the top priority of many organizations will be improving the customer experience to win new customers and enhance existing relationships. The main thing people will remember about your company is… Continue reading
I am constantly amazed at the number of companies today that procure and manufacture both globally and domestically, yet use multiple logistics solutions that plan and execute locally. For example, I talked recently to several Fortune 500 supply chain executives interested in improving their supply chain and identified a common theme – each ran their international, domestic inbound, and domestic outbound logistics as independent business silos, using separate IT solutions… Continue reading
Supply chain best practices preach the benefits of end-to-end, integrated business processes. We regularly hear analysts and industry experts tell companies, “Your supply chain is fragmented and you must connect it.” And while some traditionally silo-based groups are doing better at sharing information and connecting their supply chain, most organizations are not planning and executing across functional domains to create a truly interconnected and collaborative supply chain.
Demand planning… Continue reading
There is a growing consensus about the need to spend more on highway repair and construction and the reality of needing additional funding (tax collections) to pay for the improvements. James Oberstar, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure says, “… we need to begin the transition from the gasoline and diesel user fees to a vehicle miles travelled (VMT) fee system that charges users for each mile… Continue reading
‘Green’ is all the rage. I see Green stickers on cars and homes, and eco-friendly logos on t-shirts and clothing. You can’t walk into a store these days without getting bombarded by Green messaging.
Fundamentally, the concept of Green has significant merit. We, as stewards of this planet, have an obligation to the generations to come to leave this planet the way we found it. When I was a… Continue reading
A certain comedian from the South has achieved great fame with an act based entirely on a series of “You might be this, if that” jokes. He enjoys poking fun at those who don’t take stock of the obvious to solve their problems. Minus the chastising and the humor, however, it’s the same practice of self awareness that is critical for those logistics professionals who are uncertain about whether their… Continue reading
A couple of weeks ago, SAP held one of its periodic executive advisory councils for customers in the logistics industries. The dinner and hallway conversations focused a lot on economy, and how it is changing the buying patterns of shippers. Everyone agreed that in these economic times upper management is getting more involved in expenditures and scrutinizing every dollar spent. Point departments, like operations and warehousing, usually have to follow more strident… Continue reading
Guest Commentary: Taking Stock of Your Sustainability Program: Why It’s Important Today … and Tomorrow
Posted on Aug 03 2010 | By Anthony Oliverio · Comments (0)Running a sustainable operation is essential to protecting the environment, adhering to laws and regulations and remaining competitive in today’s global market. But how do you know if the results of your green programs and initiatives are measuring up? Just as important, who measures your environmental impact, and against which standards? Unfortunately, there’s no single solution, since standards vary widely depending on where you do business and in which industry… Continue reading