The rise in fuel costs, especially diesel, is significantly impacting the bottom line of many B2B companies such as distributors and wholesalers. While the transportation department bears the brunt of high fuel costs, it may not have much ability to mitigate the impact of these costs on the broader business as many of the causes […]

One of the most difficult and expensive aspects of the supply chain is last mile and home delivery. However, from a customer experience standpoint, it is also the most memorable and possibly important. Home delivery has become an increasingly hot topic as a result, and last week, I spoke on a panel about last mile […]

There was a time when Mumbai’s dabbawalas (lunchbox carriers) were known for their efficient supply chain and logistics.  But the COVID-19 incursion changed the lives and livelihoods of Mumbai’s dabbawalas.  Their lives can neatly be compartmentalized into BC and AC – before COVID-19 and after COVID-19. Scenario Before COVID-19 Mumbai’s dabbawala service was legendary for […]

The most dynamic form of routing is focused on e-commerce home deliveries. The importance of routing starts right at the point of purchase on a web site. The choices given to consumers from the routing engine should help to maximize profitability for the retailer.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate, created to improve safety within the transportation industry, is currently the hot topic on everyone’s mind. ELDs synchronize with a vehicle’s engine to automatically record driving time for easier, more accurate hours of service (HOS) logging, which translates to greater safety on the […]

Earlier this week I attended the first day of MercuryGate’s annual user conference at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, NV. The conference’s theme was “Smarter. Stronger. Faster. Better.” That is what MercuryGate is trying to make their customers, and the presentations I attended all hit on this theme. Since last year’s conference, there have been […]

Stepping Out of Paradigms Dictated by Technological Limitations of the Past One of the biggest opportunities to dramatically improve supply chain performance occurs when traditional supply chain functions are decomposed and reinvented as integrated business processes. Few supply chain practitioners would dispute that notion. However, when it comes to their technology strategy, too many practitioners […]