Among the universal challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed upon the supply chain management profession is the question of inventory, specifically, “how much is enough?”…
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Retail Supply Chains: The State of Play in 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a decade of changes to the retail world in just a year and a half or so.
Few retailers can hope to grow, or even survive today, without the ability to sell through ecommerce channels. Supply chains are continually disrupted by container shortages, a lack of air freight capacity, and movement restrictions implemented by governments to combat the pandemic…
The Long and Short of Designing a Distribution Network
I’ve noticed a trend in recent years in that when businesses want to check their distribution networks or design a distribution network, they immediately jump into loads and loads of detail…
Why 3PL Relationships are Fraught—And How to Manage Them
Third-party Logistics (3PL) companies are often accused of providing such poor service that their relationships with clients break down…
An 8-point Guide to Understanding Your Cost to Serve
The concept of cost to serve is very simple but I am always amazed at how few businesses and supply chain managers really understand it…
Procurement vs. Purchasing: What’s the Difference?
The best way to understand the difference between procurement and purchasing in a business is to consider the process involved in buying a car, says Logistics Bureau’s procurement specialist, Trent Morris…
Raising Productivity in Logistics Operations: The BHAG Approach
Have you ever wondered why some businesses flourish and reap healthy profits while others flounder and make losses? The answer lies in the goals they set themselves.
A few years ago, James Collins and Jerry Porras in their book “Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies” came up with the idea of a BHAG, a big hairy audacious goal…
10 Proven Principles for Best Warehouse Design and Operation
If you would like to optimise the performance of your warehouse, we offer 10 proven principles of warehouse design and operation that will help you meet this challenge…
How to Deliver Customer Satisfaction and Service at the Lowest Cost
All businesses face challenges around customer service. What should the service be? Are you over-servicing, under-servicing? There are three critical steps to take to ensure optimum customer satisfaction without sinking your business…
3PL Industry Insights
What is going on with the 3PL industry nowadays? What is the industry needs to do better? Let us hear the insights of an expert, Sarah Barnes-Humphrey. She comes from a 3PL family and she is now based in Canada. Related articles on this topic have...