End to End Reviews
Most retail supply chains have evolved and grown organically over years, often trailing behind the growth of a successful and rapidly expanding organisation. Even with the constant barrage of scholarly articles and education on supply chain management and continuous improvement, the vast majority of developments within supply chains are a result of necessity and urgent need. It is not uncommon for organisations to be without true visibility of their end to end supply chain, having never mapped it out clearly to understand the costs and processes. With increasing demands on modern supply chains to deliver at even greater levels for customers and shareholders, there are many reasons why this is becoming rapidly an area of focus for many businesses.
A Daunting Task.
Carrying out a review of your end to end supply chain might seem like a daunting task. Something requiring the engagement of multiple departments, entailing a huge and possibly complex piece of work over what could be a considerable length of time. Notwithstanding the fact that many organisations do not have the capacity or headroom to carry out such a piece of work. In reality, reviews of this nature often do not require high levels of resource to get them underway. When considering it is estimated that up to half the cost of some supply chains are ignored or unmanaged, this is an exercise well worth considering for any business.
End to End supply chain reviews can identify significant opportunities.
End to end supply chain reviews when carried out can identify significant measurable opportunities for inclusion in your supply chain strategy:
♦ Reducing your “overall” cost to serve.
♦ Increased efficiency and capacity.
♦ Improved service levels from supplier to customer.
♦ Greater levels of collaboration both internally and externally.
♦ Improved quality and reduced risk.
♦ Shipping optimisation- freight management.
♦ Reduced overhead costs.
♦ Improved cashflow.
♦ Improved supply chain visibility.
♦ A clear plan for development and future demands.
A Roadmap for the Future.
Whether you decide to carry out a full review of your end to end supply chain or selected areas, at Sigma we can help. Over the years we have carried out end to end supply chain reviews for multiple organisations, globally, European and UK based. Typically these types for review involve a small project team supported by senior levels, with a very clear working brief and timeline plan. Dependant upon the business complexity, data and personnel availability, a global review would typically take around 13 weeks to complete. The characteristic of a well conducted end to end supply chain review is the production of a clear roadmap and strategy for the future.
An End to End Supply Chain Reviews will deliver a robust Roadmap.
From Strategy to Implementation.
Only at the point of implementation can the realisation of any competitive advantage or supply chain improvement benefits be delivered. Implementation being as crucial, if not more so than identification. As retail supply chain implementation specialists our experienced team can support with all aspects from setting up Far East consolidation to transport and distribution centre systems.
Give us a call to find out more about how we can help you.
