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Supply chain management is a crucial step in the success of any business. Supply chain management, also known as SCM, is how a company decides to handle the production flow of the goods or services they offer. That means that this process deals with the production flow beginning with raw products and ending when the consumer has possession of the goods. There are many steps and different parts of successful supply chain management, but it is generally agreed that this process can be broken down into five main components.
This is perhaps the most in-depth component of the supply chain management process, as we all know that planning anything is half the battle. Not only will the planning phase help tremendously with inventory control, but it will also help your company set in place the most efficient manufacturing processes. It is important to remember that the planning phase does not end when the next phase begins; it is a phase that will need to carry on until the very end of the SCM process. After all, good planning is crucial to any good plan.
In this part of the management process, your company will be responsible for choosing the suppliers that will best work with you to provide any goods or services that are needed to make the product. Beyond that, this phase will consist of other processes such as managing inventory, ordering, and receiving shipments. As mentioned above, this step will also include some extra planning to get everything set up efficiently.
The next step is to find a factory or other manufacturer willing to work on your terms to make the final product. This may include steps such as receiving the raw materials, assembling the product, and testing the safety of the product. The manufacturer may also be in charge of packaging the product for shipping and scheduling the delivery of the product. Eventual customer feedback will not only help your company, but it can also help the manufacturer that your company uses in this step.
Delivering your product to the customer is really one of the only parts of the SCM process that your customers will care about. This step will involve transporting finished goods or services to the paying customer. To do this successfully, your company may want to consider using more than one option for shipment. Using different freight carriers, such as by road, air, and rail, you will be better able to provide the customer with their purchased goods at a more reliable rate.
The second part of the process that your customers will care about: returning the goods if there is an issue with them. Customers will expect a seamless process of delivering items, and they care quite deeply about the ease of use for them when it comes to this process. Customers will stop using a company simply because their return process was not up to standard. With that being said, it is important to focus attention and resources on this process.
In order to make this process much smoother, your company may want to consider investing in supply chain planning software. This software can better analyze incoming information and feedback to help you create an even smoother SCM process. Come on over to John Galt and take a look at our Atlas Planning Software, one of the best on the market. Check it out here: https://johngalt.com/atlas.
