Managing your time can directly reduce your stress level. Fewer surprises. Fewer tight deadlines. Less rushing from task-to-task and place-to-place.
Cleaning up your time-management routine at the workplace is a smart move. With an effective time-management plan, you can decrease stress, get more work done, and boost your reputation at your workplace without much effort. Get started now with Warehouse Direct's ready-made time management plan supporting your Supply Chain Management (SCM) initiatives.
Why should you implement a time-management plan including SCM?
The time is now to stand out and stand strong against the competition with this new competitive advantage. In today’s fast-moving marketplace, the importance of SCM is growing exponentially. The main difference between SCM of yesterday and today, however, is that it is not enough that you practice SCM in your organization. In order to compete in today’s economy, it is important to strategically align yourself with vendors that support your SCM initiatives and don’t try to transfer their supply chain costs onto you, therefore saving you both time and money at your workplace. So, what do you need to look for in a strategic SCM partnership?
Multi-Purpose Vendor
It’s not enough for a vendor to sell you just one product or service. Look for a vendor that can handle multiple products and/or service needs. This allows you to save time and energy by utilizing a vendor that offers:
Delivery
At the heart of SCM is receiving, storing and returning product. Look for a strategic vendor that minimizes your delivery cost by offering these services.
- A broad range of products and equipment
- Extensive expertise in multiple areas
- If a vendor sells a product, do they service it as well
- Fast & Complete delivery
- Purchasing & Budgeting Controls
- Custom Reporting & Account Setup
- Consolidated invoicing
- A mechanism for Account Review and Planning
- Doesn’t charge a normal delivery fee
- Includes return pick-up in their regular activities (not an additional charge)
- Doesn’t require a minimum order value
- Willing to make inside deliveries (ie. To your supply room instead of dock or lobby)
Accounting & Invoicing
Accounting &
Invoicing in SCM is not just ‘paying your bills’. Specific attention needs to
be placed on the visibility and ability to track the dollars you are spending
with your vendors. Look for vendors that:
- Provides custom reporting and invoicing to support your internal systems
- Can set up your account to track spending by department or cost center
- Offers consolidated invoicing to lower your processing cost
- Provides fast and easy returns and credits processing
- Has purchasing and budgeting controls such as:
- Approvals
- Budgets
- Contracted Items
- Enables you to easily audit invoices and credits
- Utilizes item numbers on purchases that are easily matched to the product you purchased
Account Review
Many vendors offer a ‘Business Review.’ Make sure your vendor’s review includes the below capabilities to ensure you can identify the greatest opportunities for improvement. Your vendor should be able to:
- Provide an experienced, dedicated and responsive Account Support Team
- Demonstrate an established Business Review Program to get the most out of your vendor partnership
- Account review for continued cost savings and supply chain improvements
- Inform you about new products and services used in your industry that may help you lower costs, improve productivity and/or improve YOUR customer’s experience
- Track your current spending, including:
- View where you are currently spending your dollars by category
- Benchmark spending habits against peers in your market
- Get a clear view of your historical spending trends
- Manage future spending, including:
- Strategic Account Planning to help reduce costs.
- Set Account goals for specific time periods
- Helps you discover new ‘Lean Procurement’ Opportunities
Ready to get started on saving time and money at your workplace? Get in contact with us at customerservice@warehousedirect.com.