Resources

As I write this in September 2021, the UK appears to be hitting peak supply chain challenge.  As the constraints of COVID restrictions have eased, difficulties with driver shortages and availability right the way up the supply chain are coming to light. Talking to...

If managing inventory can be challenging at the best of times, it can be debilitating at times of local and international disruption. Manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and other companies that deal with household products, cosmetics and toiletries, office...

You can be the ‘All Star MVP’ in achieving supply chain excellence. You just need the support of the right information, tools and players.  The barriers to excellence Everybody is aiming for excellence – delivery of the right product, to the right customer, at the...

Consumer spending is increasing and given it is driving over a quarter of GDP growth this year, it is an important sign of economic life picking up as restrictions ease. In fact, the CBI is forecasting that the UK economy will return to pre-Covid levels by the end of...

Talking to manufacturers and wholesale and distribution companies has made it clear that there are several consistent trends at play at the moment. Competition is fierce Everyone is working hard to get their products to market, including suppliers and competitors....

When embarking on a journey somewhere, do you create a detailed route plan in advance or just set off in the general direction and rely on signs along the way to get you to your destination? Most of us probably combine the two approaches – we tend to take a look at...

The shopping centre giant Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield have carried out research on the impact of the pandemic on the future of shopping. Westfield’s study, which polled 2000 UK consumers and 500 UK retailers, identified a range of trends: One of the five key areas of...

Failing to plan is planning to fail.  You’ll have heard that one before. The sentiment behind it is why we all plan for success. But all plans are not created equal, some are absolutely better than others. They’re easier to produce, deliver better results and drive...

When you’re driving, your journey feels smooth thanks to your car’s suspension working to absorb any shocks from bumps in the road. The same applies to your business – if operations have started to feel smooth over the last few months that’s likely down to your...

Unpredictable patterns of demand create challenges for managing inventory. These primarily manifest themselves in either excess inventory or issues with fulfilling service levels.  Demand variability is a constant, there’s no way to predict with absolute certainty...

A common factor among the best-in-class wholesale and distribution companies is their recognition of the importance of inventory on their bottom line. They acknowledge the need for effective and efficient management of inventory and shape their operations accordingly....

Inventory management takes place within an operating model with many variables and moving parts.  Many of the links in the chain must be managed by people. But much of their daily work could (and should) be undertaken by technology, freeing them up as a resource to...

The last year has been defined by disruption and volatility. The unprecedented rate of change seen in consumer behaviour was a large factor. Looking ahead, there’s no tipping point on the horizon that will cause future prospects to settle into a predictable rhythm....

When excess inventory is managed effectively and stock levels are reduced, surplus no longer accumulates. A reduction of obsolete product means you can avoid selling off stock at a discounted price, or worse, writing it off entirely.  Preventing this situation keeps...

How do you consistently achieve high service levels without carrying large volumes of safety stock for each inventory item? Hitting those rates of order fulfilment starts with inventory classification. Like so many models, the wholesale and distribution approach is...

We frequently talk about inventory optimization in terms of the ways in which it can help you better manage your supply chain. Perhaps you think of it as a ‘nice to have’ approach, something to incorporate in the future. You’d be wrong. There are quantifiable, in some...

What’s the state of your inventory management today? Are you reliant on spreadsheets, snapshots and individuals’ knowledge? Or do you have a near-time view of all activity that automatically prompts planners, buyers and the rest of the team, allowing them to run with...

Even before the crisis emerged in 2020 and forced them to take action, organisations had started to recognise and experience the many benefits of optimizing their S&OP process. In the main, this was as a tool for balancing supply and demand. Now, as we shift to a...

What leader isn’t looking for new ways to make their business more efficient and cost effective? What supplier isn’t claiming methods and solutions to help them achieve it? Across the board, everybody’s trying to make improvements and everybody else is offering...

Our wholesale/distribution benchmark survey is based on the anatomy of a world-class wholesale distribution firm.  Participants score their organisations against the statements that a world-class organisation would use to describe themselves and their operational...

The anatomy of a world-class wholesale organisation Based on our work with clients; analysis of the wholesale and distribution sector; and input from expert consultants; we’ve identified the characteristics that define world-class wholesale organisations. This set of...

The journey ahead might be a little bumpy, but there are signs we’re on the road to recovery. According to a Financial Times poll of more than 90 leading economists, it will take at least 18 months for the UK economy to return to its pre-pandemic size. They also...

The anatomy of a world-class wholesale organisation Based on our work with clients; analysis of the wholesale and distribution sector; and input from expert consultants; we’ve identified the characteristics that define world-class wholesale organisations. This set of...

And what a year it was! Across the board, businesses had to deal with demand shocks and everyone had to adapt rapidly to uncertain and dynamic circumstances in order to survive. Ultimately, the experience has shifted the approach organisations take to planning. Demand...

The anatomy of a world-class wholesale organisation Based on our work with clients; analysis of the wholesale and distribution sector; and input from expert consultants; we’ve identified the characteristics that define world-class wholesale organisations. This set of...

The anatomy of a world-class wholesale organisation Based on our work with clients; analysis of the wholesale and distribution sector; and input from expert consultants; we’ve identified the characteristics that define world-class wholesale organisations. This set of...

In the week immediately after the typical Black Friday/Cyber Monday peak shopping weekend, it’s interesting to consider the ways in which things are looking different this year. The usual push to consumers started early this year and it’s likely to continue for...

Every company experiences various pains – you could say it’s one of the costs of doing business. But are the difficulties you’re ignoring holding you back from becoming a world-class wholesale organisation? Acute vs chronic Given we regularly discuss the state of your...

Inventory health is one of the most important aspects of supply chain management. With valuable resources tied up in inventory stock, knowing exactly what you have and where it’s located is crucial to managing stock, avoiding accruing high carrying costs, and to...

Having considered the importance of relationship management and using your team’s knowledge to look behind the numbers, we’re going to consider the vital statistic for inventory health: stock turn. The rate at which your business turns its stock is a crucial indicator...

Strong management of the complex relationships and moving parts that determine inventory health requires quality information and proactive decision making. We looked previously at the importance of freeing your team from laborious tasks and equipping them with...

Strong inventory management was a key element in our focus on recovery and resilience. We’re going to take some time to consider this in more detail as inventory health is one of the most important aspects of supply chain management. With valuable resources tied up in...

As we’ve discussed over the last month, the supply chain is the engine of any retail and wholesale business model. When things are not running smoothly, the operation is stuck in a lower gear and the only way to create organisational resilience is to take steps to...

We’ve illustrated how important it is to remove vulnerabilities to your supply chain by targeting threats in the areas of demand planning, inventory management and financial fragility in order to increase resilience and build the momentum required to promote recovery....

We’re taking some time to focus on key challenges to your organisation’s resilience. As we highlighted last week, in order to increase resilience and build the momentum required to promote recovery, vulnerabilities around the supply chain must be addressed. The most...

Our ebook, Shifting Through the Gears, considers the supply chain as the engine of the retail wholesale business model. Some organisations are stuck in low gear, with the engine operating at high revolutions just to move forward.  Businesses operating in the higher...