You can provide a superior product at a lower price, and still lose the business. It is true that you need to offer an excellent product at a reasonable price, but don’t lose sight of the fact that, if people don’t like you, they won’t continue to buy from you no matter how good your […]
The # 1 Reason Companies Fail to Reduce Their Costs
Two years ago, we met with a global manufacturer who was undertaking a major cost cutting initiative for the North American operations. A central point of the initiative encompassed reducing the costs for supporting logistics. This led them to embark on a freight consolidation initiative. When we met with them, they told us that the […]
The Importance of Culture Match
Every individual has his or her own values that determine how they live their lives and how they interact with others. Are they self-centered, demanding that the world cater to them or do they live by a value system that lets them understand and meet the needs of their neighbors as well as their own? […]
Are Your Logistics Stuck?
Logistics has come a long way from its early days. Logistics emerged in the pre-1980s methods. Needs were simple, and cost-minimization was the key. Managers needn’t be’t concerned with efficiencies. Logistics was simply as a necessary cost. The transportation industry was highly regulated and prices didn’t vary much among suppliers. Logistics planning was a major […]
The Right Products…At The Right Time
Having the right products at the right time and at the right cost is the goal of good supply chain management. This seemingly simple process can make or break a company. In today’s competitive and crowded market, anything less than an excellent supply chain management can destroy a company – even if you’re offering a […]
Protecting Your Shipments After They Leave
Once your product has left your location, a lot of factors are out of your control. Things happen. There can be fire, flood, theft, accident, natural disaster, etc. How do you protect your interests to minimize losses from any of these situations? First of all, of course, make sure that you and your logistics vendor […]
How to Best Handle Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Issues
There is no question that shipping full truckloads is the most efficient and cost effective way to ship your goods. However, even companies that usually ship full truckloads often have the need at times for less-than-truckload shipments. LTL shipments cost more per unit and frequently take longer to arrive at their destination. They’re also the […]
Your Logistics Partner Is A Part Of Your Team
In our last blog, we talked about how hidden costs can disguise what your logistics functions are really costing you. Today, we want to talk about how you can best minimize these costs by making your primary logistics provider part of your team. Obviously, you need to be working with a company that knows and […]
It’s The Hidden Costs That Get You
You’ve just read your financial statements and found that you’ve saved a lot of money on your logistics costs. However, you don’t understand why this isn’t showing up in a better bottom line. This is a common problem which is usually due to the hidden costs involved with logistics. If you are only attributing the […]
The Scarcity of Drivers
Many experts are predicting a major scarcity of truck drivers due to several factors. As we’ve mentioned in previous blogs, the new federal rules for drivers is one factor that will make it more difficult to find qualified people. In addition to this, the rising costs of fuel are causing many independent drivers to leave […]