The next generation of supply chain management

 

The constantly changing market scenario, the drive to achieve operational excellence and the need to meet customer expectations are the driving forces behind any business. In supply chain management a shift in the current approach is required to achieve these goals. Multiple stakeholders need to perform a variety of tasks, and make quick decisions in real time to leverage their supply chains to their maximum potential. The trend in the market is to adopt new technology models that enable better planning and deliver unprecedented customer service.

Mobile technology is one such enabler. It provides “on the go” access to stakeholders, allowing them to achieve supply chain management excellence. Decision making is supported anywhere, anytime, and with complete visibility of the operation.

The rapid changes in supply chain management and logistics operations over the past few decades, coupled with the growing competition to deliver exemplary customer service have pushed various manufacturing, retail and consumer goods industries to shift their focus onto innovations that act as technology enablers.

These enablers are used to serve the ever growing consumer demand and achieve operational excellence. Supply chain executives are now exploring next generation logistics solutions that will help them shrink product delivery lifecycles and provide better visibility of the business to their stakeholders, all in real time. Mobile technology has been crowned the king of these enablers and has been adopted by various manufacturing sectors, in collaboration with their Suppliers and Vendors, to enhance their logistics operations and keep track of inventory. Location and Time are no longer factors in decision making. This technology allows you to respond to challenges anytime, anywhere, and in doing so, it reduces the Turn Around Time of the operation.

Here are just a few ways in which mobile technology helps stakeholders optimize their Supply chains.

With seamless flow and faster delivery executions,mobile technology enables supply chains to reach the highest levels of operational excellence.Mobile Apps enable the user to take real time business decisions from mobile devices that they carry around with them. Tracking and monitoring of the vehicle’s current status, Report Deviations, keeping track of inventory, Updating Driver/Vehicle Checklists and confirming delivery statuses are just a few of the places where mobile apps can come in handy.

Nowadays, customers are always on the lookout for faster delivery cycles, higher quality standards and better visibility of shipments. To achieve operational excellence and exemplary customer service, there is an urgent need to identify the next generation of technology and to start leveraging it in your supply chains. Mobile technology allows you to optimize every facet of your supply chain, while at the same time bringing better visibility to your stakeholders.

BUSINESS AREA

USERS INVOLVED

USE OF MOBILE APP

BENEFITS

Purchase Order tracking

Collaboration with stakeholders

  • Supplier
  • Transporter
  • Plant Material Department
  • Transporter
  • Plant Logistics
  • Tracking payment and invoice details of each Purchase Order.
  • Get Estimated delivery times.
  • View Order status
  • Order assignment and Truck Allocation
  • Electronically manage purchase orders.
  • Better planning of pending Purchase orders.
  • Orders can be managed “on the Go” with prior commitments
  • Paperless environment

Shipment tracking

  • Transporter
  • Plant Logistics
  • Customer
  • rack Delivery status from Factory –Customer location
  • Get estimatesof theDelivery time
  • Enables the user to take corrective action in case of any deviation
  • Better planning on pending delivery

Safety checklist

  • Security
  • Truck Driver
  • Transporter
  • Update Driver/Vehicle checklist
  • Emergency safety button
  • E-Checklist helps keep track of the Drivers/Vehicles.
  • Immediate action whenever any emergency is observed.
  • Improved safety

Asset management

  • Transporter
  • Plant Logistics
  • Track vehicle whereabouts
  • Real time information of assets
  • Improved visibility of assets in the supply chain
  • Reduce the loss or damage incurred by goods while in transit

Fleet Exceptions

  • Transporter
  • Truck Driver
  • Plant Logistics
  • Exception Report
  • Alert for various events
  • Send alerts for delivery delays.
  • Optimized route details.
  • Immediate alerts enable quick responses in case of any discrepancies.

Yard Management

  • Transporter
  • Truck Driver
  • Security
  • Plant Logistics
  • Dispatch planning based on predefined business rules.
  • Track Vehicle detention at Yard
  • Minimize vehicle detention at the Yard
  • Status of Order vs the Vehicles at the Yard enables effective dispatch planning

Warehouse Management

  • Plant Logistics
  • Warehouse supervisor
  • Keep track of Pending and Dispatched stock in Real time
  • Location detail of stock within warehouse
  • Better visibility of Pending stock helps to manage inventory better.
  • Helps increase efficiency and optimizes the dispatch process at Warehouses.

Reporting

  • End Users
  • Transporters
  • Real time reports/ dashboards
  • Track Trip Turnaround time from Order creation to Customer Delivery
  • Real time visibility of Trips with various transaction details
  • Analyze delivery compliance
  • Determine Truck/Driver performance

Integration with other  System

  • IT
  • Plant Logistics
  • Display data integrated with RFID systems
  • Display data integrated with ERP systems
  • Display data integrated with GPS systems
  • Presents a single version of the data and avoids the usage of multiple systems for analysis

Transaction mechanism

  • Security
  • Plant Logistics
  • Transporter
  • Truck Driver
  • Update transactions at various touchpoints
  • Paperless environment
  • Reduced human error

Access Control

  • Security
  • Truck Driver
  • Display List of blacklisted truck/drivers to enable/disable all transactions
  • Customer Authorization
  • Ensure that the required product is delivered to the correct customer
  • Approval to continue Shipment transactions can be given “on the Go” for blacklisted trucks/drivers in real time.

Payment mechanism

  • Transporter
  • Customer
  • Plant Logistics
  • Plant Commercials
  • POD
  • Calculate Freight Cost
  • Paperless solution for Order to Cash Cycle

Quality checks

  • Quality Analyst
  • Unloading supervisor
  • Quality checklists for Incoming material
  • Discard defective material earlier in the chain.
  • Paperless transaction with real time alerts and an Approval workflow.

With seamless flow and faster delivery executions,mobile technology enables supply chains to reach the highest levels of operational excellence.Mobile Apps enable the user to take real time business decisions from mobile devices that they carry around with them. Tracking and monitoring of the vehicle’s current status, Report Deviations, keeping track of inventory, Updating Driver/Vehicle Checklists and confirming delivery statuses are just a few of the places where mobile apps can come in handy.

Nowadays, customers are always on the lookout for faster delivery cycles, higher quality standards and better visibility of shipments. To achieve operational excellence and exemplary customer service, there is an urgent need to identify the next generation of technology and to start leveraging it in your supply chains. Mobile technology allows you to optimize every facet of your supply chain, while at the same time bringing better visibility to your stakeholders.

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