Articles
How-To
Managing a Transportation Bid Event
MORE TO THE STORY: Create a Bid List It’s that time again. The market has shifted and your current transportation solution is not meeting one or more of your key goals—service, capacity, and/or cost. Or, perhaps your company’s strategy has changed and so have your transportation requirements. Either way, you need a better transportation solution. […]
Read MoreSelecting an International Freight Forwarder
Price, security, and compliance rank high on the list of criteria for selecting an international freight forwarder. Auctions have gained popularity, with freight contracts going to the lowest bidder. But choosing on price alone can leave a company shortchanged. In the decision-making process, factors such as value, IT support, and service capability should be considered […]
Read MoreChoosing Your Next Forklift Truck or Fleet
If buying forklift trucks were as simple as comparing truck features, performance statistics, and prices, then you might be able to buy them over the Internet. But it’s not that simple. Lift trucks are complex, application-specific products and you need to choose carefully to meet your business and warehouse needs. The right lift truck can […]
Read MoreAvoiding Transportation Chargebacks
Chargebacks are a fact of life that manufacturers have to deal with. For many of these shippers, how they get the product to their customers’ door is no longer under their control. Consignees and their routing guides are king. If shippers don’t comply with routing guide instructions, they pay, and pay big. Between five and […]
Read MoreRunning an Effective VMI Program
One way to reduce capital outlay within the supply chain is through deferred ownership of inventory—letting vendors manage the inventory of their products in your distribution center. With a Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) program, vendors receive stock information from their customers, then calculate what product they should ship to maintain adequate inventory levels at the […]
Read MoreSuccessful RFID Implementation
The good news is that Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) will be one of the best things to happen to the supply chain. The bad news is that the road to implementation is sure to be bumpy. Jon Chorley, senior director, Oracle Inventory and Warehouse Management, offers 10 tips for successful RFID implementation. 1. Get educated. […]
Read MoreHow to Source Transportation
Identify and prioritize sourcing of your carriers and you will contain transportation costs as well as meet customer service levels. Pete Stiles, vice president of LeanLogistics, a provider of web-native transportation management systems, offers these tips on how to design and execute a market-specific bid process to foster better relations with carriers, ensure an optimized […]
Read MoreSelecting a Load and Route Optimization System
It doesn’t matter if you utilize local route and delivery carriers or nationwide truckers to move your goods. Load and route optimization software systems offer an efficient way to find the best delivery routes and schedules. The key is knowing how to get to the right vendor and picking the best system for your business. […]
Read MoreSelecting a Bar-Code System
If you are looking to purchase a bar-code system, do your homework first. Many suppliers offer all types of systems that can provide you with more than you need, or less than you need. John Caltagirone, vice president, supply chain strategy for Illinois-based Revere Group, offers these 10 tips to make selecting a new bar-code […]
Read MoreSuccessful Global Data Synchronization
Data synchronization is a crucial component of e-commerce. As companies increasingly communicate via computer, organizing and synchronizing data with all trading partners poses a greater challenge. Here are 10 tips to undertaking a successful data synchronization initiative, from Craig Bednarovsky, global retail marketing manager, Global Exchange Services. 1. Get educated. Understand the standard bodies relevant […]
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