Articles
Supply Chain
Naughty or Nice—Which Retailers and Delivery Services Will Make the Grade this Holiday Season?
The holiday retail season is upon us, and already the first lumps of coal have been delivered, with retailers such as Neiman Marcus and Walmart experiencing unwanted downtime on their websites over the Black Friday weekend. And as we move away from Black Friday, and closer to Christmas day 2015, the pressure will shift from […]
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Global Logistics—October 2015
Today’s Digital Economy: What’s in Store for Retailers? Retailers are currently pressured to adjust their internal and customer-facing strategies to meet consumer demands, which are evolving at a rapid pace. But they must be willing to evolve as well, according to SAP’s inaugural Retail Index survey conducted in partnership with global forecasting firm Oxford Economics. The survey […]
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Whatever It Takes
So you’re a retailer, and out of stock on a particular item. Then, of course, a customer orders it. What do you do? When outdoor gear retailer Backcountry was faced with an out of stock that would disappoint a customer, an employee went shopping on a competitor’s website, purchased the item with a personal credit […]
Read MoreSupporting Sustainability Throughout the Supply Chain
Companies can support sustainability throughout their supply chains with many different approaches. Reducing paper by automating manual business processes, optimizing shipments and loads with end-to-end visibility, saving fuel and lowering emissions by avoiding supply chain disruptions, and sourcing materials from suppliers with like-minded sustainability goals are just a few examples. Ed Rusch, vice president of […]
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Lin Ding: A Healthy Perspective on Procurement
Lin Ding is procurement manager at Ultimate Medical Academy in Tampa, Fla. She has held this position since May 2015. Responsibilities: Overseeing procurement, supplier management, and contract management; creating a framework to support the department’s procurement activities; implementing purchasing policies and improvement strategies. Experience: Financial advisor, Yuebao Investment Co.; purchasing and sourcing coordinator, Seven Halos; […]
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Trends—December 2015
Data Capture Technology Ripe for Picking Reducing picking errors remains a high priority for distribution center operators, especially as customer expectations, particularly for faster and more accurate delivery, continue to increase, according to a recent Honeywell survey. Distribution centers are currently losing an average of more than $400,000 annually to picking errors, the survey finds. […]
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Realizing the Power of a Leveraged Platform
Q: How can today’s manufacturers deal with increasing regulations, demand volatility, and shifting global trade currents? A: One way a manufacturer can mitigate the effects of increasing regulations and demand volatility is by working with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider with a leveraged platform. When a 3PL provider utilizes a leveraged platform, it is employing […]
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Free Trade – Vital to Our Industry
Free trade has been a pillar of the U.S. economy for much of our nation’s history. Over the past several decades, the United States has negotiated many bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) to increase access to other countries’ markets while opening the U.S. market and benefiting consumers. In addition to membership in the […]
Read MoreThe Value of a Positive Customer Experience
We have all been there—we purchase a product and something about it doesn’t meet our expectations. While many companies have figured out that an "easy return" goes a long way in customer satisfaction, there are still those that make it challenging. Let’s be honest, we have avoided ordering from companies that don’t make this process […]
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Building the Connected Warehouse
Boxes, pallets, and forklifts aren’t the only things that move throughout a warehouse. Data also flows across a range of warehouse business processes, from the receipt of goods to storage and tracking, picking and packing, and outbound transportation. How effectively a business utilizes that information has a massive impact on warehouse and supply chain performance. […]
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Attracting More Women to the Transportation Profession
More than 13 million Americans comprise the transportation workforce, and nearly half of them are eligible for retirement within the next 10 years, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Not only is this particular workforce an older population, it’s also male dominated, as women account for as little as 13 percent of transportation occupations […]
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RFID: More Than Just a Better Barcode
Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID) offers a multitude of benefits that can significantly reduce and eliminate waste in the extended supply chain. RFID, an automatic identification method using electronic tags that have a microchip and printed antenna, is a lot more than just a small improvement from barcode technology. Barcodes offer a status report at […]
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Customer Service Superstars And the Winners Are…
Logistics plays the role of a lifetime in helping retailers earn rave reviews for outstanding customer service performance. Settle back and pass the popcorn as three leaders reveal their winning secrets.
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The Dairy Supply Chain: From Farm to Fridge
How milk and other dairy products moo-ve from tens of thousands of cows to store shelves across the country — with udder efficiency.
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10 Ways to Steer a Career Drive
Take these steps to help accelerate your logistics career.
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Global Trade Game Changer
As the Panama Canal’s $5.25-billion expansion nears completion, how are shippers and ports preparing?
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Azteca Foods Craves Inventory Management System
Azteca Foods spices up inventory tracking with an advanced automated system that doesn’t cost too much dough.
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Dimensioning on the Move
Growing fuel costs and capital expenses paired with a driver shortage have left companies shipping less-than-truckload (LTL) freight scrambling for ways to cut costs. Unfortunately, opportunities to counter fuel costs, eliminate capital investments, and reduce the manpower required to keep business moving are limited. That’s why many shippers are turning to dimensioning technology to gain […]
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IT Asset Disposition Is the Future of Reverse Logistics
While forward logistics optimizes the flow of goods from the producer to the consumer, reverse logistics inverts that flow from the consumer back to the producer. Most often, this includes warranty recovery, value recovery, repair, redistribution, product recalls, used parts, and replacement materials for refurbishment, service, or product contract returns, and end-of-life recycling. In a […]
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Optimizing the Holiday Supply Chain With Reliable ETA
Timeliness is top of mind during the holiday season. As Santa prepares for his ride around the world to give every child a gift by Christmas morning, manufacturers and retailers are also busy planning to meet increasing customer delivery demands during the holidays. Santa has his magic and his elves, but companies must find other […]
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