Our approach is to take the Complex and make it less Complicated and to take the Unknown and

Area of Concern Inv Info Supplier Management     On-Time Delivery     Sales & Operations Planning     Process Improvement     Manufacturing     Distribution & Logistics     Customer Satisfaction

make it Understood.  The Supply Chain Center understands that the essence of Supply Chain Management is commanding Inventory and Information.  When companies have command over these two critical elements, they have at their disposal the foundational elements necessary to drive improved operational & financial performance. 

Key benefits of commanding Inventory & Information are that companies can position themselves to Avoid, Reduce, or Eliminate Costs as they meet the challenges of the 21st Century Supply Chain.  The mechanism to achieve one or more of these important benefits is the effectiveness and efficiency of Business Processes, which is at the heart of our approach. 

Our approach is better and we prove it.  First, we work the way you do:  Fact-based, Data-driven, and Results-oriented.  Second, we work the way your business does:  High Quality, Cost Sensitive, and Customer Focused.  Third, we work the way consultants should:  Fast — not rushed, but we don't waste time; Focused — on the project results; Friendly — Solutions that fit your objectives. 

Crafting the most appropriate solution that delivers improved operational and financial performance requires the confidence gained by multiple hands-on projects.  Our deep supply chain knowledge and rich functional expertise create leverage and insight.  We apply this leverage and  insight to your data and develop the practical, yet innovative, solutions you demand.  It is our belief that by funneling these three key pieces of leverage (Knowledge, Expertise, and Data) and applying our insightful wisdom, we are able to resolve supply chain problems and build a solid defense against future ‘attacks’ companies face. 

Just a few of the typical challenges we resolve are:  supply & demand imbalances and uncertainty; how to build and optimize sustainable & effective supply chain organizations; resolving supplier management disconnects; improving on-time delivery; enhancing customer satisfaction; rationalizing the supply chain; increasing operational performance; inventory/product mix issues; reducing cash-to-cash cycle; implementing impact-laden Supply & Operations Planning (S&OP); maximizing reverse logistics programs; network analysis & design; and determining which logistics solution will work best. 

We’ve worked cross-industry and uncovered fresh ideas that will enhance your business.  Each solution is constructed upon the same solid, time-tested building-blocks of superior supply chain performance.  Then, they are tailored to meet your specific needs without compromising the quality of results.  Never a “flavor of the month” or trendy “business diet.”  The Supply Chain Center shows you how to drive optimum supply chain improvements tailored to the specific characteristics of your business.

Our Approach

Every Supply Chain is different; that is why we take the same thoughtful approach to each one.  The strategy which we use in our approach has been developed over years of solving tough business problems.  We don’t take it lightly and although it is carefully structured, it provides a very flexible framework to help you see through the fog of day-to-day issues and get to the root cause of underperformance.  Some of the steps in our approach are highlighted here. 

Problem Definition. Many business partners are pleasantly surprised that we spend a substantial amount of time to uncover the core problems and issues that they face.  Very often, symptoms can present themselves as a root cause or a core problem.  This is especially true if a business partner has spent a significant amount of time trying to understand and fix the situation.  It has always been our belief that correctly developing and identifying the core problem will save time and money in the long run. 

Courses of Action & Alternatives.  Once we develop and define the problem, assemble the facts, assumptions, and craft the overall situation, we design an innovative & practical suite of actions to solve the problem.  We normally develop 3 to 5 solid Courses Of Action (COA) or alternatives that your may select.  Each COA has a comprehensive set of advantages & disadvantages and we tie them together with a Decision Matrix to aid in selecting the best for your situation.

Solution Design & Deployment. When we have agreement on the most appropriate COA to solve your problems, we start to design the solution to fit your situation.  The solution is based on your specific needs and we create project plans and staffing options most appropriate for you.  When completed, we jointly deploy the solution for your organization. 

Review & Analysis.  During the process we conduct periodic Review & Analysis (R&A) sessions with you.  These R&A sessions are designed to keep you fully informed of the progress and to help  ensure that you are getting the full value and benefit of our work. 

Follow-up.  This is perhaps one of the best received aspects of our projects.  When the job is finished and the dust settles, we continue to work for you so that the solutions implemented “stick” within your organization.  At predefined times we return and spot check the progress to ensure that you receive the benefits and ROI you wanted.  We only consider the job done when YOU say it is done.