As businesses grow and expand into new and transnational markets, supply chains must naturally expand to accommodate them. This is not always a smooth process and managing the disruptions and potential problems is a key part of effective supply chain management. Here are some tips that can help improve the logistics of such an expansion and enable you to preserve the sustainability of the supply chain.
Protect Gross Margins
Any business bases its operations on a careful balance of income and expenses, and supply chains are just as much a part of this as any other element. Expanding and maintaining a global supply chain involves expenses from multiple sources and runs the risk of creating a fog that hides the true impact on your company’s income. Staying conscious of what expenses are being endured, where these costs are coming from, and their impact on your funds is essential for maintaining supply chain sustainability. Clearly mark out what your comfortable margin of error is for income and expense and take strict care not to cross it in order to avoid jeopardizing net income.
Enhance Flexibility with 3PL Partners
Many businesses opt to take care of supply chain matters in-house. While a viable choice, it is one that restricts the flexibility of operations. This inherently limits the ability to adjust or improve practices for getting products to customers in faster, more efficient ways. Consider making the switch to third-party logistics services in order to get the dedicated, professional expertise and resources that can enhance supply chain visibility and adaptability.
Pay Your Dues
This point is meant both figuratively and literally. Global supply chains involve partnerships with different local businesses and services and you will inevitably purchase goods or services from them. Take the time to work out financing options that can ensure you will be able to pay back your obligations in a timely and appropriate manner. This is not only a good practice in general, but it’s also one that improves relations with partners since it shows that you respect your obligations and make the effort to meet your financial duties.
Keep Management Processes Updated
One of the tricky bits of any business is that management practices can become habitual. This is a problem when conventions of supply chain management shift and you need to update your practices accordingly. Keep tabs on changes to industry standards and specifications and make the effort to update management processes accordingly. Only by understanding and meeting modern demands can you stay competitive in a modern market.
Enhance Global Supply Chains with Lean Supply Solutions
Lean Supply Solutions is a 3PL fulfillment company whose operations are based around the Lean Methodology, a proven philosophy focused on eliminating any operations, equipment, or resources that are not capable of adding value to our clients’ supply chain. By striving to ensure that the right products are provided to the right customers at the right time, Lean Supply Solutions is able to offer consistent, predictable, and quality results. To learn more about the Lean Methodology, outsourcing to Lean Supply Solutions, or to ask any questions, give us a call at 416-748-8982.
