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| • Customer Service Policies, Processes, and Organization Designing for results. More • Direct-to-Consumer Facilities and Systems Covering the A-to-Z of B-to-C. More • Effective and Efficient Returns Management Hitting high gear in reverse. More • Fulfillment Operations Outsourcing or managing your own? More • Customer-Focused Supply Chain Design Structuring for people, process, and information relationships. More |
• Customer Service Policies, Processes, and Organization Designing for results. |
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In an effective supply chain, customer service is the driver of everything that happens “downstream.” But making a supply chain customer-focused when it isn’t already can require a paradigm shift of Olympic proportions. It takes more than proclamations and one-size-fits-all policies. There are real costs involved – many of which customers simply aren’t willing to have passed along to them. On top of all this, if the technology isn’t applied appropriately it can undermine good policies and well-intentioned, well-trained people. The bottom line: before forging a path to improvement, make sure you’ve established where you want to go. At The Progress Group, we understand the subtleties and nuances of flexible, focused, and effective customer service. We can help you put it in place, from organization through technology, training, communications and policy. For more information, contact: Bruce Strahan, 770-804-9920, bstrahan@theprogressgroup.com. CASE STUDY |
| • Direct-to-Consumer Facilities and Systems Covering the A-to-Z of B-to-C. |
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It’s not as easy as “If you sell it, they will come.” And even if they come the first time, they may not return if the customer service experience isn’t top-notch. They’re looking for catalogs that stimulate, web sites that are easy (and fun) to navigate, superb internal information technology, returns handling capability and capacity, material handling that flexes with seasons and products, and inventory that is not only just right, but can turn on a dime. At The Progress Group, we’ve learned that facility design for unknown future conditions, people communications and training, and careful technology selection and implementation must all be in sync – and in harmony – to make it in this demanding and enormously competitive channel. Let us show you how! For more information, contact: Steve Mulaik , 770-329-5675, smulaik@theprogressgroup.com. |
| • Effective and Efficient Returns Management Hitting high gear in reverse. |
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Some companies handle returns with grace, style, and efficiency as a competitive strategy: to attract customers away from companies that don’t. Other companies consider returns a hassle and treat them as low priority – whether their customers like it or not. Those in this second group are slowly learning the true, long-term costs of a customer unhappy with the service on the returns side. As customer expectations rise, shifting returns into must-do mode will be more and more important, whatever business you’re in. Whether it’s apparel, automotive, electronics, print media, food, etc., successful intake-through-disposition handling for returns can make a difference on the bottom line. We at The Progress Group have learned how to implement excellent “reverse logistics” through collaborating with some of the best in the business. We can help you with facility and process design, information technology support, network design, and implementation support for reverse logistics. For more information, contact: Bruce Strahan, 770-804-9920, bstrahan@theprogressgroup.com |
| • Fulfillment Operations Outsourcing or managing your own? |
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Should you handle all of your fulfillment in-house or outsource some or all of it? Would your answer change if you were contemplating entering a new distribution channel? While the issue tends to be an emotionally charged one with strong opinions on either side. Some say outside experts are too costly, others say you can’t assume that excellence in one distribution mode will automatically translate to success in another. 
To make an objective business decision, a company must honestly evaluate whether they have – or truly want to hire – the employees with the core competencies they will need or whether they’d be better off using outside professionals with established skills, infrastructure and market leverage. There are complex costs on both sides (as some have learned through painful experience). A thorough examination of the issues involved may include home delivery, each-picking versus case-lot orders and returns acceptance.At The Progress Group, we’ve helped many companies make fulfillment staffing decisions that are right for their operations and their customers. Sometimes that answer is outsourcing, sometimes not. We can help you assess the issues, your internal strengths and weaknesses and the costs and benefits of outside resources to make the decisions that are right for you. For more information, contact: Randy Telfer, 860-416-2427, rtelfer@theprogressgroup.com. |
| • Customer-Focused Supply Chain Design Structuring for people, process, and information relationships. |
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Want to know what your supply chain needs most? Listen to your customers. Take a look at their demand patterns and profiles. Then look deeper to ascertain what their service needs really are, how much they prize value-adding activities, where they will be in five years . . . If you can give them what they want and need to be successful, you’ll have their business in the bag. At The Progress Group, we know where to start in building a supply chain that does what customers need – and will pay for. We can help you interpret the feedback you’re getting from your customers and blend and integrate the right mix of efficient processes, supporting technology and motivated employees to respond in the best and most productive ways. For more information, contact: Bruce Strahan, 770-804-9920, bstrahan@theprogressgroup.com CASE STUDY |
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Copyright © 2004 The Progress Group, LLC. All rights reserved.
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