Supply Chain Strategy: What is it and how can we help?

Optimising the supply chain strategy needs a “holistic” approach if it is to succeed. It means being able to consider the wider scope. It’s not enough to just consider transport and warehousing in isolation.

We also need to look at sourcing, the route to market, demand and inventory planning and order to cash processes. So this requires a wide range of expertise across many sectors, and at Bisham Consulting, we provide exactly that.

Each one of our team of consultants has direct experience in a particular sector. This is important. It means you get the most effective time and money saving solutions in the shortest possible time.

Getting fast results and measurable improvements.

A review of your supply chain strategy is one of the fastest ways to improve your performance. This translates immediately into improved profits. Our job is to identify those areas that can be improved in the shortest possible time and give the biggest benefits. The term “low hanging fruit” will often come up in our meetings.

The results we achieve speak for themselves. Do take a look at the comments in our testimonials section.

A few questions at the start of the initiative will help identify just some of the potential gains.

• Does your current supply chain support your general business objectives or is it inhibiting your performance?
• Will your future needs require changes to existing supply chain or the establishment of new ones
• Is there waste and poor efficiency in the existing system which can be easily reduced to improve financial returns?
• Here is an idea of some of the key factors we will look at.
  • excessive or inappropriate inventory is a regular factor.
  • poor service levels will inhibit sales growth as customers expectations continue to grow.
  • Badly applied transport spends will often hit profits hard.
  • Poor use of either labour or resources within the organisation.
  • Poor physical infrastructure. We regularly see poor locations or buildings of the wrong size for the task.
  • lack of innovation or use of the latest technologies is common. It is very easy to fall behind and lose out on the benefits available.

Supply Chain Strategy: It’s what we do.

•  Supply Chain Processes Review and the processes involved.
  • End to end process mapping and reviews are very important to us. We look at supply chain metrics and KPIs to ensure a fast improvement in your performance.
  • Value Stream mapping will quickly improve your performance.
  • AS-IS state diagnostics.
• Supply Chain Design and Modelling
  • Supply Chain set-up options, applied generally or to specific workflows.
  • The results from inventory and network modelling will be quickly applied to deliver almost instant results.
  • We look at all cost and service level trade-offs.
  • Sourcing analysis based on the total cost of supply.
  • Reducing lead time. This impacts immediately on customer satisfaction.
• Inventory Management and Demand Planning Improvements
  • Demand forecast review & demand management analysis
  • Inventory analysis and inventory accuracy play a major part.
  • Inventory level improvements will immediately improve your cash flow.
• Supply Chain Operations: Network Improvements across all areas.
  • Review Strategic Delivery Plans for existing own-fleet operations.
  • Physical Infrastructure Review and Potential Rationalisation.
  • General “what-if” Scenario Modelling will quickly identify weak points.
• Strategy Formulation and Business Strategy
  • Structured workshops to capture current gaps and features that will be required in the future supply chain.
  • Fast introduction of all the modelling results to improve performance.
  • Creation of a new or amended supply chain strategy to meet business goals and objectives.
  • Implementation view and key challenges facing the company in the short and long term.
  • Design of a KPI regime that will fit easily into your existing workflow. Key Performance is essential to how we operate and how we improve your efficiency.

Our experience has obvious links into the other services Bisham offer. All of these can be within the scope of a supply chain optimisation project.

The Client Benefits of great supply chain management.

Bisham’s consultants have conducted many optimisation projects in the UK, Europe, US and globally. This has been done across a wide range of market sectors.

So each of these projects will deliver different benefits to our clients. What they all have in common is better performance and improved profits.

• Improving supply chains.
  • Optimised for the service/cost trade-off. This will always as determined by the business core objectives.
  • A reduction in inefficiency and waste in all areas. This improves your bottom line but also ticks the “Green” box as well.
  • Improved cost performance and service level delivery.
  • Ensuring the type of supply chain is appropriate for the task and the product life cycle.
• Improved flexibility and responsiveness.
  • Improved planning processes. Coping with Brexit and the Coronavirus has made this essential.
  • Creating an agile supply chain that can cope with change. Never before has this been so important.
  • Automation of many of your processes through better IT. This can often bring instant results.
  • Integration of operational processes and improved information sharing with managers and staff.
• Improved decision-making at every level in the organisation.
  • Supply chain models embedded in the business. A good example of this would be the “cost to serve”.
  • A KPI suite to drive continuous improvement of supply chain performance across all areas.
  • Product development is key. The ability to maintain higher performance levels as the business changes are vital.
  • Improved cost visibility so you can clearly see where savings can be most easily achieved.

These processes have one other major advantage that is often missed. Efficient processes are extremely rewarding in terms of employee satisfaction. No one likes to spend their time in activities that are less productive than they could be. We have noticed that employee morale is greatly enhanced as the processes become more efficient. Whilst management may focus on improved profits, better staff morale and lower staff turnover are valuable benefits to any company.