A global fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) corporation had set up a contact centre in Singapore to centralise sales orders management in the Asia-Pacific region. Customers and field sales of the Southeast Asian market of the FMCG company would inquire or send their orders via email, SMS, or via internet calls to the Singapore office. TheContinue reading “What to Do with Unserved Orders”
Tag Archives: inventory
Supply Chain Engineers Have Much to Offer
‘There were nearly 2.2 million mentions of “supply chain” on Twitter in the fourth quarter of 2021, some five times more than in any quarter in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic…’ Global supply chains were a mess in 2022, so it seems when one reads any business news article or video that year. SinceContinue reading “Supply Chain Engineers Have Much to Offer”
The Pros & Cons of Steady-Stream Supply Chains
The two (2) managers of the large multinational consumer goods corporation coined it steady-stream. Both managers, one from sales and the other in charge of orders processing, agreed that the constant volume rushes every month-end were not acceptable. It would be more beneficial to have a smooth flow of supply rather than a spike atContinue reading “The Pros & Cons of Steady-Stream Supply Chains”
‘I Don’t Believe in Supply Chains’
The retail owner didn’t believe in supply chain management and I don’t blame her. The retail owner runs a store that sells office supplies. Her business was hit by the coronavirus pandemic that began in 2020 but which she recovered from as soon as infections subsided and the local government lifted restrictions. The retailContinue reading “‘I Don’t Believe in Supply Chains’”
Scarcity and Abundance Depend on What We Need and Where We Are
My bedroom gets sunlight for only a few minutes every morning. Because my room faces the north-east and because there are trees nearby, the morning sun’s rays shine through my window for only a moment, passing through a break between the tree branches. Then it’s gone, for the rest of the day. The sun’s raysContinue reading “Scarcity and Abundance Depend on What We Need and Where We Are”
Don’t Forget Productivity in Promoting Resilience
When the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 catastrophically caused a sudden global economic recession, enterprises went on the defensive to keep their businesses afloat; executives promised stakeholders they would transform their organisations to become more resilient. Risk management was the popular precursor to resilience. In risk management, managers laid out possible threats and prepared for them. Continue reading “Don’t Forget Productivity in Promoting Resilience”
The Many Questions Supply Chain Managers Are Asked to Answer
The following are questions customers typically ask supply chain managers: “Why is it taking you so long to deliver my order?” “When will you deliver?” “How many of the items we ordered will you deliver today?” “How much of an item do you have available?” “Your items didn’t meet our specs; when will you replaceContinue reading “The Many Questions Supply Chain Managers Are Asked to Answer”
How Sales & Supply Chain People Can Work Together
Customer inquiries and quotations have long been seen as traditional jobs of sales professionals. Field sales representatives visit customers and strive to get orders from them. When customers inquire, sales professionals are expected to answer with accurate information. Trouble starts when sales professionals have no adequate answers to give. Sales professionals may know prices, terms,Continue reading “How Sales & Supply Chain People Can Work Together”
The Death Industry’s Supply Chain
Dying is a complicated business. No one really plans for it in advance. For those who are charged with the affairs of the ones who pass away, there is always so much to do and limited time to do so. Funeral service providers have become more than just parlours where proprietors prepare the deceased forContinue reading “The Death Industry’s Supply Chain”
Problems are Doorways to Opportunities
Since the start of 2021, semiconductor chips, which are used in cars, trucks, computers, and smart-phones, have been in short supply. Supply has been so short that automotive companies have shut down assembly lines and consumer electronics corporations have delayed roll-outs of new products. Bloomberg reported in its September 22, 2021 Supply Lines newsletter thatContinue reading “Problems are Doorways to Opportunities”
Ellery's Essays 