The Wrong Fulfillment Team Can Wreck Supply Chain Efficiency

The Wrong Fulfillment Team Can Wreck Supply Chain Efficiency

In any supply team, efficiency is key to maintaining a consistent level of both productivity and profits. In order to maintain this efficiency, it is important for fulfillment and distribution teams to be on the same page in regards to overall goals with strategies that will help them overcome any challenges that may occur in the process.

In a perfect system, a fulfillment team should consist of knowledgeable and motivated individuals who are dedicated to the fulfillment and distribution process. Keeping up this ideal can be a challenge, but when it is not met the entire efficiency of your supply chain can begin to unravel.

Start at the Beginning.

Among the most basic things that a fulfillment and distribution team needs to know what “success” looks like. They also need to care. Supply chains are complex by nature, covering many different products and services across the US or even across the globe. Players in the process include suppliers, warehouses, factories, transportation companies, customers, and many times each person’s role is approached with a “need to know” philosophy that eschews collaboration or even communication.

And that creates problems which can keep you from building a strong fulfillment team.

When there’s a breakdown of communication in your supply chain, your in-house employees begin to feel disconnected from the process. They are more likely to make mistakes and can be harder to retain. When a high degree of turnover occurs, more resources must be invested in the training process, and the cycle continues when that same “need to know” philosophy is exercised.

Finding success starts with picking the right things to measure within supply chains and making sure that it is clear to everyone involved why these metrics are important.

When your fulfillment team is clear about their role in the supply chain, mistakes are less likely to occur, and when they do it is easier to determine where that mistake occurred, fix it, and move forward. To accomplish this, you must develop and implement fulfillment standards.

By identifying different segments of products and using proven industry strategies– such as SCOR Fundamentals and M4SC– initial training can more effectively build the knowledge and understanding of your employees need to operate successfully.

Find the Right People.

While there are a lot of people looking for jobs these days, it’s critical that you find the right talent– a team that wants a real career with your company and will stay motivated to contribute to the overall success of your fulfillment and distribution.

And having a SCOR system and M4SC framework in place can help considerably during the recruiting process.

These systems help define roles within the fulfillment process and create redeployment strategies that can be put into place when an individual is originally placed in an area where they don’t necessarily fit. It also looks at potential competitors, and helps companies develop the right incentives to prevent turnover of supply chain talent.

To make sure that your offer perks the interest of quality employees, you need to remember that while a good paycheck is draw, these dedicated workers also want job satisfaction. They want to know that they are part of something important, contributing to the improvement of the company and its processes.

Problem Solving with SCOR is a successful tool that many fulfillment teams have used in order to retain dedicated employees and keep them committed to customer satisfaction and overall productivity. With the reduced turnover and greater motivation, the fulfillment team remains strong and each of the businesses involved have a better chance at overall success, and their customers stay satisfied.

Of course, if you choose to outsource for supply chain solutions, your partner covers all this for you– freeing your staff to focus on the core business functions of your brand.

Is Aero A Good Fit?

The truth is, when it comes to fulfillment partners, no single company is the best. There is; however, a best fit for your specific company and business requirements. At Aero, we are 100% committed to working only with clients whose needs we can serve with near perfection.

Take this quick survey and find out if we are the best fit for you! Let’s Find Out! Take the Quiz >

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