three trucks on road

Should You Focus on an Efficient or Responsive Supply Chain? An efficient vs. responsive supply chain is a common dilemma. Let’s begin with efficiency. There is rarely the case where efficiency is a bad thing. Efficient processes result in less waste. Efficient workflows result in greater productivity. What about an efficient supply chain? Supply chain…

clock on white wall

The Philosophy Behind OTIF Calculation On-time, in-full – or OTIF as it’s commonly referred to – was borne of the concept that retail stores need to be able to better manage their supply chain and manage inventories. By putting suppliers’ and shippers’ feet to the fire, retailers can be more responsive to customer demand by…

Weather and the supply chain.

Weather, Climate, and Natural Disasters Are Major Concerns For shippers, the weather, climate, and natural disasters are often the enemy, causing major supply chain disruptions in the form of delays and even damage to cargo. There’s a good reason for the concern. Major weather events have had a significant impact on businesses and the economy…

On time and in full

The OTIF Driver On-time in-full (OTIF) is a relatively new concept that stems from a single driver: customer demand. As consumers become increasingly accustomed to locating, purchasing, and receiving products in a matter of days, their tolerance for anything outside of this new norm is relatively low. Even with understandable circumstances, such as a major…

Semi truck in bad weather

Proactive Planning for More Responsive Risk Mitigation Supply chain planning is all about managing risks to operations. Unfortunately, many organizations are still playing defense – dealing with disruptions to the supply chain as they happen instead of anticipating and mitigating risks before they occur. Some blame the fact that they lack the tools to predict…

Risk Scores in Risk Management

Managing Risk Well Brings Competitive Advantage Risk management is often a sticky subject. Few people enjoy thinking of all of the bad things that could happen. “We don’t take risks” is a common mantra. Is there any possibility you won’t meet your objectives, commitments or economic targets? That possibility IS risk. Companies recognize they need…