Must have tool kit for Supply Chain Professionals

When it comes to supply chain networks, the bigger the business, the more complex its supply chain management tends to get. Moreover, ever-increasing competition in the market and rising customer expectations have further added to this complexity.  

While the market may have left organisations with Herculean challenges to overcome, a crucial relief is the emergence of a spate of state-of-the-art supply chain management solutions. These solutions equip you to simplify your supply chain management process. Besides, when used right, the solutions allow you to identify new opportunities and boost business. 

Here are some of the must-have tools for supply chain professionals:

Supply chain management has several dimensions to it, and it’s vital to understand these varying aspects, the scope for improvement in each of them and how various SCM solutions can help your business. A thorough evaluation of how different technologies can impact your company and teams and drive efficiencies is a must. 

Vehicle Routing and Scheduling (VRS)

A significant aspect of ensuring efficiency while delivering goods is choosing the best route possible. Unfortunately, it’s not as straightforward as it sounds. To optimise your routes, you will have to consider a dozen different criteria such as traffic patterns, weather conditions, road speed limitations, elements such as how traffic signals can affect fuel consumption and more. 

This is where a Vehicle Routing and Scheduling (VRS) software steps in. The tool is developed to help companies optimise their routes and choose the ones that will guarantee speedy delivery, minimum fuel consumption and thus, be cost-effective. 

Delivery Experience Management (DEM)

A Delivery Experience Management product provides you visibility over all your international last-mile shipments. The tool is designed to analyse data and offer you actionable insights. It can, thus, equip you to make the right decisions and address problems at scale. 

A DEM solution facilitates better management and tracking of product deliveries. The system ensures deal transparency between you and your customers. The key here is that the product enables you to know where all your deliveries are and get live updates on their movement. With such visibility, you are well-equipped to handle delivery exceptions and customer queries. The system goes a long way in enhancing overall customer experience.  

Transportation Management Systems (TMS)

Transportation Management System is a great tool to streamline your operations. These solutions allow you to efficiently manage inventory within the company’s facilities as well as external shipments. 

These systems also offer features such as real-time shipment tracking, big data analytics and more which enable supply chain optimisation. 

Real-time Visibility Solutions

The tools we have looked at so far can help you auto-capture and analyse data, streamline processes, etc. But at the same time, as far as improving delivery experience is concerned, access to real-time data is essential. 

Solutions offering real-time visibility via access to live data on weather conditions, traffic, port delays, and more can be of great help in achieving unprecedented transparency and efficiency. These tools alert you to any unforeseen, disruptive events as they arise and equip you to take corrective measures right away. 

Multi-Carrier Parcel Management (MCPM)

Identifying the carrier that can offer you the most reliable service is essential to delivering your shipments on time. Big corporates that run a business on a large scale typically work with multiple carriers regularly. 

Multi-Carrier Parcel Management (MCPM) systems allow you to keep track of all your global shipments with various carriers in one place. The tool also allows you to manage your contacts more efficiently, gain transparency in audits and more. 

Most certainly, there are several overlaps in the features these tools offer. But the key is for companies to find what suits them the best and invest in solutions that are built around growing their business.  

Thrive with the help of your SCM toolkit

As you drill down into the needs of your business, you will find a wide variety of SCM solutions to choose from. So don’t forget to ask the right questions to ensure that you select the right tools. 

If you would like to know how GoComet’s all in one supply chain management software can help you drive efficiency and significantly reduce your freight spend, reach out to us here.