Unlocking the Potential
The keys to becoming a world-class distributor are not a secret—they are not even especially profound— they are simply a distillation of the experiences of leading companies and how they have managed to excel in their chosen markets. Any company can take advantage of the wisdom and the practices developed in more than 100 years of business since the Industrial Revolution brought modern distribution into existence, but many simply do not have the insight or the will to recognize what must be done and to accomplish it.
It is a poor workman who blames his tools for shoddy work, but it is also true that professionals understand the value of good tools and insist on having and using the best whenever possible.
When selecting a business solution, look for one that can handle the tasks you have in mind, but also one that is flexible enough to adapt to emerging business situations and uses that may arise in the future. The handling and use of information is changing faster than any other technology on the planet. And, remember that information management is the fundamental support for each and every one of the keys to world-class performance.
When looking at extended DRP, supply chain management or CRM solutions some people tend to get distracted by details of the technology and miss the bigger picture. Keep in mind the reasons you are looking for a solution in the first place—to provide tools to manage the information that is essential to growing business value. And that’s the application software, not the hardware or operating system. On the technology side, you only have to ensure, as much as you can, that the operating platform is capable of supporting your business needs today and in the foreseeable future, and that the supplier(s) will be around when you need them. Of course, no one knows the future, but you can certainly improve your odds with careful selection.
The keys to world-class distribution dictate a requirement to deploy capabilities to improve operations and processes. Subsequently, technology-based solutions must then be built around the functional processes of customer and order management, warehouse and inventory control, planning, sourcing, transportation and logistics, administration and finance. Being world-class is all about being as good as any competitor in the world, and just a little bit better, quicker, smarter, or more responsive than the rest. World-class distributors can choose their battles and compete on their own terms. They are in control of their own destiny and are seldom, if ever, blindsided by something they haven’t anticipated or cannot handle.
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