Business

Ask any Logistics Manager his or her top 5 priorities or concerns and the answer most likely to be included in the list would be ‘Visibility’.
But drill down further and you will realize that the word ‘visibility’ means different things to different people.

For a Warehouse Manager it could be visibility of inventory information within the four walls of the warehouse.

For a Sales Manager it could be Order Status information – from the point the order was received to the point the freight was delivered to the customer.

For a Distribution Centre Manager it could be advanced information on incoming shipments.

For the CEO, it would be dashboards and analytics on company performance.

Visibility is like Happiness – every one wants it but find it difficult to define.

There are several vectors of difference in visibility across functions.

Visibility is multi dimensional and the needs will vary across industry. The requirements of visibility for a Logistics Manager working for a manufacturing company will differ to those required for a person working with a Retail Company. The needs for a 3PL would be even more complex as they work to meet the varying needs of multiple customers.

Choosing a solution for Supply Chain Visibility starts with defining the business problem and the answers you want to get out of the solution. There is no one-size-fits-all solution available.

There are various Commercial off-the-shelf software products (COTS) in the market which tout supply chain visibility. But each approach the problem from a different angle. Some focus on event and exceptions management, some on track and trace while others on Business intelligence. cekongkirsemuaekspedisi

In many cases one solution alone may not address your problem and you will need to invest in two or more solutions.

Lets look at some of the solutions available:

1)    Traditional ERP/Best of Breed solutions: Though strictly they do not sell under the visibility category, they provide good visibility information depending on the category of the solution. A Warehouse Management System (WMS) for eg. will give good visibility on inventory status, putaway and pick volumes, order fill rate, labour productivity in the warehouse etc. A Transport Management Solution gives good visibility on loads tendered and executed, open orders, shipments in transit, planned delivery times etc.

2)    GPS/Telematics/RFID: These solutions provide visibility under the track and trace functions. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are useful for tracking trucks/trailers during their movement. For costly cargo or cargo more prone to theft like electronics, pharmaceuticals etc. this type of solution is ideal as it provides real time visibility on the position of the truck/trailer.  Geo-fencing ensures that any deviation of the truck from the planned route is immediately notified to the control room.

3)    Supply Chain Event Management (SCEM) solutions: These type of solutions are used to control processes for managing events within and between companies. They allow you to monitor your supply chain processes, providing visibility within the process and alerting appropriate parties to potential critical situations. They have organized eventing, alerting, and milestone tracking capabilities that allow you to track all supply chain events as they occur and generate alerts and notifications so you can respond immediately and take corrective action before it’s too late.

4)    Portals: Logistics being an activity involving numerous trade partners, it is only natural that on-demand and SaaS (Software-as-a-service) applications find rapid acceptance to the Logistics community because of the ‘network’ effect these solutions offer. Being connected to multiple trading entities through a single platform offers tremendous benefits in order visibility. Examples of portals are GT Nexus and INTTRA.

5)    Mobile Resources: The iphone has been a game changer in how mobile devices are used. More than voice, today’s mobile phones are used more for data transfer, text messages, emails, video streaming, internet surfing etc. A lot of ‘apps’ are available for these devices including some for Logistics. For eg. one such app allows you to monitor position of ships on the sea, from your mobile; the data being captured from AIS – Automatic Identification System. Some TMS vendors have introduced TMS-on-mobile which offers certain functionalities like rate lookup and quotes from your mobile phone. Handheld rugged mobile devices have already existed for a long time and are used by Field operations staff for pickup/delivery confirmation, scanning of POD’s etc.

6)    Business Intelligence tools: These tools serve as a control tower to monitor all business activity. Key performance indicators, dashboards, what-if analysis and analytics provide excellent visibility on operations.

Whatever be the case, addressing visibility needs should be a top CIO priority. Visibility helps in:

•    Getting real time information across disparate systems in one place.
•    Planning and Execution get simplified if information is known in advance.
•    Faster and better decision making.
•    Exceptions management allows you to concentrate on deviations only; so there’s no need to manage normal operations.
•    Empowered employees and
•    Delighted customers.

3PL services stands for third party logistics services. These are companies that help manufacturers complete transactions by fulfilling orders, providing warehousing, transportation, and shipping, and handling the logistical details. During the past few years, corporate management has come under constant pressure to increase profits, more so with the down economy. So manufacturers have realized that 3PL services can save them effort and money.

Both large and small companies are finding that outsourcing fulfillment and other functions is not only less expensive, but also more efficient than doing it in-house. Reducing operating costs is an obvious way to improve the bottom line. Also, outsourcing companies have become better at what they do, and there are now more of them to choose from than ever. aai worldwide logistics

How to Choose a Provider for 3PL Services

If you need to hire an outsource company, be sure they have a proven track record in the industry. It’s hard to trust just anyone. It should offer effective services at a reasonable price. Also, it should have working relationships with other providers or subcontractors that offer services it does not. Of course, interaction and operation with subcontractors should be seamless, so your customers are happy.

Even if the company does not provide all supply chain services, such as warehousing, it should have access to such services. It should also have access to necessary technologies to make the process as seamless as possible. Before you hire a 3PL services company, understand why you need to outsource so you can communicate that and get the best service for your customers.

The sales supervisor to know his group of high-performing salespeople have booked orders worth more than a hundred million dollars this week however, unless he knows how much it is cost to conduct that sales staff, just how much the goods and services being supplied have cost to produce and what additional overheads are involved, his earnings figure taken in isolation does not mean very much.

If, on the other hand He can find a real-time impression of the general situation including a bottom line profit or loss calculation, he can make decisions and do it more quickly than he could back in the paper-based accounting days.

The information, of Course, was always accessible; it just was not easily accessible.

If we accept that it takes about the same amount of time to input the specifics of a suppliers invoice in the purchase ledger module of a project accounting system software as it does to write it into a paper ledger subsequently, line for line, both approaches are more or less equivalent. So why spend the time, energy and money in installing a computerized bookkeeping system?

The answer, of course, lies in what happens to this information once it is entered into the computer system. If you write the details of a purchase invoice into a book it remains there, in the publication. Nobody else knows about it.

If, on the other hand, you take the same amount of time and input those very same details in an integrated computer-based accounting system, the flexaccount data is distributed to all regions of the system where it is needed. Management can see the up-to-date cost figure in the click of a mouse or the push of a button. I believe most people would agree that is much more effective than asking one of the accounting staff to prepare a report by hand.

Accounting software not only reduces the time required to maintain company-wide accounts information up-to-date, additionally, it gives management and employees at all levels the information which they need in an instant. The salesperson Replying a stock enquiry from a client can see whether a specific item is in stock without needing to walk down to the warehouse, the company accountant can see just how much money should be obtained by the close of the month and how much it will be offered to pay providers. Accounting software Saves time and effort and puts people in control by providing them up-to-date information on which to make important business decisions.

Making a business Decision is always risky that is the reason why it takes time and careful consideration. Deciding on the best business structure can influence your business’ standing. If you wish to explore how to integrate online, it is a good idea to seek expert guidance. Fiscal experts who have more knowledge on the topic matter can help you recognize the essentials of integrating online and show you how everything will operate following the procedure.

Why Incorporate?

There are three key Advantages of incorporating your company. When you incorporate, you are ready to protect your personal assets in cases of insolvency or natural disasters. You will have the ability to enjoy tax savings and receive lower tax deductions also. Another benefit is you will have the ability to create a solid relationship with your clients. These incorporate a hong kong company factors significantly influence the decision of businessmen. An incorporation service will certainly help and assist you in the event you have any issues or if the procedure is confusing.

Before you incorporate Online, you will have to make a great deal of decisions beforehand. One of them includes choosing a sort of company that will best fit your company. This is important because the way your company will be taxed in the future will rely on this. You should also take into consideration the location or condition where your company will be registered.

You should always be Guided by a legal professional when making any decision. Asking for financial information is also wise so you will be informed how your incorporation money will be used and what is going to happen to it after the procedure is completed. After these decisions are finished, now you can focus on the true hong kong incorporation services. You can opt to complete all legal documents and send them yourself or have an attorney do it for you.

Incorporating online Having an incorporation service will make the process simpler. The internet providers will complete the government on your behalf but will not provide any legal advice.

Services offered by These online businesses include:

• Assessment of legal forms

• Name availability checks

• Manage terms of Registered brokers in the state you decide to incorporate in

• Filing of the documentation

• Delivery of the documentation

The incorporation Procedure online is simple and simple. You will find step by step directives on your computer which you can follow. Online forms can be found and you can fill them up online. It is possible to complete the incorporation procedure in minutes regardless of which state your company will be located. Simply fill in the form, click the submit button and you are on the go. The rest of the procedure will be handled by the internet provider.

You do not need to Worry because incorporation providers can cope with incorporation in each state. They understand what information each state needs. They also understand different accrue fees which will be charged, how long the procedure will take and the specific requirements per condition. All these make the process simpler for you. Choosing to Incorporate online will take your company to another level. It is cheaper than Hiring agents or attorneys to control the process for you. The internet provides Net forms and automation, letting you save money.