by Rob O'Byrne | Jun 18, 2021 | Article, Cost to Serve, Supply Chain
In the wake of the Coronavirus crisis, a significant number of retail enterprises have taken their business online, adding to the already vast array of online shopping opportunities for consumers. Ecommerce competition was already fierce before the pandemic curbed...
by Rob O'Byrne | Jun 11, 2021 | Article, Inventory - S&OP, Supply Chain, supply chain management
Among the universal challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed upon the supply chain management profession is the question of inventory, specifically, “how much is enough?” Not that it was ever an easy question to answer, but the Coronavirus crisis has perhaps...
by Rob O'Byrne | May 21, 2021 | Article, Retail, Supply Chain
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a decade of changes to the retail world in just a year and a half or so. Few retailers can hope to grow, or even survive today, without the ability to sell through ecommerce channels. Supply chains are continually disrupted by...
by Rob O'Byrne | Apr 30, 2021 | Article, Distribution Centre, Distribution Network Design, Supply Chain
I’ve noticed a trend in recent years in that when businesses want to check their distribution networks or design a distribution network, they immediately jump into loads and loads of detail. Maybe it’s because the tools are out there to do it now, but I’d like to...
by Rob O'Byrne | Apr 23, 2021 | 3PL, Article, logistics, Supply Chain
Third-party Logistics (3PL) companies are often accused of providing such poor service that their relationships with clients break down. In reality, though, there’s a host of reasons why 3PL relationships turn sour—and very often the blame can be laid at the door of...
by Rob O'Byrne | Apr 9, 2021 | Article, Cost to Serve
The concept of cost to serve is very simple but I am always amazed at how few businesses and supply chain managers really understand it. Let’s start with an uncomplicated example: Company A is in the business of distributing whiteboard markers. Among other colours,...
