The Skinny on Order Completion Analysis

| Sam Flanders

“Data analysis” is a name given to the process of evaluating and interpreting historical electronic data. In distribution environments, we most commonly look at historical product and order data, to look for patterns and opportunities that are not apparent from observation alone. This month I look at a specific type of analysis which can be done for operations that have a small number of SKUs common to many orders.

Tackling Shipping Costs – Strategies to Save 10%

| Rob Martinez

Best-in-class operations use shipping as a strategic competitive weapon to attract new customers, improve sales conversion ratios and increase profitability. You can typically reduce shipping costs by 10% or more through carrier contract negotiations and other strategies.

Calculating the Cost of Contact Center Turnover

| MCM staff

What does it cost you every time you lose a valued employee? Have you considered all the factors (hard dollars, soft dollars, direct costs, indirect costs) you should include? If you haven’t, it will be difficult to assess which retention strategies will be profitable for you. The following is a list of costs you may want to include in your calculation.

Common Errors in Measuring System Performance

| Don Savage

When a warehouse manager suspects poor system performance, the first step is typically to check the real data. Unfortunately, more than 50% of the time, system performance is measured incorrectly. Data is only as good as the methods used to calculate it; if something is measured the wrong way, the results will be wrong. This may lead to the justification of system changes, or even an entirely new system, based on imprecise data.

Vendor Troubles? Request a Sit-Down

| MCM staff

No matter the amount of planning or communication upfront, there’s always going to be a problematic vendor who either ships you damaged goods or consistently ships you the wrong amount.