Introduction
Managers in any successful organization understand well the flow of materials, information and resources so as to achieve the desired results. According to Lambert (2008), best practice entails meeting the requirements of customers in all the processes from the origin to the point of consumption. This is why logistics is a very important aspect of the management process in all organizations. The main reason why managers are hiring in an organization is to foresee the design, organization and implementation of all the processes that lead to satisfying the requirements of customers hence achieving the various organizational objectives.(Cooper et al , 1997)
Main body
The organization chosen for this study has various processes that are all focused on meeting the requirements of customers. These processes include manufacturing, warehousing, purchasing, Transportation and customer service. All these processes are important in achieving the organizations objectives.
Manufacturing process in the organization serve to produce the best quality products that meet the needs and expectations of the customers. Warehousing ensures that the products manufactured are kept safely in good condition as they wait to be delivered to the customers. The purchasing department plays the role of facilitating the ordering of products in an easy and efficient way without unnecessary delays. The transportation process ensures that orders are safely and efficiently delivered to customers in good condition as agreed during the ordering process. (Beamon,2006)
Customer service is the department which ensures that good relations exist between the organization and the customers as they mutually benefit form the business relationship.
All the processes that are carried out in the organization are part of the supply chain management. The manufacturing department receives raw materials and performs the role of coming up with products to be sold in the market. The manufacturing unit guarantees quality products in the supply chain by maintaining high production standards. From the manufacturing unit products are stored in the company’s warehouse where a good stock inventory is kept by the manager in charge. From the warehouse the products are distributed in the various stores after ordering is done. The company has several stores where stocks are maintained according to customer demands.( Fisher,1997) The company has efficient transportation system that includes a fleet of well maintained tracks with well trained drivers. The company has a wonderful distribution network that meets the demand from customers in the market. The distribution network and the efficient transportation department is in charge of ensuring timely delivery of products to the customers.
The organization knows its competitors very well and the various strategies that have been adopted to win the customers.
The supply chain aims at ensuring that all the requirements of the customers are satisfied To the organization the customer matters a lot and comes first. Unlike some of the competitors which are focused on short term measures, the supply chain of this organization has put a lot of emphasis on long term strategies. These strategies aim at enhancing customer loyalty.
In terms of production, the organization has the best facilities and expertise that the competitors lack. The company has some of the best paid personnel to foresee quality and sustained productions to meet the demands from the market. The company has invested in machines that produce top quality products compared to those of the competitors.
The after sales services offered by the company cannot be matched to any other competitor in the market. This has gone far in maintaining the loyal customers in the market. The increased market share due to the efficient supply chain has enabled the organization to afford such services.
The organization has a long reputation of offering efficient services to the customers. This has been fundamental in easy acquisition of new customers who are in need of the services. The competitive advantage of the company has been improved by the reputation since more and more customers are looking forward to experiencing the services. (Choi & Hartley,1996)
In terms of transport, the well maintained transport tracks also have tracking devices that further ensure secure deliveries are made within the specified times. Very few cases have been reported of delays which can be due to unavoidable traffic jams or accidents.
Customer services remain a very important aspect of the supply chain in the organization. (Ketchen,2006) The company has competent and well trained representatives that make sure all queries and complaints from customers are well taken care off. Competitors do not take this issue seriously and this makes the company to outshine them and increase its competitive advantage.
Improvements in the supply chain would entail enhancing the rate at which the organization responds to feedback from the customers. This would help in determining specific areas that require adjustments so as to cut costs and improve efficiency. (Kruger,2005)
The organization should also consider outsourcing in specific areas of the supply management. For instance information systems can be outsourced from a competent company so as to improve the management of information within the supply chain. This can achieve good results if it is well undertaken with all the considerations. Identifying the specific areas of the chain that are not working well is very important. (Anupindi & Bassok,1996)
References
B. M. Beamon. (2006)Performance Measures in Supply Chain Management. From Rensellaer Polytechnic University conference on agile manufacturing, Albany, New York.
Cooper, M.C., Lambert, D.M., & Pagh, J. (1997) Supply Chain Management: More Than a New Name for Logistics. The International Journal of Logistics Management Vol 8, Iss 1, pp 1-14.
Emiko Banfield. (1999) Harnessing value in the supply chain : strategic sourcing in action, New York ; Chichester : Wiley,.Carlton 658.7 BANF.
G. A. Kruger. (2005) The Supply Chain Approach to Planning and Procurement Management. Hewlett-Packard Journal, February:28-38.
Ketchen Jr., G., & Hult, T.M. (2006). Bridging organization theory and supply chain management: The case of best value supply chains. Journal of Operations Management, 25(2) 573-580.
Larson, P.D. and Halldorsson, A. (2004). Logistics versus supply chain management: an international survey. International Journal of Logistics: Research & Application, Vol. 7, Issue 1, 17-31.
Lambert, Douglas M. (2008)Supply Chain Management: Processes, Partnerships, Performance, 3rd edition,.
M. L. Fisher. (1997) What is the right supply chain for your product? Effective Supply Chains Harvard Business Review 75:105-116.
R. Anupindi and Y. Bassok. (1996 ) Distribution Channels, Information Systems and Virtual Centralization. Proceedings of MSOM Conference: 87-92.
T.Y. Choi and J. L. Hartley. (1996 )An exploration of supplier selection practices across the supply chain. Journal of Operations Management 14:333-343.