Last Mile Delivery! What is your Strategy?

Amazon has set the benchmark for Last Mile Delivery.  With massive Distribution Centres within a short distance of every major population centre they are able to offer fast delivery of virtually any product they sell.  The Amazon Prime Now service promises delivery within 1 hour.

Amazon Fresh is their grocery delivery option and with their Whole Foods acquisition they are obviously planning for rapid delivery.  Amazon Go is their Retail store option.  Amazon Key is their in home delivery service.   And the Amazon promise of drone delivery will further cement their leadership in the Last Mile Delivery race.

So how do you compete with that?  What are your options?  And what is your Strategy?

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Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Supply Chain Management! (Or is that 4,000 years?)

In 1982 Keith Oliver is credited with coining the phrase “Supply Chain Management”. As I began my career in 1982 I can attest to the fact that the term Supply Chain was not in general use at that time. In fact it would be many years before anyone started to hear that phrase being widely used.

So it is appropriate that in 2022 we look back at the last 40 years. But in reality all of the functions and responsibilities that constitute Supply Chain Management have been around for thousands of years.

Let’s take some time to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Supply Chain Management!

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How Small Businesses Can Build Resilient Supply Chains!

Small business owners struggle with several challenges, from financial constraints to team management, tight deadlines, and stiff competition. Supply chain bottlenecks and disruptions are also one of the most critical hindrances. According to July 2022 statistics, 36.1% of small businesses struggled with domestic supplier delays, while 13% cited delays by foreign suppliers.

Delays in sourcing materials, supplies, or inventory means missing out on deadlines and failing to match demand. You may even lose points on the customer experience front. Nearly 2 in 3 American small businesses faced supply chain issues amid the pandemic, and the problem persists for many enterprises.

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What are the Common Challenges in Outsourcing Python Development and Overcoming Strategies?

Outsourcing Python development can offer significant advantages to businesses looking to leverage its powerful programming capabilities without bearing the overhead of in-house development teams.

As firms navigate through the intricacies of finding the right outsourcing partner, they often encounter a spectrum of challenges.

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The Apple Store Retail Experience!

From my experience I see two retail chains that are consistently and constantly busy and full of customers: Costco and Apple. In their own way they have redefined the physical retail shopping experience.

If you are ever in Costco there are hundreds of people essentially pushing their carts through a warehouse invariably filling those carts with items that they didn’t even come in to buy.

If you ever walk by an Apple store you will not only see a crowd of people inside but you will often see a long line of people outside waiting to get into the store. There is no doubt that there is something unique about the Apple retail experience.

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4 Ways an Exhibition Stand can be Eye Catching!

Exhibitions and trade shows are a great way for businesses to showcase their products and services to a wide audience. However, with so many exhibitors vying for attention, it can be challenging to make an exhibition stand eye-catching and stand out from the crowd.

In this article, we will explore four ways exhibition stands can be attractive and engaging to visitors.

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6 Common Causes of Supply Chain Disruptions and How to Overcome Them!

In the multifaceted world of supply chain management, there are numerous variables that can cause unexpected disruptions. From natural disasters and IT issues to fluctuations in global politics, these challenges require strategic planning.

We’ve laid out six common causes of such Supply Chain disruptions along with potential solutions for each one, giving you the means to put your own contingencies in place.

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What Does Expansion Mean for Your Changing Business?

Change is natural and inevitable in almost every aspect of life, but that doesn’t help to make it any less uncomfortable. While some people are better at adapting to the winds of change than others, it can always remain difficult when it comes to topics like business, where change is something that entails risk and unfamiliarity – in a field where you like to know what’s coming so you can be as prepared as possible.

Expansion is something that can often bring more change with it than people expect, and it’s worth understanding what the finer details here might be before you jump in and find your surroundings shifting faster than you can get to grips with. 

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The Digital Supply Chain Journey: Step 3 – Electronic Connectivity!

The Digital Supply Chain is the future. The Digital Supply Chain involves the real time awareness of everything going in throughout the end-to-end Supply Chain, enabled by electronic connectivity and the automated presentation of information and analytics to inform and make the best possible decisions.

The real time awareness and linkage that enables the Digital Supply Chain journey is based upon the electronic connectivity of every node, every process, every entity, every movement and every aspect of that end-to-end Supply Chain.

Electronic connectivity is THE backbone that makes the Digital Supply Chain a reality. It is the next step on this incredible journey.

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Maximizing Field Facility Efficiency: Strategies for Optimization!

Efficiency matters. In competitive, fast-paced industries like yours, even small improvements to facility operations can have an outsized impact on the bottom line. More output with lower costs—that is the promise of optimization.

Getting there requires marshalling resources, talent, and technology in service of greater productivity and sustainability across field locations. When approached strategically and holistically, optimization efforts compound over time to yield a formidable competitive edge. 

This article provides ideas and recommended practices to maximize the efficiency of your field facility. Read on for the insight.

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Unlocking the Secrets of Growth Marketing!

The phrase “growth marketing” could appear unnecessary to many business owners and marketers. All marketing is growth marketing only since it is what you do to expand your firm.

Too many professionals misunderstand this term and lose out on the significant potential for advancement. So what is it exactly? We’re here to provide you with a thorough introduction to growth marketing.

Let’s get going.

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How COOs are Achieving Results with Supply Chain Software!

As a former COO, overseeing Kaizen events, value-stream mapping analysis, upgrading ERP systems, and implementing customer success programs, I recall how easy it was for functional leaders to get bogged down in their own imperatives and lose sight of the big picture. 

Individual silo objectives can inadvertently be at cross purposes with others – most commonly between sales and operations.

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3 B2B Field Marketing Techniques to Increase Revenue!

There’s no way around the fact that every B2B company that wants to be successful needs to do some well-planned marketing activities that will help it connect with its target audience on a personal level and get people interested in the company’s services, products, and brand. 

Field marketing can do that for you. By implementing the right field marketing techniques that complement their sales objectives, B2B companies can raise brand awareness, get high-quality sales leads, and eventually boost sales and increase revenue.

This article will focus on the three field marketing techniques you should use to get more B2B clients for your business. But first, let’s look at what field marketing means for B2B companies and how it’s crucial in today’s business landscape.

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Expanding Your Business Globally: Unlocking Growth Opportunities!

In today’s interconnected world, the potential for expanding your business globally has never been greater. With advancements in technology, communication, and transportation, reaching international markets is within reach for businesses of all sizes. However, navigating the complexities of global expansion requires careful planning and execution. 

This post will explore various strategies and opportunities for expanding your business to help you take your business to the next level on a global scale.

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“Amazon-ifying” Procurement and How it Can Reverberate Across Manufacturing!

Are you an Amazon addict? The sort of person who always has stacks of brown boxes piling up outside their door? If so, you are far from alone. As of 2023, 67% of all American households have an Amazon Prime subscription, and Amazon owns 38% of the e-commerce market in the US. 

It’s easy to see why the online marketplace is so popular. Simply by searching for a pair of shoes within an intuitive user interface, users are given a seemingly limitless amount of choices each with prices, photos, measurements, and any other metric a shopper could desire.

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