Retail Software – Achieving Effective Integration

New technology available today allows Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) solution providers to more economically provide integrated solutions that actually drive efficiency.  There is only so much overhead costs that can be cut.  Product, personnel and overhead cost inevitably increase over time.  Add business growth to the overhead increase and you end up needing a solution that can grow with your needs.

Companies are typically growing or shrinking and those cycles alternate.  Long term we hope the trend is upward.  If so, then that company will need a solution that meets their current demand and will provide the tools and resources to match and facilitate growth.

Some key features of a capable solution would (should) include:

• Automatically calculate restocking orders.  Regardless of how your products are ordered, you solution needs to track inventory movement and balance reorder availability and timelines to ensure you have enough stock to meet future demands and not too much that your overhead and handling costs increase.
• Timely reporting on sales.  Up to the minute, real-time reporting is a necessity for management to make informed decisions.
• Speed up customer check-out.  No one likes waiting in lines and they expect the prices to ring correctly.
• Integrated credit card processing.  Not only do retailers need to process credit cards, but they need to do so quickly, accurately, and safely.  Key benefits are when the credit card processing is fully integrated with the order fulfillment system. 
• Reward your customers.  Loyalty tracking allows you to recognize and cater to the needs of your customers as well as attract new customers that have similar needs.
• A single solution.  A single integrated solution that links retail stores, Ecommerce, inventory and warehousing will inevitably drive efficiency and fulfill the other objectives listed hear.
• Timely reporting.  Management needs access to real-time information, but also sales history from all sources and inventory movement for better planning.
• Procurement tools.  Purchasing needs access to all sales information to gauge trends on ordering and resupply decisions.
• Easy customer enrollment.  Online solutions need to be customer friendly.  If you make it easy for your customers to business with you, they are likely to return and do more business with you.
• Integrated marketing tools.  Your business needs integrated and easy to use tools to stay in touch with your customers.  Customer relationships need constant nurturing.
• Provide tools for your customers.  Customers need access to their information as well including sales history regardless of their point of purchase.  This helps with common questions and reordering. 
• On account customer service.  Your account customer need the same tools as retail customers.  They also need to review their credit line, reprint invoices and check order status.

Final thoughts:

Customer service is important.  Serve your customers well and they will return.  Remember if you do not service them, someone else will.  A key sign your customer value your relationship is when they refer others to do business with you.

Integration is key.  Every time people have to touch information and manual processing, you are increasing the likelihood of errors and inefficiency.

Information is key.  Real-time and accurate information is critically important to manage and run your operations.

Information and integration help to drive efficiency in your operations, reduce costs and deliver great customer service.  This cycle will repeat itself if you are using the right ERP solution. 

Performance and up-time are critical in Retail operations.  Make sure your solution runs on systems that can ensure you meet your customer’s needs first and foremost.  Kiosks are another customer service tool that generates repeat business.

Whether you have a single location with many terminals or many locations, a few part numbers or many SKU’s, the right solution should be helpful in managing operations.  Faster replenishment and minimized outages that result from new solutions help move you towards a Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory management solution.

Contact Dolvin Consulting to find out how our industry expertise and relationships can help your organization improve the way you deliver to your customers.  We are here to help.

Please share your thoughts and experiences with our readers.  What applications and tools have you implemented that have helped?  What are you looking for in a future update or system?

Inventory Balances

If you are in the food industry you already know that one of the primary challenges is your inventory level.  You need enough supplies to satisfy customer demand, but not too much due to obvious reasons of expiration dates and potential spoilage. 

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions are designed to streamline operations and provide a central repository of information to effectively manage inventory processing.

A case study - VAI S2K Food: Hillcrest Foods, Inc.

Do you walk around and “look” at inventory to guess and gauge usage and need?

Many food distributors do just that.  They have been in business a long time and there is built in knowledge of customer and seasonal demand.  What moves, what does not and what to do with surpluses or not having sufficient supply and cost expense of expediting replacement inventory?

How does your organization handle recalls and FDA requirements (FDA Food Safety Modernization Act - FSMA)?  Do you have the ability to include all lot numbers on products and paperwork?  How much time and effort does it take you to process a recall?  What about the paperwork and certificates of origin?  Where are these documents found and how are they linked to your inventory?

If you are processing food inventory manually, then your ability to meet the FSMA requirements will be limited and expose your business to great risk and regulatory nightmare.

How efficiently do you process your distribution, truck loading and routing?  What tools does your ERP solution provide to ensure your customer needs are met?  How long does it take to train your workforce?  Is the equipment and process intuitive?  How many times during the day do they have to look up information and how much time does it take?

Handling inventory is a primary focus of food distributors as is financial processing.  You need to service your customers, yet also manage their credit usage on the Accounts Receivable (AR) side and expenditures via Accounts Payable (AP) on the vendor/supplier side.  The General Ledger (GL) ties all the various aspects of the financial reporting and forecasting together.

If these topics strike a nerve with your organization and you are curious if you are doing everything reasonably possible to empower your workforce and drive efficiency in your operations, then it is time to contact Dolvin Consulting.  We work with industry experts to help you look at and evaluate your organization from a fresh perspective.

We look forward to serving your needs.

Two Signs ERP Changes are Needed

Most know that manufacturers, distributors and other midmarket organizations depend on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions to increase productivity and deliver great customer support via an integrated information repository.  You know the analogy, the left hand knows what the right hand is doing, less errors, better performance, and faster access to business metrics.

 

There are many signs that you may have outgrown your ERP solution.  Every organization struggles at some point in time.  The struggles are equal during periods of growth and decline.  The economy is cyclical and so are business operations.

 

Below are two signs.  How many more affect you personally? 

 

Sign-One:  You increase your labor force and you do not get an equivalent increase in productivity.  The extra personnel just seem to be less productive. 

 

When your business grows it makes sense that you may need more people to interact with customers, process orders, handle procurement and finances.  It makes sense, doesn’t it?  Perhaps it does, but how many are necessary and how many are too much?  How many actually just increase overhead?  How many more do you need to manage the workforce?  Are you creating the need for an extra level of management?

 

If you double your warehouse work force, should you be able to pick, pack and ship twice the number of orders?  Should you be able to triple the number of orders?  What is the ratio of people to orders processed in your organization? 

 

If you actually ship twice the number of orders, how many customer service people does that translate to?  How many people do you need to add to the Finance department to handle billing and reporting needs?  How many more supervisors and managers are needed to address the increase in workforce. 

 

It might make sense to take a look at how your business is physically organized before you add people.  Not that you do not need more people, the real question is how many and where? 

 

For example, would arranging your inventory locations in a more efficient way for stocking and picking make more sense?  Would conveyors or barcoding or other form of automation increase productivity enough so that you can minimize hiring? 

 

In contrast suppose business has shrunk, how many roles can be consolidated?  How can you empower the remaining personnel with the right tools so that their productivity increases and you can maintain business operations and then prepare for the next growth cycle?

 

How efficient is the software you use to process information?  How many separate systems do you use?  How many steps does it take to enter an order?  How much time does it take?

 

 

Sign-Two:  You increase your inventory level and still have troubles meeting customer demand.

 

How much is too much inventory?  What are your customer’s expectations?  What does on-time delivery mean?  What delivery does your competition actually deliver?  Is there anything real about Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory?  Who do you know personally that can make that type of system work?

 

Manufacturers have lead-times for the products they produce.  Distributors need systems that build that lead time into their procurement process so that customer demand and sales history can be balanced to ensure that you have enough inventory on hand to meet expected levels with a reasonable amount of safety stock.  In other words, you can meet customer demand without overstocking your warehouse.

 

A purchase “deal” is not a deal if that inventory sits in your warehouse too long.  A special price so one business can basically dump their inventory is not a deal for anyone, if that inventory sits and takes up space.  Physical space, overhead, taxes all add up and can easily out-cost any purchase savings.  A deal is not a deal unless you have a customer ready and willing (and has the monetary resources) to buy the product.

 

Can you find your inventory?  Do you purchase more, because you cannot find what you thought you had?  How accurate is your current system?  What tools and processes does your current system have that helps to keep your inventory accurate?  How often do you have to count your inventory to know what you have on hand?  Is the only time you feel confident on your inventory levels is immediately after the counts have been posted?

 

There are numerous indicators of inventory inefficiency and tools and software to address the challenges and problems.  Most businesses struggle in determining just where the bottleneck is occurring.  Otherwise, they would have fixed it already.  The problem often lies deeper than the observable symptoms.  The alternative is equally pressing.  A business knows where the problem is, but lacks the resources to properly address the problem. 

 

Either way short term patches and fixes designed to address the problem will inevitably make the situation worse when a decision is made to make these fixes permanent without addressing the underlying issues.  Until you get to and address the heart of the problem, the problems will repeat.

 

 

So many questions and too few answers.

 

 

These two signs are just the tip of the iceberg.  What keeps you up at night?  You have questions and we have answers.  You may agree with some of these statements and disagree with others.  Why not share those thoughts here for your fellow readers.  I would love to hear what you think.

 

Dolvin Consulting works with industry experts to help your business identify and remediate the obstacles that are holding you back today.  Contact us to see how we can help.  Only you know how great the pain is and the impact it has on your operations.  We understand and can help.

 

Is it time to replace your outdated system?

First of all, you have to find out if your system is actually outdated.  This is answered not only by how old your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution is, but also by how many releases behind you are and how well is your staff utilizing the solution now.  If all of your departments are integrated using the system and there are not a lot of manual processes, you may very well be using the system to its full potential. 

 

That, by the way, is not the answer to the question if the system is outdated.  It is like the comparison of system up-time versus up-and-available-time.  It is a key component, but only a component.

 

How efficient are your operations?  How much time do your employees spend doing their various tasks? 

 

Several years ago I had a conversation with a CFO about replacing some workstations.  The issue of cost came up as it usually does when discussing equipment.  The old workstations were slow and gave his people the opportunity to get and sometimes drink a cup of coffee before it finished starting up.  During the day there were numerous delays waiting, waiting, and waiting.  PC workstations have come down in cost significantly over time and I asked based on some examples if he thought any particular staff member would save between 10-15 minutes a day (2 minutes saved every hour is 16/day).  The number is reasonable.  I suggested we average down to be conservative and estimate 1 hour a week in time savings and to be even safer, just 40 weeks a year.  That is a conservative 40 hours saved or an entire work week.  Now multiply that by the number of workstations and their average hourly wage (not even counting employer overhead) and it now became obvious that new workstations would actually be free or have at minimum a high Return on Investment (ROI).

 

How efficient is your ERP system?

 

How much time does it take to post transactions?  Are you even posting everything?  Your system may work, after all if you are still in business after that last few years, then you must be doing something right.  Is everyone using the same system?  How prevalent are spread sheets and other office tools?  How many silos of information exist and how do you cross check the information?  How long does that take?  Do you have any metrics to perform and analysis?

 

You may not even know there is another way to do the same-old-thing.

 

Doing the same old thing a different way may be as foreign as... 

 

If you are old enough to remember the high jump competition from years past you know that everyone used to jump over the bar with their stomachs down for the most part (to be fair there were multiple methods including, straddling, western roll and scissors kick).  Basically this is was the way it was always done.  Then along came someone called Dick Fosbury in the 1968 Olympics with a new concept. Run up there, jump and have your back towards the ground and carefully unfold your legs as you go over the bar.  Jumpers today follow a more or less standard 10-step run up approach to build the speed needed to clear the bar. Momentum caries the jumper over the bar.  The Fosbury Flop as it is called is now is the way jumpers jump and clear the bar.  Now the mere mention of jumping the “old” way is foreign.

 

Your ERP solution follows the same concept when you start to consider if it is outdated.  You need to work with someone that has figured out the new approach.  It will feel awkward in the beginning, it always will when you do the same old thing a different way.  Is there no way you could do something old a new way more quickly, could you?  How long have you been doing it the old way?  How much time is reasonable to learn and perfect your processes a new way?  How long did it take you to develop the methods you use now?

 

Remember the first word in ERP is Enterprise.  ERP solutions work best when they integrate the entire operation. 

 

It takes an investment in time to look at what you are currently doing with fresh eyes and determine if there are better ways.  Seamlessly collecting information in as near real-time as possible across all departments is a critical component.  This ultimately will help to drive down inventory levels and potentially achieve a just-in-time (JIT) inventory or a system that is close to JIT. 

 

Collecting data or information is the first part.  The second is analyzing the information to spot trends and enable quicker, smarter decisions.  Establish metrics and then track and measure results.  Tweak the process, repeat and gain a more efficient operation.

 

You need to take your time to search for the ERP system that works, fits your business culture and your budget. 

 

You will need look at your solution provider as a business partner, if you want any level of success.  How is their customer service?  How is yours?  An ERP solution is like a marriage.  Easy to get into, not so easy to get out of, so you need to take your time and choose wisely.  Are they large enough to provide stability and commit to future enhancements?  Change is the constant and system requirements will continue to evolve.  Are they small enough to know you and treat you like your business and success is equally important to them as it is to you?

 

We started talking about the possibility of your system being outdated.  We ended up with customer service.  Why upgrade any system?  If it works, then why mess with it, right?  Remember how frustrating adding fax support was to your operations?  How about email?  Now, can you imagine going back to faxing, modems and that fun curly paper?  If you cannot or will not service your customers, then someone else will.

 

What will the next 10 years bring?

 

Dolvin Consulting is your business partner.  We work with industry experts, like IBM and VAI to deliver real world solutions, to your real world challenges.  Contact us today to see how we can help your team deliver the right solution that will grow with your business over time.

 

A Business Transforming Decision

Robert Wist, CEO of Wist, summed it up best, “For Wist, the payoff has been substantial. In just 2 years, we’ve recouped the packages implementation costs and S2K has provided a 10% reduction in employee overhead, while gross margins have increased by about 4%-- both considerable benefits for our company.”

Quite simply, the industry specific ERP package that Wist was utilizing had become obsolete and forced the company to make an important, business transforming decision.  Either Wist could convert to an updated version of a package that lacked the features and flexibility that the growing distributor needed, or it could seek out a new solution.

 

Read the full story by clicking this link.

 

The company had grown significantly since implementing its original distribution package and what had once provided ample functionality, now ate up valuable employee time for simple data entry tasks.

 

Wist no longer runs an opinion-based purchasing system. S2K takes the guesswork out of the equation with a user-friendly, data rich suggested purchasing module, which keeps inventory levels lean, but still ample to meet customer demands.

 

VAI’s S2K for Distribution has helped Wist reduce inventory levels, streamline operations and decrease overhead cost.

 

“The Warehouse saw a dramatic decrease in labor,” said Mike Gallagher, Project Director, VAI. “With VAI’s advanced warehouse automation features including picking and order verification, Wist has replaced its manual processes with an efficient system that not only saves time, but also saves money.”

 

As Wist continues to grow, S2K for Distribution is flexible enough to grow with the company.

 

The right partner really makes a difference.  Wist evaluated more than one solution.  VAI’s teamwork approach and attention to detail contributed to the success that Wist now enjoys.  Expertise and Industry knowledge are other key components the contributed to their success.  True enterprise solutions delivered affordably.  Their old industry specific system suffered from a lack of flexibility and the ability to implement process improvements.

 

This is a great example of teamwork.  Take the time to know each other, define the challenges and match that to an affordable solution.  Dolvin Consulting works with VAI and IBM to deliver solutions to businesses.  Contact us today to see how we are different.  No sales pitch, no pressure, just question and answer to find out what works and what does not.  I know what you are thinking.  This success story is an exception and not the rule.  My business is different.  We will not know that until we talk.  Maybe you are right and maybe there is reason for hope.

Supplier Lead Time and Inventory Stock Levels

There have been numerous opinions written about Supplier Lead Times, Just-In-Time inventory, Safety Stock, Inventory Levels, Consignment Inventory, Forecasts and of course systems to manage the whole inventory cycle.

What is important?  What are the challenges?  What is important to you and your business?

·       Inventory on hand to meet manufacturing and/or customer demand.  Your customers want you to have everything they want when they want it.  Your sales people want that too, but for a different reason.  Finance departments want the inventory on hand only if it used or shipped in a “reasonable” time period. 

·       Good relationships with your suppliers.  You want them to have what you need when you need it.  If there were no lead times, then you would not need much stock on hand, money tied up in inventory or shelf/floor space needed to keep the inventory.   

·       Multiple or redundant supplier relationships.  Your technology department has redundant systems to keep operations running in case of failure.  Avoid a single point of failure.  When possible you need that for your supply chain too.  There are earthquakes, floods, explosions that factor in a global economy.  Do not fool with Mother Nature.

·       How much safety stock is actually needed?  Forecasted and historical customer demand and the above mentioned supply chain issues factor in this number.  These numbers can be calculated manually for a few items, but what about thousands of items?  Are you purchasing standard stock items or special order items? 

·       Do you keep inventory or do you negotiate a consignment inventory handling?  Do you have the physical space for someone else’s inventory?  Real estate and the taxes, insurance and other factors associated with property leased or purchased can factor heavily on product profitability.  Even if you already have the space, is this the best solution?  Is your business important enough for your suppliers to offer this service?  There is paperwork and inventory counting and billing issues with consignment solutions.  It is not worry free.  In the right case it does ensure you have needed inventory available when you need it.

·       What about lead times?  Are these short term problems or are the issues symptomatic of deeper supplier problems?  Do you temporarily or permanently increase stock levels and absorb the associated overhead or do you work to resolve the issues?  Is your supplier being truthful with you?  How do you actually work these issues out?  Are the problems actually in your organization?

·       How frequent are the problems?  How often do the problems actually affect production or shipment?  In a perfect world safety stock levels will take into account the fluctuations of the supply chain.  Do you have the ability to create your own penalties for late shipments?  

·       Increased inventory levels, given enough resources, is a relatively simple solution, but comes at increased cost.  What are the actual costs with inventory shortages?  How often do they occur?  Extra inventory carrying costs last all year(s) long. 

·       Are you providing an accurate forecast to your suppliers?  Is your supplier just a vendor or a strategic partner?  There is a business axiom that says “What gets measured, gets managed”.  Are you tracking and measuring your purchasing, receiving, production and shipments?

 

How well does your technology system address these and the other hundred or so challenges?  What exactly is your challenge?  Every company struggles at different points at different times?  How can you learn from their mistakes and successes? 

How well does your trusted advisor address your needs?

 
Dolvin Consulting works with Manufacturers, Distributors and Specialty Retailers who struggle with warehouse and inventory control issues.  In simplest terms if you have “Boxes on Shelves”, then we can help.  Contactus today.  We have a vested interest in your success.

Excess Inventory, Prevention and Reduction

“If I do not have the inventory, then I cannot meet my customer’s demands and they will go to some other place”.

What inventory rationale is used by your organization?  Is there a system or does someone glance at a shelf and magically know that a part needs reordering?  Even if the magic person is rarely wrong, what happens if they get hit by a bus one day on the way to work or takes a maternity leave or extended sick time or disability?  Are the purchasing decisions driven by the sales department, operations, or finance team?

Is your inventory process repeatable?  Can the process be duplicated?  Will any of that special discounted order from your long-time supplier end up sitting on the shelf for a long time or will it be resold quickly? 

 

Reduction of excess inventory is a tedious, but necessary task.  Excess and Obsolete analysis should be done each year around the time of a physical inventory.  Find out what has not moved and find ways to get rid of it.  The overhead and tax implications of holding on to dead inventory can make this a costly decision, if ignored.  That space could be better utilized for faster moving items.  How much space could be saved if you only carried what you actually sold?

 

Prevention deserves equal, if not more time than reduction.  Do the prevention part right, of not ordering inventory that never gets sold, and the reduction effort goes away over time.  That does not help you today, but you should be keeping your eyes open in this effort.

 

Your inventory system does not have to be Just-In-Time (JIT).  Organizations pay a premium for this convenience.  In the case of a Tsunami that happened in Japan recently, those that were dependent on JIT inventory probably took a big hit. 

 

But, but, but it does make sense to order only what you need based on historical demand and reasonable forecast efforts.  Take into account typical supplier lead times, some safety stock level and you can estimate relatively close an amount to order.  Round up or down a little to match any discount levels to keep you competitive.  Of course this can be difficult in some industries like retail where buyers need to forecast demand for new products months before any demand shows up.

 

One key step is to identify if any inventory is actually a target for reduction.  Most Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have sales history and analysis functions.  Make sure historical collection is enabled.  In many industries, history is a predictor of future demand.  If there are a large number of items to be reviewed try looking at them as a group first.  Some systems use a division and/or class to group like items.  Sales history also can give you customer demographic and region or territory view of demand. 

 

I am not trying to give a detailed or complete review of how inventory should be managed.  There is just too much information to cover in one short article. 

 

Each organization needs to find what works for their needs.

 

Each business will have its own metrics to apply.  The point is to make sure the right people are looking at the inventory.  Sales departments want to have everything, every time.  It speeds up their commission payments.  Customers also like it.  And, if your customers are buying what is purchased or manufactured, then you do not have a problem.  If your customers are not buying the product and it sits on the shelf for too long, you are not going to make any money on it.  Better to identify and cut the dead stock.

 

There are hundreds of methods to forecast and order/reorder.  Each has their benefits and deficits.  Some methods are better for some industries and some are better in others.  What is important is having a system that tracks your inventory and increases its accuracy.  The more accurate your inventory, the better and more profitable your organization will function.    Newer systems provide multiple ways to automate a lot of the data collection and record information.  New systems do not necessarily mean more manpower.  It might just include reallocation of existing resources.

 

Your business has been running for so many years and you know what you need. 

 

No one is going to be able to come in and cut your inventory level in half or any other double digit amount.  If they promise that or begin to “tell” you how to run your business, find a way to get rid of them (quickly). 

 

A more accurate inventory allows management to indentify dead stock inventory.  There are many ways to dispose of this excess.  A more accurate inventory allows better purchasing decisions, which help to reduce dead stock, increase inventory turns, and bolster profits.

 

What you can expect by using a modern ERP system is slight reductions and increased accuracy of inventory in manufacturing, material handling, inventory control, forecasting and purchasing, to name a few places.  Add up the different departmental savings for a one or two percent reduction of inventory levels.  That coupled with increased accuracy and you lay the foundation of a good Return on Investment (ROI).

 

Dolvin Consulting uses it expertise and industry contacts to work with your team to identify areas that can be improved through the use of automated systems.  You probably already have a feeling that things are not right or could be better.  Maybe you would like an independent source to confirm you are already doing the best you can with the budget and resources available. 

 

We do not know who you are, so you must take the first step and contact us.  We do not bite.  We consult.  We have a mutually vested interest in your success.  Both of our livelihoods depend on it.  Pick up the phone, email us, or fill out our contact information and see how we can help.  Do it now!

Tips for Improving Warehouse Productivity

Here are a few ideas that you can look at to improve your warehouse operations and how a comprehensive Warehouse Management System (WMS) can be utilized to help.

Challenges and metrics:

·         Transition time between functions.  This can topic can be wide ranging, but an example is how much time exists between the last stage in picking before the next pick operation begins. 

·         Manage lost time.  This would include time between breaks.

·         What physical steps are taken?  Is your warehouse laid out in an efficient pick order?

·         Equipment use?  Do your pick or put-away operations require mounting and dismounting of forklifts?  Could long range wireless scanners record the information?  Are there empty trips from one location to another?

·         Physical inventory?  How often do you count?  How accurate is your inventory (Book versus Physical)?  Do you cycle count?  Are you using automation such as bar codes and wireless scanners?

·         Staging of received or ready-to-ship product? Are there unnecessary steps in your processing?  Is it more efficient to pick one at a time or in batch?

·         Paper trails.  Are your workers waiting in line for paper work?  How many pieces of paper are involved in a single order?  How many orders per day?

·         How is your workforce managed?  Is it a manual process with spread sheets or does your system automatically record and manage your resources?  Find and eliminate non value added activities.

Solutions:

·         WMS will help you determine exactly how long a task takes and how much time lags between steps.  All transactions are recorded automatically (by worker).   

·         Bar coded locations and products will enable automated picking and put-away operations. Voice picking systems will also direct the worker to the next location and verify the pick.

·         Shipment verification.  While this at first seems to add time, it will increase shipment accuracy and reduce the overhead associated with returns and return processing including the finance department, expedited replacement shipping, return shipment costs and lost time to process everything.

·         Count-backs.  When your worker picks 10 boxes and there is supposed to be 15 in that location, are there 5 left?  If not, it is an exception that is flagged immediately and the problems are identified and resolved more quickly.  Increased inventory accuracy results.

·         Increased physical inventory accuracy.  If you are not 99 plus percent accuracy there is room for improvement.  This area has the single biggest Return on Investment (ROI).  Even a small reduction in physical inventory due to increase accuracy and handling translates to big savings.

·         Communications.  An organized environment where everyone knows what they are supposed to do.  An environment where management has the information to make key decisions are the foundation for less frustration and savings.  Get employee/worker feedback.  The best laid plans can fall short if no one understands what they are to do or why they are doing it.

Bottom line.  By establishing key metrics and implementing automation in stages you enable management to go after tasks that are inefficient and pull waste from those functions.  These are the building blocks to lean processing.  Tracking, measuring and reporting needs to become a philosophy in your organization. 

Dolvin Consulting works with Manufacturers and Distributors to help them implement more efficient warehouse processing.  We often do this in stages and the results pay for themselves.  Contact us today for a no-charge initial evaluation.

Enterprise Retail Software solve business challenges.

Retail businesses flourish using S2K for Retail.

Sporting goods retailer, Paragon Sporting Goods Co., boat supply retailer and distributor, Freeport Marine Supply Company, and educational supplies retailer, Educational Warehouse, all use S2K for Retail and POS to solve their business challenges.  These companies use dynamic ways to boost sales to their stores through e-commerce and kiosks.

This video highlights the success that the right solution can bring to a retailer that struggles with managing their customer relationships.  There is efficient product management, productivity gains, system processing, but the real benefit are happy customers.  Customers want to find the products they want whether online or in-store or in another location in a timely manner. 

A customer wants to find what they are looking for, feel appreciated and be well served.  A happy customer refers friends, a happy customer comes back.  A happy customer is loyal.  An unhappy customer tells everyone as soon as they can about their experience.

The Point of Sale (POS) system is solid, reliable and speeds up transactions.  It allows customer service to record all customer information including email addresses at the point of purchase without inconveniencing the customer.  Customers are thrilled by the improvements and can take advantage of rewards programs and gift cards.  The system automatically handles customer coupons based on their purchases.  Signatures are captured on the system instead of paper.

The system performs very well and up-time is maximized.  Suggested purchasing has minimized staff levels needed to maintain optimum inventory levels.  The system is fully integrated and handles Ecommerce and Retails sales seamlessly in real-time.  No delays, no misallocations of inventory.  Reordering is simplified.

These retailers found it just as easy to work with VAI who took the time to listen to their needs as their customers find with them.  We hope that you will find working with Dolvin Consulting just as rewarding.

Contact us today.  Solutions are available through Dolvin Consulting.  We take the time to look at and listen to your business needs.  We leverage our industry knowledge and contacts to make sure you have the right solution to your challenges.

Major Canadian seafood supplier automates business…

Seacore Seafood is a full line importer, distributor and custom processor of fresh and frozen fish, seafood, and live lobster.  Located in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada, Seacore’s Retail division, Seafood Depot, is one of the largest seafood outlets in the world.  Seacore uses S2K for Food, along with S2K Retail Point of Sale (POS), to automate its business processes, allowing expansion.

The past included stand-alone systems that did not integrate well, tedious manual processes based on paper, latency in reporting, not having an on-time accurate inventory system.  To enable growth this company accepted the fact that they had to change.  The needs were simple enough: incorporate wholesale, retail, and Ecommerce in a single system. 

The goal, utilize a single integrated inventory system throughout their entire operation.  The benefits included accurate order entry and fulfillment, automatic route fulfillment, flexibility in use, better and easier customer service, customer self service, and quicker turnaround time to analyze financial results. 

All the information needed at your fingertips resulting in expansion and an increase in sales.

Contact us so that we can help you identify areas for improvement in your operations.  Dolvin Consulting is here to help you.

Inventory Control and Warehouse Management

Inventory Control Systems are about eliminating waste and gaining the most value out of your operation.  Just-In-Time Inventory Control Systems provide the platform for Lean Manufacturing, enabling you to have the exact amount of materials and inventory you need, when you need it- no more and no less.

Excess inventory remaining in your warehouse collects dust and incurs cost instead of generating revenue.  In addition to lost profit from administration, financing and storage costs, inventory in your warehouse has to be insured and is exposed to risk such as fires, floods, obsolescence, and market depreciation.  And raw material inventory remaining in the warehouse for a sluggish product can be a significant drag in markets that demand fast product changes.

Competitive markets reward fluid operations that are responsive to costs.  A fluid and responsive operation enables you to move product quickly, based on demand with purchase orders in step with inventory movement.  This results in faster movement of accurate quantities of inventory that are responsive to your markets generating a faster time to revenue.

Inventory Control Systems are typically delivered through a combination of software and services, supported by experts with wide experience in the business of manufacturing and distribution.  

With Just-In-Time Inventory Control Systems, you can quickly automate procedures that:

·         Scan inventory upon receipt at the warehouse

·         Enable purchase orders to be available on a real time basis

·         Allocate incoming inventory to customer orders

·         Ship inventory as soon as it's received at the warehouse dock

·         Confirm the shipment of merchandise to customers

·         Easily track that the correct items and quantities were fulfilled

We bring hands-on understanding, value and experience to your unique business challenges, working closely with you to implement the solution that works best.  Dolvin Consulting works with you to address your inventory and warehouse management challenges.  Contact us today to see how we can help you navigate these challenging times.