Do You Have Moxie?

Do You Have Moxie? John Baldoni, Leadership Now Grit, guts, and fortitude are all synonyms of the word “moxie,” which author John Baldoni describes in his new book, Moxie: The Secret to Bold and Gutsy Leadership as a key quality for business leadership.  Leaders with moxie have been proven to lead people during tough circumstances, and they possess several important attributes including, fire, drive, resilience, and street smarts.  Learn five characteristics that you can practice and develop and incorporate into your life and your business read more

Friends Don’t Let Friends Hire Their Friends

Friends Don’t Let Friends Hire Their Friends Jeff Hyman, Forbes  Balancing relationships in and outside of the workplace can be a difficult juggling act; however, when a friend is hired in the workplace, that makes the juggling even more difficult.  This new co-worker who is seen as an emotional confidant outside of work, might receive office favoritism and act as a person to confide in.  Northwestern Business School professor Jeff Hyman believes that mixing friendships and work isn’t the best practice, but gives several steps/things to consider if you are going to hire a friend.     read more

Surveys Are No Substitute for Actually Talking to Customers

Surveys Are No Substitute for Actually Talking to Customers  Graham Kenny, Harvard Business Review Traditional online surveys and questionnaires have been popular for customer feedback, but they may not be the most effective.   Learn from a top consultant about why talking to customers online and in person, often in a one-on-one setting, is the best method for feedback because of the amount and the quality of information you would never get from a typical questionnaire.    read more

Video Pics from our staff...

Video Pics from our Staff

Robots that Disinfect Now your personal robot can clean your sheets from bacteria  see the video

Can Your T-Shirt Do This? Augmented reality is reaching down to the basic t-shirt see the video

Get Off My Lawn Sensor and wifi-enabled, this robot will have your lawn cut to impress see the video

Why Googling Yourself Is Not Just for Fun Anymore

Why Googling Yourself Is Not Just for Fun Anymore Yoav Vilner, Entrepreneur Google searching our own names isn’t just a game anymore.  This is a common practice for millions of individuals, but there are higher stakes involved now.  20% of people find outdated info about themselves and 12% are unpleasantly surprised about what they find when they do a simple Google search.  This inaccurate or embarrassing information can hinder a job application or your business from growing.  Removing personal content from Google searches can be a complicated process; nevertheless, it is vital to protect ourselves from cyber criminals who can finely tune a personalized scam. read more

Dolvin Notes - January Video Picks

Dolvin Notes - January Video Picks For You

How to Protect Yourself How to minimize the impact related to a data breach  see the video

Sunday Driver

How self-driving cars could become a reality

see the video

Design Guru

How a Harvard professor uses toys and origami to transform design

see the video

VAI Provides Sync-ed Marketing and CRM

The contact database in S2K Marketing Cloud Powered by ActiveCampaign and S2K Sales Force CRM are always in sync, so marketing can pass leads to sales and sales can pass customer information to marketing, without any manual entry.

Read more...

An all inclusive, integrated database is a key ingredient to successful and competitive business operations.

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?

Customer Commitment

Customer commitment is often associated with customer service and vice versa.  Whatever business service or product your company provides, whatever product or service your company purchases, customer service and the relationships surrounding those offerings are paramount to success. 

 

How do you like to be treated?  Many organizations make statements on their web sites and brochures about customer service being their priority.  They most certainly expect equal or better service on their purchases.  But, how well do they actually deliver? 

 

Does your organization give as well as it gets?

 

Customers and those serving them need access to accurate real-time information.

Product and stock status availability.

Delivery time frames.

Invoice status.

Sales history.

Buying patterns.

Sales force automation toolset.

Contact Relationship Management (CRM) database.

 

In regards to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions, what tools are in place to track and measure service levels?  Is your organization investing in your own infrastructure so that your staff will have the tools and resources necessary to answer customer inquiries and solve issues?

 

Are you getting the following from your ERP supplier?

 

Totally committed to your needs.

Providing the best possible support.

Maintaining technological superiority.

Will work to keep your company on the leading edge with the latest advancements.

Continue to offer real value, now and for the future.

Offer each client personalized, world-class service.

 

ERP solutions work when they are embraced and allowed to work. 

 

ERP software is organized into modules.  These modules are designed around departmental and/or functional company roles.  For example, Finance department consisting of General Ledger, Accounts Payable, and Accounts Receivable.  A functional role might include Procurement which overlaps Purchasing, Inventory, Warehouse Management and Sales Analysis.

 

All ERP application modules are designed to work together to enable better customer service.  Not all departments have direct customer contact, but all contribute to the overall operational efficiency of the organization. The customer service department and sales force are examples of two departments that do have direct customer contact and highlight the need for real time information.  Purchasing and procurement also have direct contact with the supply chain and also need quick access to accurate information.

 

ERP solutions work better when you trust them to do the jobs they are intended to do. 

 

Trouble can creep in a number of different ways, like when too many modifications are made.  Modifications can be an indication that the particular solution selected is not the right solution.  It does not mean that it is not a good solution, it just means that it is not a good fit for a particular business model.

 

Different business types need different solutions. 

 

Businesses need solutions that are tailored for their particular method of operation.  Just like automobiles, some need a fuel efficient model, some need luxury and comfort, while others need the ability to haul big loads.  They are all good vehicles, it is just each is designed and optimized for a different primary purpose. 

 

Whatever solution your company utilizes now or is considering, the one underlying principal that must be considered is how well will the solution enables your organization to deliver great customer service.  In what way will that improve with a replacement or upgrade?  A lot of effort goes into selecting and implementing a new solution.  Customer service and the tools associated with the collection, analysis and delivery of that information in a useful format must be first and foremost.

 

What changes are you considering?  What features and functions are important to your organization?  How are you preparing for change?  In what way do you measure improvement and success?

 

We would like you to share your thoughts and suggestions.  For additional help, contact Dolvin Consulting.  We team with industry experts to provide you with great customer service.

 

Trends in Distribution Management

An overview interview of distribution management software trends in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions.  Five key areas that are a driving concern of any wholesale distributor, distributor or manufacturer are highlighted in this five minute video.

 

SupplyChainBrain Interview with Joe Scioscia

 

Interview highlights:

1.       Utilization of Sales Force Tools

o   More information is needed besides just contact management to maximize every sale at the point of customer contact.

o   Product information at the point of contact

o   Order status to provide customer feedback.

o   Customer account information readily available.

 

2.       Analytics

o   Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems can generate massive amounts of data. 

o   It can be a challenge to spot trends, anomalies or business issues within that data.

o   Present data in a more easily digestible format with charts, graphs and flagging data.

o   Creation of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to make better and faster business decisions.

 

3.       Cloud Computing

o   Established already in some industries like payroll and Contact Relationship Management (CRM) and gaining traction in core distribution solutions.

o   Generally a better fit for companies with diverse locations without a need for a heavy Information Technology (IT) infrastructure.

o   Reduced IT management infrastructure.

 

4.       Warehouse Management Solutions (WMS)

o   Managing their biggest asset, Inventory.

o   Receiving, picking, shipping, and physical inventory benefits.

o   Cut costs, increase productivity and improve customer satisfaction.

o   Locate products more effectively, pick and ship items more rapidly, reduce errors, improve accuracy.

o   Benefits of automation.

 

5.       Top business requirements

o   Grow business.

o   Increase sales.

o   Reduce costs.

o   Sales force automation to increase effectiveness and maximize sales.

o   Warehouse management to reduce costs and increase accuracy and productivity.

o   Forecasting and purchasing applications to manage inventory levels to have the right products at the right time to satisfy their customers.

The consensus in the interview is not news for those involved in the distribution and supply chain.  How can these organizations optimize their inventory levels in order to provide great customer service and fulfill customer demand in a timely and responsive manner?

 

These challenges have not changed over time.  What has changed is the way processes can be automated to increase productivity and reduce costs.  New tools provide opportunities if implemented correctly with an ERP solution to fully integrate the organization. 

 

Whether the tools are in the cloud or on premise, what matters is having a system that fits the culture of the business and is actually utilized.  Typically a few modules at first and then more and more are implemented. 

 

The goal should be customer fulfillment and satisfaction. 

 

You get there by utilizing the resources available in the solution you have or are implementing.   That might include analytics or warehouse management and include automation tools like bar coding and scanning, count back inventory picking, shipment verification or physical changes like conveyors and robotics. 

 

Each organization has its needs and budget to address those needs.  What any building needs is a strong foundation that can support the future needs and growth of an organization. 

 

How is your organization utilizing its ERP solution to drive efficiency?  We would like to know.  Please share your thoughts here.

 

Dolvin Consulting works with manufacturers, distributors and specialty retailers to help them streamline their operations, reduce costs and increase operational efficiencies.  Contact us today to see how we can help you look at your organization with a fresh set of eyes.  Many opportunities for improvement are right in front of you and collectively they can be combined to achieve big savings.

 

Accelerate Results with ERP Solutions

If you are reading this, then you already know the struggles of the supply chain, manufacturing and distribution.  More than likely you are already using an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution to manage your workflow processing, employees, and inventory. 

So, is there any need to read further? 

You have integrated all of your departments and operations.  Your employees are productive, inventory levels are optimized and accurate.  Customers always receive the correct product when you promised.  Management has access to real-time information for analysis and decision making.  The equipment you run your system on is reliable and unplanned downtime is almost nonexistent.

 

Real solutions for real world challenges:

 

Innovation accelerates results.

·         Innovation- How technology is applied to your specific challenges.

·         Management- Better, more complete, real time information about employee productivity, inventory levels, customer service, manufacturing and financials.

·         Efficiency- Your competitive advantage.  Automation.  The right tool for the right job.  Get more work done with less manpower.

·         Technologies- Latest technologies integrated to drive efficiencies.  Anytime, anywhere access to your information.

·         Implementation- On time and as planned with your technology partner.  On premise or hosted in the cloud.  The right solution delivered to your needs.

·         Forecasting- The right inventory levels for better purchasing and customer service.

·         Customer Service- High service levels.  Service more customers, more quickly, more accurately.  Sales team members have the information necessary to service customers.

·         Complete- Complete solution.  Full integration.

·         Reliability- System is available when you need it.  Time is invested in your business, not maintaining it or running the equipment on which it runs.  Uptime, all the time.

·         Analysis- Integrated business intelligence.  Invest your time understanding market trends, not in implementing the solution.  Flexible ad-hock reporting leading to greater insight.

·         Relationships- Integrated sales force automation.  Invest your time building corporate relationships.  All the information your team needs, when they need it.  No need to figure out how to make separate systems talk to one another.

·         Logistics- Inventory looks at your product levels.  Warehouse integration allows you to manage the movement of your inventory.  Real time, full integration means better customer service.  Know how much and where each and every product is located.

 

The ultimate goal of every organization should include great customer service. 

 

Happy customers should not be a mistake or byproduct, they should be in your every thought.  We all need customers, including our competition.  I have seen countless web sites saying how important their customers are and how well they treat them.  Call that company’s phone number and try to get someone to speak with.  There is a gap between desire and implementation.  If your employees were more productive and could get more work done in less time, then maybe you could replace the automated answering system with a live person.    

Fully integrated systems are a must.  The left hand needs to know what the right hand is doing. 

Automation is a must.  Only through automation can you drive efficiency in your operations.  This is how you stay competitive. 

 

You may have an existing system.  That system may work.  But, how well?  Is the overhead of maintaining an old system more than an investment in a solution that works better?   No one is suggesting you change anything just, because there is something new.  However, it does make sense to see if the cost of not making changes and keeping current outweighs the upfront costs of a new solution. 

 

For example many household appliances, especially refrigerators, can be replaced and paid for by replacing them with a new energy efficient model.  With the new model comes new features and new support from the vendor.  ERP solutions, if selected correctly, can save on energy, reduce employee levels allowing redistribution of manpower, increase operational efficiency, reduce costs and increase profits.

At Dolvin Consulting we love success stories.  We team with industry experts to ensure that you are equipping your organization with the tools necessary to remain competitive and deliver high customer service.  Contact us today to see how we can help.

 

Mobility, CRM and Productivity

I came across this article recently and while certainly not new, it is just a relevant today as it was in May when it was published.

 

Read the full article by clicking the link below:

10 Ways to Get the Most out of Mobile CRM - Enterprise Apps Today

 

 

So what is new about this topic?  

There certainly is no shortage of information on mobility, the cloud and what business owners wish their employees would be doing.  If only there was a way to speed the delivery of information into and out of our business?  That express tunnel of information exists now, but finding the right one is the challenge. 

 

What makes a mobile application, let alone Contact Relationship Management (CRM) software, worthy of investment?

 

As the article points out the key is finding the right tool for the right job.  When I made the mistake a few years ago of commenting on the number of shoes my wife was collecting, she retorted, they why do you have so many screw drivers.  Not catching her point, I tried explaining that I needed the right tool for the right job.  Time has passed since that day and I do not mention the shoes anymore and she leaves me alone about my collection of tools. 

 

The reality is no different in mobile applications as it is for in house Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) application systems.  An organization needs the right set of applications (or tools) to get the job done.  They do not need overkill and hundred step processing to place an order, if they simply have to pick, pack and ship a box off the shelf. 

 

Whatever solution works is a good start. 

 

My biggest point that I stress with the people I consult with is “Integration”.  There may be a lot of good systems out there that track all sorts of metrics, but if that system does not fully integrate with the rest of the systems you are already using, then you are opening the door for errors, cost increases, and problems.  Not that a lot of organizations cannot make separate systems work, it just tends to take a lot of time, effort and resources that could be better utilized in cases where an integrated solution did exist.

 

To be fair, some ERP systems have integrated CRM applications, but they are an afterthought and are not very functional.  In this case you need to be sure the developer has a solid foundation and commitment to bringing that application up to today’s standards.  If they do not, then look for one that you can integrate.

 

The article makes more points, like picking an application that is device agnostic.  This is a nice feature as it generally means you do not have to invest a whole lot to get the technology in the hands of those who need to use it.  I would not be too concerned with this as functionality and integration are more important.  A solid and secure platform is going to be less work for the auditors and will help you sleep better at night. 

 

We would all like to save money, but at what future expense?  Do not be penny wise and dollar foolish.

 

Easy to use is noteworthy and is in direct proportion to training effort and expense.  As I mentioned earlier, the application needs to fit the culture of your enterprise.  Simple and effective, the right tool for the right job.  Features and benefits are nice, but form and function are better. 

 

Have a goal and set your direction and budget.  Define your needs and allow for future growth.  Do not limit your future.  A fully integrated system will allow the expansion of a mobile application base which includes CRM to encompass more functions in house. 

 

Physical inventory for example.  I recently was in a major retailer (big box store) and saw an employee using an Iphone to check and count inventory.  I asked if this was his device or the store’s.  I was not sure initially if he was just using a shopper application to check prices.  He replied that this was the store’s device and that everyone was using them to check inventory.  When it worked, he said it was great, small and compact, easy to use, it was just they had not quite perfected its use. 

 

The adoption rate is almost a non issue today as most people expect mobility and automation. 

 

Even the lay person understands the economics of mass production and efficiency of scale.  What is difficult is for the smaller business to invest in development.  The large companies do so out of necessity and have the resources to drive adoption.  For example, look at how Walmart determines how suppliers sell to them.  A buyer tells the seller what they have to do to earn the business.  Who is selling who? 

 

Smaller organizations need ready to use applications that integrate with their line of business systems.  They need the ability to customize the solution, add user defined fields, for example in many cases.  But, the systems need to be able to be implemented without reinventing the wheel.  

 

If the incumbent ERP system does not have a fully integrated CRM system or integration to a third party solution, nor plans to build one, then it may be time to invest in a solution that does incorporate CRM. 

 

 

The very most important aspect of any new application module or software is its ability to improve customer service.  If you do not make your customers happy, your competition will.

 

If your organization is planning to implement or is struggling with CRM or other mobile technology solutions, then contact Dolvin Consulting.  We are here to help you navigate the technological seas of change with our industry contacts.  It will not hurt to ask for help, it only hurts if you continue adrift.  Contact us today for help.

 

 

Business Value

It really does not matter the industry, business leaders should be asking themselves how they can maximize the investment their organization spends on technology to support their efforts.  This focus is more important than the technology itself.  What business process are we trying to improve with automation?

 

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions are typically at the forefront here and are also the point of failure for most organizations.   Reason being falls to many details, but at a high level it is easier to address a challenge by adding on to an existing solution or addressing it outside of and separately from an integrated solution. 

 

ERP works, because it incorporates all business functions. 

 

There are ERP solutions for most business industries today.  When I describe the focus to those not involved in technology, I say think about “boxes on shelves”.  Even the most lay person can visualize this environment.  It is in this type of environment where there is the greatest potential for a Return on Investment (ROI) from your investment.

 

ERP handles the food industry with its batch and lot control and FDA food tracking.  The Pharma industry also benefits from automation in inventory processing.  Retail industries are concerned with inventory turns and customer service (something all industries should focus on first).  Analytic or Business Intelligence applications help with the analysis of product movement and forecasting.  Salesforce and Contact Relationship Management (CRM) integration tightly integrates both internal and external sales processing.  Suggested purchase orders help to drive down inventory levels and at the same time maximize buying incentives.  E-commerce and EDI functions help integrate the supply chain to end customer support.

 

The more the organization adopts and embraces the changes ERP solutions offer, the quicker the return.  The problem for most organizations is the reluctance to tear their guts out and rightly so, and to instead try to fix a systematic problem with a band aid.  Ask yourself do you need a band aid or surgery? 

 

Everyone understands budget and the fact the economy is not full of investment monies.  That is why the first step is to undertake a thorough analysis of your business process.   Start with a technology audit.  What do you have, where is it, how are your people utilizing it and what are they doing outside of technology.  In particular what manual processing are they doing?  Where is there a paper log jam?  Are your people asking (or using without asking) mobile technologies? 

 

What information do your people need, where are they located, what devices are they using, and who are they?  These four aspects define your anywhere, anytime technology.

 

Next step after a technology review is to analyze the business processes your organization employs.  Are there areas where you can drive efficiency with technology solutions?  Can you integrate more of your enterprise?  What are the business goals that your departments are trying to achieve?

 

When the aforementioned analysis have been run through you will be ready to select and implement solutions that will drive operational efficiencies.  Sometimes this comes from more fully utilizing what you already have, sometimes it incorporates adding new modules or upgrading your existing system.  Sometimes the answer is to replace what you have.  It is not that what you are using is bad, it is just not giving you a competitive edge.  It may cost you more to keep using what you have than to bite the bullet and make the changes necessary to move your business forward.  It is not an easy decision to do major surgery, but it is better to do it when you are strong than to wait until there are no resources left.

 

In order to survive your businesses is going to increasingly rely upon technology solutions.  Now is the time to contact Dolvin Consulting, one of many trusted advisors to help you navigate the constant flux in technology.  ERP solutions today are more necessary than ever in order to deliver more value to the business.  ERP offers more significant opportunities to meet today’s challenges in real ways that increase operational efficiencies which make the business more agile, responsive and competitive.