What is a Supply Chain ?

Whether you buy products from Alibaba and import them, or you are sourcing materials and sending to manufacturers, you have a supply chain.

A supply chain is a network of stakeholders, activities, information, and resources who contribute from start to finish of a product based business.
The goal of ( SCM ) supply chain management is to ensure that products are delivered to the right place at the right time, while minimising costs and maximising efficiency. We Assist Co point of difference is we continue to improve the environmental impact of the business.

It includes all activities involved in sourcing raw materials and components, manufacturing, assembling, and delivering the final product to customers.

The supply chain also includes activities such as logistics, transportation, warehousing, and distribution.

‍What is management consultancy in the supply chain?

Management consultancy in the supply chain refers to contracting a service or individual to provide expert advice and guidance to an organisation or business to help them improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their supply chain operations. We Assist Co uses a mode of consultation called "Product Stewardship" which means alot of our research and development of your product or supply chain is looking how we can contribute to a circular economy and limit the negative impact on the planet, whilst increasing your business profitability.

The consultation type should include, but not be limited to, researching and optimising logistics networks, identifying and implementing cost-saving measures, and developing and implementing strategies for managing inventory and demand.
Management consultants in the supply chain field also help organisations with sourcing and procurement, transportation and distribution, and warehouse management issues.
We Assist Co in doing this for leading Australian businesses across many industries. Believe they have an Environmental, ethical point of difference from the rest of the market consultants.
This blog highlights what we’ve learnt and all you need to know about supply chain management and consultancy and how we go about it.

How do I assess my Supply Chain ? 

He is a brief list of key indicators that can be used to evaluate the efficiency of your supply chain, including:

1. Lead time: The amount of time it takes for a product to be delivered from the supplier to the customer.
2. Inventory turnover: The number of times inventory is sold and replenished in a given period of time.
3. Perfect order rate: The percentage of orders that are delivered on time, in full, and without any errors or defects.
4. Fill rate: The percentage of customer demand that is met by the supply chain.
5. Costs: The total costs associated with the supply chain, including purchasing, transportation, warehousing, and distribution.
6. Capacity utilisation: The degree to which the supply chain is operating at or near full capacity.
7. Quality Control: The percentage of products that meet or exceed customer expectations.
8. Agility: The ability of the supply chain to respond quickly and effectively to changes in demand or supply.
9. Sustainability: The extent to which the supply chain is environmentally friendly and socially responsible.
10. Risk management: The ability of the supply chain to mitigate and manage risks such as natural disasters, supplier disruptions, and market fluctuations.

How does management consultancy in the supply chain work?

Management consultancy in the supply chain typically involves a multi-step process from audit to continuous improvement actions.

1. Supply Chain Audit and Research; We will Audit and evaluate the organisation's supply chain operations, including analysing data and interviewing key stakeholders. The supply chain audit is to identify areas of inefficiency or potential cost savings. Here is where we uncover the ethical and environmental impacts we are having and developments we can roll out of the coming months or years.
2. Recommendations: Based on the findings from the research, we will develop a set of recommendations for improving the supply chain operations. These recommendations will include process improvements, logistics network changes, or the implementation of new technologies. There is a very strong focus on supplier management and how to navigate creating profitable supplier relationships.
3. Implementation: We will work with the organisation to implement the recommendations, which may involve training employees, updating systems and processes, and overseeing the roll-out of new technologies.
4. Monitoring and evaluation: After the implementation, we monitor the changes’ effectiveness and evaluate the results to see if they met the goals.
5. Continuous improvement: Finally, we work with the organisation to ensure that the supply chain operations continue to improve over time by implementing new strategies and technologies as needed. Because progress never stops at We Assist Co.

This process may vary depending on the organisation and its specific issues.

However, our method aims to provide the organisation with options for business developments improve their supply chain operations and become ultra competitive in their industry.

So, how does We Assist Co management consultancy save my business time and money ?

‍Management consultation optimises the supplier management across all key stakeholders thus creating less time wasted and more business growth. 

By thoroughly identifying and addressing inefficiencies in the supply chain operations, we help make your business run like a well-oiled machine . 

This can be done in many ways, such as:

1. Streamlining processes: We analyse existing processes and identify bottlenecks or areas that take too much time. We then recommend changes to these processes to make them more efficient. 
2. Automation: We recommend specialised technology such as automation systems or software that automates repetitive tasks and reduces the need for manual intervention, thus decreasing wasted time.
3. Inventory management: By analysing and optimising inventory levels, we help reduce the time spent managing inventory and reduce the risk of no sales due to being sold out, or holding cash in dead stock.
4. Demand forecasting: By providing accurate demand forecasting, we give your organization better management of your inventory levels, reduce lead times, and decrease the time spent managing disruptions.
5. Transportation and logistics: We will recommend improvements to transportation and logistics networks, such as consolidating shipments or using more efficient transportation modes. This helps reduce transportation times and improves delivery schedules, thus satisfying both you and your customers.

Overall, by identifying and addressing inefficiencies in supply chain operations, management consulting can help your organisation reduce wasted time, improve operational efficiency and increase productivity.

Please reach out if your looking for peace of mind, to save time or diversify the source of your resources.

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