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Five Ways Advanced Supply Chain Can Improve Your Distribution Business

Sonata's Modern Distribution Platform
Written By: Marketing Team

Blog

Five Ways Advanced Supply Chain Can Improve Your Distribution Business

October 19, 2021 7-Minute read

New Ways of Internal Working is radically transforming internal processes and decision-making in organizations. Not only does it reduce costs but it also improves speed, transparency, responsive delivery, consistent synchronization, and customer improvement. This improves the interaction between retailers/suppliers and retailers to have demand for data-driven forecasting, asset management, and local order management.

The Digital Supply chain for expanded business has become an important part of an increasingly complex system of people, processes, and technologies. Only internal systems are integrated, finished sales have grown significantly due to the proliferation of computer networks and Internet tools and technologies over the past two decades. This establishment has opened the door to true collaboration between partners, distributors to extend beyond the four walls of the business.


The latest technological advances - the widespread use of industry-leading platforms and ready-to-deploy software, cloud computing, and mobile technology applications have worked to bring further challenges and opportunities to complete inventory management across the distribution channel. Manufacturers' distribution side has been forced to change or disappear when it comes to promoting processes and navigating the new technology platform and best practices for supply chain management. Most are well aware of the important trends and challenges and trade from the traditional to modern trading across the supply chain that is becoming more complex, competitive, and transparent. At any point in time, an optimized supply chain stays lean, manages costs, and perhaps most critically, responds instantaneously to even minor fluctuations in demand.

While there is not a single playbook to ensure success in the world's most powerful global market, here are five tips to consider for an improved Supply chain distribution business:

  1. Distribution - The critical part of the manufacturing company:
    In the digital age, the expectations of distribution activities have expanded to include real-time visibility and, it has improved ease of use for recipients. Field personals in the industry, too, expect delivery jobs to leverage the technology that has made their lives easier with tools. Many organizations try to do too many things or do not realize that they can offer duplicate operations or single tasks or projects. For instance, determining the best distribution network; payment and testing of bills, or support for improvements to their information systems. It often seems that the internal resources of organizations can do better work overtime. Usually, relying on a special third-party provider, a better price will be obtained over time. Focusing on your basic skills will help you to grow your business.
  2. Think Global but act locally for Operational Excellence / Cost Leadership: 
    This is not just a local reference, but it is also an important point to consider when considering strategies for the purchase of goods or price arrangements. Companies increasingly have to consider global investment opportunities and services, and when considering global business needs. Manufacturers should consider multiple digital delivery channels and determine appropriate levels of inclusion within the echelons of the procurement process. This is also important to monitor carbon entry levels and ensure the inclusion of raw material for sale. However, during transactions, it is important to add space to increase your investment in critical resources: infrastructure, goods, and technology throughout the completed supply chain.
  3. Enhance integration between Manufacturer / Retailer and Vendor for Data-Driven Demand Forecasting for Order and Inventory Management:
    This will help organizations reduce inventory, improve fulfillment levels and availability of products where they purchase, and ensure fewer purchases improve margins and profits. Today, technology offers more opportunities for collaboration, increased data available to be mined, and advances in computer power and connectivity allow us to explore reliability in ever-increasing environments. And the platforms offer built-in features such as multi-channel engagement for fast B2B customer rides, third-party providers and suppliers, real-time visibility and listing across the entire distribution network, and adjustable pricing engine, Extensible & modular solution components open interface - standard application integration
  4. Use Mobile-Based Technology for Field sales/delivery:
    These technologies can help to improve field sales, sales, and marketing, and enable customer-specific services (through location-based coupons or services that improve employee productivity in the sector). Providing information such as provenance, origin, content of the item and, specialized information on demand, sustainability, local content, or production method enhances the product. It enables companies to communicate directly with the customer. B2B companies can improve their performance through field sales by route planning, truck asset management, and paperless POD delivery through our mobile app.
  5. Build a resilient Supply Chain:
    Utilize source data such as POS sales, as well social media information to identify trends and demand changes much earlier and enable your supply chain to respond faster to increase sales, improve service levels and reposition inventory to maximize true benefits. Multi-channel programs will change expectations from supply chain forecasting/planning paradigms to building responsive supply chains

Four strategies for a more resilient supply chain

  • Inventory check: Buffer capacity is the most straightforward way to enhance resilience, whether in the form of underutilized production facilities or inventory above safety stock requirements.
  • Supply chain disruption: The supply chain has improved over the past few years. This means that the cost of maintaining multiple supply facilities should be seen as the cost of doing business, rather than inefficiency
  • Globalization: The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the need for diversified approaches. At the same time, however, working with underprivileged suppliers and end-of-mile delivery partners is also important to ensure better readiness and secure the future. For companies that do not have scales to support multiple areas alone, strong relationships with contract manufacturers and 3PLs around the world can be important in diversifying production and distribution throughout the supply chain.
  • Redundancy and Flexibility: when a company increases purchasing volatility, it can withstand major disruptions and respond better to demand fluctuations. A strong business can be built by creating reductions throughout the supply chain. An organization can hold more assets, maintain lower power consumption, have more suppliers, etc.

Sonata's Modern Distribution Platform brings every component under one umbrella a complete set of features that allows Manufacturing / CPG companies to improve demand efficiency, enable B2B digital trading, and commit to the operation of the supply chain for their profit purposes. The licensing model enables businesses to select one or more platform modules according to their specific needs.