CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly
May 17, 2012
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Supply Chain Executive Insight E-Newsletter
Each month the Supply Chain Executive Insight e-newsletter will include brief articles about developments that are often overlooked by other supply chain publications. We will present you with summaries of the latest research as well as new ideas on how to make your supply chain operations more effective. And we'll offer commentary that sheds light on what's happening in supply chains today.
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Free Articles From The Current Issue
Supply chain segmentation: 10 steps to greater profits
Segmentation lets companies boost profitability by tailoring their supply chain strategy to each customer and product in their portfolio. Here are 10 key practices that will ensure success.

Turn your reverse supply chain into a profit center
Selecting the right disposition strategies and understanding their financial impact can help you turn the reverse supply chain into a revenue generator instead of a cost center.

Panama Canal expansion: game changer, or more of the same?
Some ports and ocean carriers expect significant new business to come their way following the Panama Canal expansion. But do the "shipper math," says the author, and it's clear that U.S. distribution patterns are unlikely to change much.

"Imagineering" a supply chain
Disney's supply chain executives coined the term "imagineering" to describe the convergence of precise engineering and execution with the imagination and "magic" that makes the company one of the world's cultural icons.

SCPro certification: the path to leadership
Even though today's supply chain talent may be better educated than previous generations, they still need to gain experience in the depth and breadth of logistics and supply chain management in order to become high-impact leaders.

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Forward Thinking

Supply chain education for salespeople

A new course offered by a U.K.-based consulting firm teaches sales representatives to consider the cost consequences before they make delivery promises.

Tired of sales representatives making promises to customers that end up raising your logistics costs? A British logistics consulting firm is offering in-house seminars that are designed to make salespeople more aware of the financial impact of their promises to customers. The firm Davies & Robson says that its new, two-day course is designed to help companies improve their bottom line by teaching sales staff how to avoid adding cost and complexity to the supply chain.

"A problem for many companies is that, in recent years, they have tried to use fast delivery times and no minimum order size to try and gain a competitive advantage," said Brian Templar, chairman of Davies and Robson. "In too many cases, this has increased distribution costs without either increased sales or increased margins."

The course offers tips on what actions the sales force can take to keep customers happy without increasing distribution costs. "In the face of falling sales and increased price competition, companies are now having to consider how they can reduce supply chain costs," said Templar. "Sales people have an important role to play in changing the delivery requirement so as to have a minimum impact on the customer but to the considerable benefit of the supplier."

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