How Refining Logistics Flows Can Help Optimize Costs
Stop for a moment and think about how your business runs. First and foremost, it is fueled by your products. But how are they made, and how do they reach the hands of customers? There are systems for everything, but the most important ones pertain to creating and delivering your offerings. These systems are called logistics and can help or hinder your business.
In logistics, there are a variety of concepts, theories, and practices that describe the functionality of a business. These processes are logistics flows, often depicted as flow charts that demonstrate organization. While we could dive into all the different types of logistics, precisely what each one manages, and so on, for today, we will be focusing on how refining logistics flows can help optimize costs, increase efficiency and increase your ROI.
#1 Review Consistent Errors
Catching expensive mistakes and correcting them is the first step in refining logistics. Where are the costly and time-consuming errors occurring, and how can you fix them? Whether it’s incorrect data, administrative errors, or labor-related issues, there are plenty of tools to help patch them up; the key is being diligent about finding a solution tailored to your business.
#2 Evaluate Vendors and Materials
When ordering resources for production, evaluate the location, shipment time, and unit cost associated with each vendor. There could easily be material that simply isn’t cost-effective in terms of delivery time or raw cost. Renegotiating contracts for pricing or lead time is a great way to save money and time. Checking to see if consolidating shipments can also reduce the number of orders needed for production and increases efficiency.
#3 Utilize Automation
We live in a world full of technologies that can decrease labor expenses and increase productivity, so why not use them? Automating specific processes makes sense for businesses looking to increase their ROI but be sure not to rely solely on automation for everything- sometimes outsourcing processes to 3PLs with a more robust network of resources is cheaper than keeping them in-house.
By implementing these practices into your logistics flow, you’ll be able to refine processes, weed out any unnecessary steps, and streamline your profits. If you need assistance, contact the experts at ABCO Logistics! From consulting to management, we can get your business the right tools for successful logistics.