Systems Selection

Systems Selection & Project Management
 

Having the right expert systems that are integrated with your ERP can lead too much improved data collection … inventory accuracy and visibility. There will be operational and financial performance improvements as well as improvements in customer service. In fact help you be a “best in class” company.  Managing inventory replenishment supported by S&OP, shipping and delivering orders on-time as well as managing transportation costs, and providing customers with timely delivery status are just some of the key benefits that timely and good data will provide.
 

There are at a minimum four key expert systems that need to be considered based upon your business requirements.  Here is an overview.

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• Order Management Systems (OMS): integrates functions of B2B, E-Commerce, other channels i.e. wholesale-retail, operationally for order fulfillment, customer service responses, inventory management and call-centers.  In many cases an Enterprise Wide System (ERP) existing or upgradable is better than an OMS when multi-channel functions are required.
   

• Warehouse Management Systems (WMS): can bring superior functionality that depending on the software selected may negate the need to replace an ERP and/or OMS.  WMS is a good fit for multi-channel companies of any size. Not only does WMS better manage your inbound flow, customer orders, inventory management including returns it supports warehouse activity functions from slotting to picking, bar codes, voice or other applications to conveyors to automation. A WMS can help with labor productivity management and packing orders for effective outbound shipping of orders. The software should be Cloud based for reliability, flexibility, safeguard of data and security.
   

• Transportation Management Systems: (TMS): replacing manual transportation management with a systems solution would most likely have major impact on the ability to manage transportation costs and execution effectiveness. There are many benefits such as speeding up and simplifying many tasks ranging from securing carrier rates, booking carriers, tracking shipments to shipment optimization and consolidations to automating recording freight cost history detail.
   

• Inventory Planning & Forecasting Systems: Having the right inventory in the right quantities in the right place at the right time is often more difficult then it appears to be on the surface.  Inventory has to be available by channel such as DTC, retail-eCommerce and wholesale. 
   

Inventory planning and forecasting are functions that have to be done correctly in order to ultimately satisfy customers and reduce overstocks.  Full disclosure and coordination between sales, operations and planners is a necessity. Manually performing these functions can be overwhelming, full of errors and slow. The right systems can enable your team to perform at a higher level, reduce inventory expense and help create more satisfied customers.

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TSC’s consulting role depends on Client needs and can range from Project Management to Oversight.  Our role is always collaborative. We can act as:
 

• Project Manager

• Advisor to your chief supply chain manger/officer

• Advisor to your CFO

• Advisor to your IT team

• In-house Team member

• Advisor to Perform Oversight for management
   

Typical Process Steps – will vary by type of system
 

• Appoint internal Project Manager, define and select consulting help

• Conduct internal and external needs assessment

• Develop initial budget and determine ROI requirement

• Define requirements for vendor evaluation

• Prepare RFP, manage overall vendor bid process such as - determine software functionality vs. required, analyze vendor bids and perform cost comparisons and review of implementation plan

• Arrange scripted demos, check references

• Negotiate final vendor costs (check for reopeners)

• Conduct vendor contract negotiations – terms and conditions

• Project management of implementation

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Contact us and let’s discuss your needs!