The supply chain plays a fundamental role in the company. The process involves several steps ranging from sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, and freight transportation. In this sense, new technologies are highly relevant, because management software is used to improve efficiency.
The logistics process has acquired an important boom in recent times. The purpose is to avoid stock losses and have a more accurate forecast of internal and customer needs. Therefore, good management must be carried out to guarantee competitiveness.
Steps to plan the supply chain correctly
The demand forecast
At this point it is necessary to have a forecast and control of the products and the stock that is available in the warehouse, since it is essential not to have stock breaks. There are qualitative and quantitative techniques based on experience and mathematical models.
Plan production
It is very important to know how to deal with periods of high demand for products, as well as those of low demand. If we need a large number of items for a specific period, it will have to be produced or requested in advance.
Schedule sales
For this part it is necessary to adequately manage sales and the different operations. There are several points that must be studied such as demand, marketing, production, inventory and warehouse stock.
Merchandise storage
It is necessary to establish an optimal plan to distribute the products properly in the warehouse. There are certain items that are in higher demand, so they have to be within an easier reach compared to others that have a low turnover.
Freight transport
Freight transport has experienced a significant boom this year, returning to values similar to those prior to the COVID pandemic.
The main objective of companies is to meet delivery deadlines, in addition to making sure that the goods arrive in perfect condition and giving special importance to the optimization of shipments. Each company must apply the methodology that allows it to streamline these processes.
An efficient and fast transport network is key to carrying out strategic operations, although it is always sought to reduce costs in the supply chain, so good traceability is essential for good communication.
It is also true that the conflict in Ukraine, the rise in fuel prices and the upward trend in inflation present great uncertainty, so these drawbacks must be taken into account to be able to balance the accounts month by month without having losses.