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Editor's Note: Today's blog is from our friend Robert Everett. Robert Everett has over fifteen years of experience in data analytics, statistics, cybernetics and, among the others, supply chain domain. He is also a researcher and a freelance writer at EduBirdie, providing his expertise in logistics and business analysis knowledge areas.
The latest news from the world of high technologies: Microsoft is going to store data as DNA. The data science is gaining popularity together with the tremendous growth of information, generated in the world. Investors are spending more money on the neural networks. Humanity is few more steps closer to the creation of an artificial intellect. However, at least for two more generations people, not the machines, will play a key role in ruling in general and management in particular. In this article, I propose to have a look at several logistic skills that, besides the specific knowledge in this area, will help to maximize the logistics effectiveness.
Integrity
Integrity, in general, means fairness. It is when an employee can honestly share his real views and thoughts regarding the problem or operational issue with all the performers involved in the logistics process. It looks very uncomplicated. But in today’s variable business sector the decision makers are oriented on profit or on keeping the leading position in the enterprise at any cost. Spheres like logistics involve numerous stakeholders and many-sided activities. The lost focus on integrity might be unnoticeable at first. Sugar-coated reports, part-truth about certain capabilities or consolidation of vendors to bypass regulations may integrate with the company’s culture. The consequences are usually far-reaching. When employees are trained to communicate with clients and team members without reserves, to avoid conflicts between professional activity and personal attitude, demonstrate professionalism in oppressive situations, this is integrity that leads to supply chain efficiency.
2. Quality-focused
Quality is key to logistics effectiveness. Be ready to rationalize the process of Six Sigma within your organization. With this approach, the supply chain focuses on outputs that are crucial for the end customer and identifies failures and their roots in the business processes. With an application of statistical methods, the causes of errors are reduced or are eliminated. The tools and techniques of Six Sigma put team’s heads together and stimulate innovation.
Focus on quality is not a bureaucracy. It for sure requires some degree of self-organization and discipline, but it also creates a perfect ground for resourcefulness and innovation. With the correct application of Six Sigma, an enterprise shall not forfeit modernization to maintain high quality.
3. Process improvement
Stability shall not result in stagnation. The constant augmentation of company’s processes is one of the vital skills of business logistics management.
The time of a logistics cycle can always be shortened. To be able to develop and grow, the manager should be able to visualize the operational system and working business processes. This will help to recognize the weak points, main reasons for quality gaps, quantify the uncountable issues. Also to find the room for improvement. There are numerous tools in place to assist in diagnosing the logistics problems and solutions found. In order to make the improvement process a constant activity and in order to fix the achievements from development, your team must adopt the representative metrics, key performance indicators, and benchmarking items.
4.IT and technology literacy
Of course, it is not an absolute must among the logistics skills to have a basic knowledge about IT or technology-specific area to be good at supply chain domain. However, I lie in case I would deny that every management-oriented occupation today does require the minimum comprehension of IT. Today the technology is able to intensify the operational logistics effectiveness.
To be able to work with information, to find the patterns of functioning and in order to implement settlements based on the obtained information, the data should be stored in a standardized way. A Management information system is usually in place in every organizations or firm. This does not signify that you should be a wise-head in technology, it is more about using your analytical capabilities to secure the operations are running flatly.
5. Constant learning capability
The reality is being changed very fast, so people are sharing their knowledge and experience as well as are providing their gains as the open source. An individual who rules this information is the most advantageous one.
The constant learning also implies the gathering of feedback from customers, co-workers, and supervisors. A self-assessment is fine, but can often lead to the exhilarated depiction of a logistics expert. Several techniques in this relation were already developed for you, for example, a 380-degree survey.
The unpleasant or unexpected things may happen, no one has an antidote. However, a smart person would transform the challenging issues into a good fortune to obtain the new knowledge and to enrich one’s experience.
Unceasing learning is more about a rationalism of logistics management. A person that spends efforts on constant learning and on having a clue on the recent news in the working-related area makes his or her decisions more effective and productive.
Business Integration For Maximizing Logistics Effectiveness
Generally speaking, the skills needed to be a successful logistic expert are being meshed up with any other skills of a productive worker. The business as a whole tends to become more social oriented. Not only the service and goods providers want to know their customers but also the users set their sights on who their vendors are. To be efficient means to undergo that changes occur already today and to be open to them.