As a business manager, owner or leader you may have toyed with the idea of hiring a Supply Chain Consultant (SCC). You may have asked yourself: “Do I really need the services of a Supply Chain Consultant (SCC)? What benefits would there be to hiring an SCC? Is the knowledge and experience of an SCC a value-add for my business?” Essentially, you’re asking: “What’s in it for my business?”
If any of these questions have come up, or even if you’ve never even given an SCC a thought, read further about just why your business needs the services of a Supply Chain Consultant.
When do I need a Supply Chain Consultant?
Supply Chain Consultants have the ability to help you not just simply manage your supply chain but to master it – resulting in an efficient supply chain with enhanced performance, increased profits and greater success. All of which, any business could do with immediately.
Supply Chain Consultants essentially assist with improving/upgrading/restructuring an existing supply chain, as well as offering so much more in the form of the best strategy, solution or plan of action for a significant change in the business, from mergers or new acquisitions to the launch of a new product or a change in business systems.
The cost of hiring a SCC to improve on your current supply chain or when it comes to major changes, such as those mentioned above, should be relatively insignificant when compared to the cost of getting things wrong.
5 Reasons you should hire a Supply Chain Consultant
- Solving problems – fast
Supply chain problems can be both difficult to identify and complex and most businesses do not have internal resources with enough spare capacity to work on solutions. An experienced supply chain consultant brings with them the ability to look at an issue from a totally impartial perspective and through a fresh, new lense. They can also scrutinise the overall process and identify and handle the most complex of problems faster than most internal team members, resulting in far more accurate and effective solutions and strategies.
- The right solution – saving time and money
Identifying a problem is just the first step in the process. Figuring out what the right solution is from a multitude of options is where the expertise of a Supply Chain Consultant is invaluable.
Incorrect or poor decisions and resultant delays translate into cost, and therefore hiring a SCC to develop and deliver the best solution is cost-effective and makes good business sense.
- Support – every step of the way
Coming up with the best solution or strategy is key, but the next step – implementation – is crucial. Having the support of an experienced Supply Chain Consultant during implementation is, in many cases, worth the consultant’s weight in gold.
- Balance and the crucial last mile
The last mile of the supply chain journey,that often neglected, yet crucial last step into the customer’s hands is often not the focus, nor the priority for most businesses. It’s a dangerous trap to fall into as a lack of focus on demand and customer needs can, with time, affect the overall outcome, and eventually hit the bottom line of your business hard. Hiring a SCC can help you to formulate a balanced strategy, which keeps all aspects of your operation optimised and in focus, with nothing falling by the wayside along the journey.
- The effect of change on other links in the chain
Any change in implementing solutions can have a cascading effect on other processes, departments, and partners. Identifying the impacts, and integrating these into the change, will avoid the ripple effect of the change, and how long it takes to settle before the benefits are achieved.
While hiring a SCC is not the quick, magic solution to your supply chain problems, it is without a doubt, a huge step in the right direction – toward greater success. With the number of SCC companies growing worldwide, there is an obvious demand for the service they provide.
The QWIX Supply Chain Consulting team has years of knowledge and experience, backed by a firm track record, and can help you to improve your supply chain process, plan for new expansions and make a real difference to your business. Contact Sean van Harmelen and the QWIX Supply Chain Consulting team and experience the “QWIX difference” today.
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