At the moment we are relying heavily on essential services and retail chains to keep supply open during the havoc which COVID-19 has thrust upon all of us, businesses alike are having to adapt and change existing distribution strategies and put systems in place to manage the distribution cycle efficiently and provide better control and visibility.
An incredible amount of focus has been on the resilience of the supply chain (medium to large supermarkets, pharmacies and essential services are undergoing immense scrutiny as COVID-19 and our actions to control this virus wear us down)— A substantial challenge globally which businesses are having to work around or adapt to is the disruption and impact COVID-19 is having on the distribution of products, retailers / suppliers are being forced to adapt and adjust their distribution strategies, now more than ever where the value of an integrated DSD (Direct Store Delivery) solution will provide businesses with the tools to manage supply strategies and continue to support the demand of their customers.
While the general trend at moment is for e-commerce, with this in mind, according to the U.S. Census Bureau e-commerce, sales in the US in 2019 only accounted for 11% of all retail sales, now imagine for one second we try and throw the other 89% at the existing model, consumers will receive their goods in 10 – 12 weeks if they are lucky, that is if businesses do not adapt to the changing landscape and look to invest in an integrated DSD solution.
There are a handful of strategies businesses can adopt to assist with countering these challenges:
- Look at how to consolidate shipments leaving the warehouse
- Having the ability to implement an agile delivery method to reach consumers
- Improve the packing or volume utilization of packaging
- Delivery Route management
- Provide a clean / clear process for the picking and distribution cycle
This is where a comprehensive DSD solution such as Orbis DSD Route Accounting & Planning can give the control back to the business and provide business owners with the visibility and essentially the peace of mind.
Orbis Direct Store Delivery (DSD) is a B2B process that distributors and manufacturers use to market, sell, and deliver consumer goods directly from their own warehouses to outlet stores. Sustaining and growing a DSD business needs a fully integrated ERP solution which also addresses specific DSD requirements.
Just a few of the benefits of the Orbis DSD solution are:
- Streamlined process flows and procedures to achieve faster and more accurate deliveries
- Reduction of costs associated with distribution
- Execution of picking is a dynamic yet simple and efficient process
- Simple process for receiving and payment procedures
- Enhanced return collection management and reduced collection issues
- Elimination of reconciliation paperwork
- Decreased driver and customer disputes and related chargebacks through better document management
- Staff can now provide customers with accurate delivery dates and times
- Reduced inventory loss with process visibility, accountability, and control of all cash and inventory transactions
Business as usual is no longer available to us, now more than ever businesses need to focus on exactly what their needs are in the new normal, particularly due to the fact that consumers expectations may change permanently once they have experienced the latest agile options provided by their preferred wholesalers or suppliers.
Contact us to see how we can help you streamline complex distribution processes, reduce response times, and cut costs – resulting in increased revenue and customer loyalty that ultimately keeps you one step ahead of the competition.
By Orbis – a range of fully integrated, certified, and customer validated Acumatica ISV solutions: https://www.orbiserp.com/about-us/.
