EDITOR’S NOTE: In December 2010, I wrote an article about one of Time Magazine’s picks for the Top Innovations in 2008 – Made-in-Transit Packaging. In my December 2019 post, Sorry, Charlie, there is something wrong with the world’s seafood supply chain I talked about consumer demand for tracking the seafood industry from source to plate.
I realize that the above examples focus on the food industry. However, over the weekend, I came across a LinkedIn post by EiKO about their Estimated Delivery Date feature that “provides real-time information” to customers regarding the delivery of their products. Even though we are talking about the delivery of appliances, electricals, and electronics versus food, the concept is the same – timely information showing customers where their order is in the delivery process. I obviously think what EiKO is doing regarding process visibility is great – kudos to the company for its progressive customer-centric thinking. The question I have is how many organizations have the same visibility in their Source-2-Customer (S2C) process before their product becomes an order for their customers?
Here is my comment on their post regarding at which point should end-to-end, source-customer visibility begin in the manufacturing process?
Forty years in high-tech and almost as long in procurement and supply chain, I have to ask, at what point does the tracking begin, e.g., when the order is placed?
I ask because this may sound like it’s coming out of the left field, but I think Uber Eats and Skip The Dishes. I know it is a ridiculously simple example, but the concept is the same (see image below).
In the Domino’s example, I can visually track my order from when it is received through the preparation, cooking, quality control, and delivery. It’s just pizza, but following the process in real time is great.
As a manufacturer, are you tracking from a pre-built inventory standpoint where it is picking, packing, loading, and on route? Or do you provide the tracking for custom-build orders?
In either instance, where are the potential bottlenecks? Is there a delay in receiving products from suppliers to complete the build? Is it picking and packaging?
Giving customers real-time visibility of the delivery process elevates the service level considerably.
What are your thoughts regarding at which point real-time customer tracking begins in the manufacturing process?
Procurement Insights
At which point should end-to-end (S2C) source-customer visibility begin in the manufacturing process?
Posted on November 21, 2023
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EDITOR’S NOTE: In December 2010, I wrote an article about one of Time Magazine’s picks for the Top Innovations in 2008 – Made-in-Transit Packaging. In my December 2019 post, Sorry, Charlie, there is something wrong with the world’s seafood supply chain I talked about consumer demand for tracking the seafood industry from source to plate.
I realize that the above examples focus on the food industry. However, over the weekend, I came across a LinkedIn post by EiKO about their Estimated Delivery Date feature that “provides real-time information” to customers regarding the delivery of their products. Even though we are talking about the delivery of appliances, electricals, and electronics versus food, the concept is the same – timely information showing customers where their order is in the delivery process. I obviously think what EiKO is doing regarding process visibility is great – kudos to the company for its progressive customer-centric thinking. The question I have is how many organizations have the same visibility in their Source-2-Customer (S2C) process before their product becomes an order for their customers?
Here is my comment on their post regarding at which point should end-to-end, source-customer visibility begin in the manufacturing process?
Forty years in high-tech and almost as long in procurement and supply chain, I have to ask, at what point does the tracking begin, e.g., when the order is placed?
I ask because this may sound like it’s coming out of the left field, but I think Uber Eats and Skip The Dishes. I know it is a ridiculously simple example, but the concept is the same (see image below).
In the Domino’s example, I can visually track my order from when it is received through the preparation, cooking, quality control, and delivery. It’s just pizza, but following the process in real time is great.
As a manufacturer, are you tracking from a pre-built inventory standpoint where it is picking, packing, loading, and on route? Or do you provide the tracking for custom-build orders?
In either instance, where are the potential bottlenecks? Is there a delay in receiving products from suppliers to complete the build? Is it picking and packaging?
Giving customers real-time visibility of the delivery process elevates the service level considerably.
What are your thoughts regarding at which point real-time customer tracking begins in the manufacturing process?
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