The Brief – August 2021

Transparent Cost-to-Serve Customer Relationships (TCR)—Part Two: The Journey to TCR

Steps to Achieving Transparent Cost-to-Serve Customer Relationships

By Bill McBeath

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

With Transparent Cost-to-serve Customer Relationships (TCR), the salesperson has full visibility into the cost-to-serve implications of the customers’ requests, such as requests for short-supply items, special services, custom pack sizes, specific delivery dates, and frequent small quantity orders. Here we examine a potential path to achieving TCR. [ Read: Transparent Cost-to-Serve Customer Relationships (TCR)—Part Two: The Journey to TCR ]

AI for Supply Chain: Use Cases — Part Three

Rethinking AI Results

This article describes a ‘rethinking of AI’, looking at data first, establishing a hierarchy of data stores, ‘best fit’ capabilities, and reducing nervousness in supply chain decision making. [ Read: AI for Supply Chain: Use Cases — Part Three ]

Supply Chain Orchestration — Part Three

Multi-Tier Procurement

A major automotive OEM buys steel for its entire supply base. In the process, it has been able to rationalize the materials specifications for all of that steel, resulting in consolidated spend, more efficient use of inventory, and more flexibility. [ Read: Supply Chain Orchestration — Part Three ]

Agile Demand-Supply Alignment — Part 2G

Evaluating Potential Solutions

We discuss an approach to evaluating potential Agile Demand-Supply Alignment solutions, including discovering, shortlisting, and selection processes. [ Read: Agile Demand-Supply Alignment — Part 2G ]