by Jon Schreibfeder | Feb 3, 1999 | Forecasting
A demand forecast (also referred to as a usage rate) is a prediction of the amount of each product that will be sold, transferred, used in an assembly, or otherwise consumed in the future. It’s easy to see that inaccurate forecasts can cause major problems for...
by Jon Schreibfeder | Feb 3, 1999 | General
Imagine one day picking up your local paper and finding that the front page story is about one of your largest customers filing bankruptcy. Overnight you go from a feeling of security and prosperity to one of fighting for survival. This very scenario recently happened...
by Jon Schreibfeder | Feb 2, 1999 | Purchasing
Many vendors offer to pay freight charges if an order exceeds a certain minimum requirement. Many buyers are “brainwashed” into thinking that they must always place an order that meets the free-freight minimum, even if it means bringing more inventory than...
by Jon Schreibfeder | Feb 2, 1999 | General
Through the end of the 1980’s, most software packages for distributors placed an emphasis on sales and accounting related modules. In the early 1990’s, many distributors recognized that they needed help controlling and managing their largest asset, inventory. In...
by Jon Schreibfeder | Feb 1, 1999 | General
You’ve probably heard that electronic commerce (that is, sending information directly from computer to computer) can increase your company’s sales and lower its costs. Indeed, you have probably been overwhelmed by advertisements, written in...
by Jon Schreibfeder | Feb 1, 1999 | Analysis
Your customers often don’t know what material they’re going to need before they actually need it. As a distributor you stock material to fulfill these immediate requirements. How well your inventory provides what your customers want will, to a great degree, determines...
by Jon Schreibfeder | Feb 1, 1998 | Warehousing
As you probably know by now, technology is expensive. Very expensive! And you’ve probably had the frustrating experience of investing in some new electronic gadget and not receiving the benefit you anticipated or were promised. Many people disagree with me, but I...
