When the question “Where is the product now?” circulates in a company or important information from the supply chain is lost in emails and various Excel lists so that internal processes can no longer be superimposed, then a company should consider introducing a SCM system. But that won’t happen overnight. Even with simple installations and clearly defined processes, this takes several months. And a few homework tasks have to be done before the start. No matter whether fashion manufacturer, electronics dealer or automotive supplier, the following 5 questions should generally be clarified before the project starts:
How is the current process mapped?
How does the goods get from A to B – and which service provider does what?
How is product quality assured and tested?
How are suppliers and producers included in the system?
How are improvement potentials identified and implemented?
Once these questions have been answered, all parties involved should be equally informed about previous processes and only then can the introduction of a SCM system suitable for the company be started.