A business’s supply chain needs to be as efficient as possible in order for the company to evolve and compete in today’s market. Consumer expectations are higher than they’ve ever been thanks to the likes of Amazon and the expectations they’ve set for online purchasing and home delivery. The rise of online buying has created a knock-on effect that means SMEs need to painstakingly assess and monitor their supply chain to ensure their products are being brought to the market with speed and efficiency in mind.
There are different strategies involved in making a supply chain more efficient, from implementing technologies designed to streamline the process to simply increasing awareness in managers through training. Here are a few ways SMEs can create a more efficient supply chain in their business.
Increase Visibility
Visibility refers to knowing where everything is in each step of the supply chain at any point in time. This information is essential as it gives rise to actions that can be taken. It allows a company to track each component of a product as it moves from the suppliers to your warehouse to the customer.
Making the logistics of your business more visible to your workforce and clients can create opportunities for innovation. The more people can see, the more they know, and this knowledge can improve performance. Take shippers for example, if they have insight into the likes of arrival dates, delivery performance and inventory, they will be able to moderate lead-time, mitigate risk and reduce costs.
Technology can improve your business’s visibility. With trackers, sensors and automation working in tandem, real-time data can be easily accessed. This near-instant flow of information about the location and state of goods creates a high level of visibility, improving efficiency.
Go Mobile
Gone are the days when people needed to be tethered by wires. Everything from scanners to computers can be entirely mobile. Drive efficiency and productivity with mobile communication in your warehouse or factory. You and your team can access stock control software, data and internal documents all from a handheld device from anywhere within your company.
At GSM Barcoding, we have everything from handheld computers, wearable computers, handheld RFID computers, vehicle mounted terminals and industrial tablets all designed to make your supply chain quicker, more efficient and streamlined.
Implement Barcodes
Barcode tracking is by far the most useful and efficient way to track stock within the supply chain. When raw goods arrive at a warehouse, barcode labels can be created, printed and attached to the goods to begin tracking its movements. Barcodes contain all the information needed to identify a product, including the date it was produced and its batch number, making any future recalls as quick and easy as possible.
With barcodes, stock can be easily tracked and monitored within the supply chain. Combined with a mobile barcode scanner, everyone with access to the tracking software will be able to identify any item of stock and know where it is within the supply chain. This kind of stock control system virtually eliminates the margin of error and creates a more streamlined process overall.
Use the Data
Thanks to your newly implemented barcode system, you will have access to data you’ve never been able to see so clearly before. Decision making for your supply chain strategy depends on this data and information. These real-time reports will be available to you at all times, and they will provide valuable insight into how your supply chain operates and how it can be improved. Using this data, you will be better equipped to make business decisions and take advantage of new opportunities and trends within the market.
At GSM Barcoding, we can design and supply barcode labels in various sizes and substrates to meet your exact requirements. Digitally printed with sequential numbers of your choosing or part-printed, our stickers are available via rolls or sheets – when and where you need them. Our team of experts have been helping organisations with barcode labels for over 40 years and have experience in designing and printing labels from some of the largest multinationals in the UK. Contact one of our barcode label experts today to find out more about any of our asset tracking solutions.
