The people involved and the activities of a supply chain transform raw materials and other components into a finished product, which is ultimately delivered to the customer. However, it is important to note that companies, no matter how big they are in size, do not control the entire process of a supply chain. Companies reap profits only if their supply chain is well managed.

This means to plan, implement and monitor the everyday processes of a supply chain. It is actually to keep a track of availability of raw materials, their processing into finished products, and finally their distribution through the supply chain, if managed wisely, would bring laurels to the company and enhance its business, since it would then be able to provide a very high level of satisfaction to the customers.

In recent times, supply chains have become a little more complicated than before and their coordination is now undertaken by the high-level management of the company. Their verdict on the supply chain is final and employees are bound to adhere to their decisions to bring about efficiency in the supply chain.

Supply chains are managed on three different levels such as the operational, tactical, and strategy level. The operational level involves very short-term decisions, the tactical level is for medium-term decisions, and the strategic level is for long-term decisions.

The supply chain management system addresses certain problems such as management of the distributor network vis-a vis the quantities and the locations of people who take part in the processes of a supply chain.

Customers, suppliers, production facilities, warehouses, and distribution centers also take care of the strategies employed for distribution, the integration of systems and processes through supply chains to share significant information such as forecasts, transportation, and inventory.

The flow of supply chain management is bi-directional and SCM manages the movement of material, information, and finances of the supply chain. There are a number of supply chain procedures that are a vital part of the supply chain and these procedures are customer service management, product development and commercialization, distribution, and partnerships.

The above mentioned processes and activities involved in supply chains have made the supply and demand management processes much more simplified.

Gavin Keller owns and operates [http://www.supply-chain-link.com] Learn how to improve your business by managing your supply chain [http://www.supply-chain-link.com] effectively. Please visit [http://www.supply-chain-link.com] for more information.

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Supply Chain Management has become a very powerful technique as it increases the responsiveness to the changing business conditions and enhances the competitiveness of the organization. In today’s intense competition, and increasingly global economy, to survive and grow, organization must enhance their market responsiveness and become cost competitive. The supply Chain framework is a method of breaking down the linked set of value creating activities from basic raw material/component supplier to the supply of the end product to customer/consumer.

A supply chain is a business process that links manufacturers, retailers, customers and suppliers in the form of a chain to, develop and deliver products as a single virtual organization of pooled skills and resources. Supply chain management is process of synchronizing the flow of physical goods and associated information from the production line of low level component suppliers to the end consumer, resulting in the provision of early notice of demand fluctuations and synchronization of business processes among all the co-operating organizations in this supply chain.

Definition:

Definitions from well-respected references have varied during the past decade. For example, Supply Chain Yearbook 2000 described SCM as, “A chain of processes that facilitates business activities between trading partners, from the purchase of raw goods and materials for manufacturing to delivery of a finished product to an end user.” APICS-The Performance Advantage, offered this definition in January 1999: “The global network used to deliver products and services from raw materials to end customers through an engineered flow of information, physical distribution and cash.”

This is a little change from the 1997 definition, Logistics Management offered, describing SCM as, “The delivery of enhanced customer and economic value through synchronized management of the flow of physical goods and associated information from sourcing to consumption.” The definition evolution continues as European Logistics Association, in 1995 suggested SCM was, “The organization, planning, control and execution of the goods flow from development and purchasing through production and distribution to the final customer in order to satisfy the requirements of the market at minimum cost and minimum capital use.”

One of the first to pinpoint an accurate description of SCM, International Journal of Logistics Management, in 1990, called it, “An integrative philosophy to manage the total flow of a distribution channel from the supplier to the ultimate user.”

Several themes appear consistent among most definitions of SCM:

o The scope extends from sources of supply to final customers

o In addition to products and services, information and financial flows are included

o The objective is to satisfy customer demand at the lowest possible cost

o A global and integrative approach is needed to manage the process

Cost Reduction & SCM

There are number of cost reduction techniques available for management to reduce cost which ranges from Man Power Reduction , Strict supervision , compromise with quality , Overtime work etc . But cost reduction at the cost of quality is mere waste strategy. SCM aims at cost reduction without affecting quality. SCM strategy is to reduce cost by eliminating all non value added activities in the flow of goods from Raw material supplier to End consumer. The Objective of SCM is to increase the competitive advantage of the channel as a whole. The means to accomplish this objective is through creating customer value superior to the competitot’s value offering and ,thus, to enhance customer satisfaction , either through improving efficiency (lower cost) or effectiveness (added values at the same cost).

Decisions in supply chain management:1

Decisions for supply chain management can be classified into two broad categories – strategic and operational. As the term implies, strategic decisions are made typically over a longer time horizon. These are closely linked to the corporate strategy and guide supply chain policies from a design perspective. On the other hand, operational decisions are short term, and focus on activities over a day-today basis. The effort in these types of decisions is to effectively and efficiently manage the product flow in the ” strategically” planned supply chain.

Four major decision areas on supply chain management are:

(1) Location

(2) Production

(3) Inventory

(4) Transportation (distribution)

And there are both strategic and operational elements in each of these decision areas.

Location decisions: The geographic placement of production facilities, stocking points, and sourcing points is the natural first step in creating a supply chain. The location of facilities involves a commitment of resources to a long-term plan. Once the size, number, and location of these are determined, so are the possible paths by which the product flows through to the final customer. Although location decisions are primarily strategic, they also have implications on an operational level.

Production decisions: The strategic decisions include what product to produce, and which plant to produce them in, allocation of suppliers to plants, plants to Distribution Channel’s(DC), and DC’s to customers markets. These decisions have a big impact on the revenues, costs and customers service level of the firm. These decisions include the construction of the master production schedules, scheduling production on machines, and equipment maintenance. Other considerations include workload balancing, and quality control measures at a production facility.

Inventory decisions: These refer to means by which inventories are managed. Inventories exist at every stage of the supply chain as either raw material, semi-finished or finished goods. They can also be in process between Locations. Their primary purpose to buffer against any uncertainty that might exist in the supply chain. Since holding of inventories can cost anywhere between 20 to 40 percent of their value, their efficient management is critical in supply chain operations. It is strategic in the sense that top management sets goals.

Transport decisions: The mode choice aspect of these decisions are the more strategic ones. These are closely linked to the inventory decisions, since the best choice of mode is often found by trading-off the cost of using the particular mode of transport with the indirect cost of inventory associated with that mode. Customer service levels, and geographic location play vital roles in such decisions. Since transportation is more than 30 percent of the logistics costs, operating efficiently makes good economic sense. Shipment sizes (consolidated bulk shipments versus Lot-for-Lot), routing and scheduling of equipment are key in effective management of the firm’s transport strategy.

Why Supply Chain.

The importance and need of SCM will increase in the future. Customers will demand faster, timelier delivery of orders. Manufacturing will expect greater knowledge of order requirements to better plan its operations and procurement processes. Similar expectations apply to external entities. This need for increased coordination among customers, suppliers and service providers dictates greater visibility and collaboration throughout the supply chain.

Dynamic business environment characterized with Time-based competition, Synchronization with other corporate functions, Service customized to specific markets and customers, Increased consolidation of suppliers and service providers, Further privatization and deregulation, Continued emphasis on outsourcing, Development of performance measures encompassing supply chain partners, Increased collaboration between supply chain partners, and Electronic commerce to enable communications throughout the supply chain will increase the need of of supply chain.

Evolution of Supply Chain Management:

Span of Responsibility

Earlier: The components of SCM traditionally were viewed as “functional silos” and typically included outbound transport-tation (i.e., customer delivery); field warehousing and finished goods inventory management.

Present: Today’s SCM executive generally has a much broader range of responsibilities. that the majority of these executives have respon-sibility for transportation, ware-housing, inventory management , customer service , purchasing / sourcing, demand planning, production planning/scheduling and international logistics.

2.Organizational Position:

Earlier: SCM traditionally was viewed as a cost center, adding little or no tangible value to bottom line results. Individuals responsible for SCM were typically at the manager level, reporting to directors or vice presidents responsible for operations, marketing or other functional areas.

Present: SCM executives are now well positioned. Executives in charge of marketing / sales, manufacturing and other departments are now generally peers rather than reporting officials. In recent survey it is observed that In U.S. companies, 52 percent of SCM executives report to an Executive Vice President or COO/CEO. In Asia, this percentage was slightly lower (48 percent); in Europe this percentage was only 31 percent.

3. Education and Training

Earlier: Historically, relatively few universities offered SCM education. In these institutions, the academicians who taught SCM coursework were usually housed within a larger department, e.g., Operations or Marketing. Some schools offered continuing education and seminars in SCM, but these forums generally focused on a specific aspect of SCM, such as carrier negotiations, inventory management techniques, warehousing and material handling systems and international trade

Present: Today, there are numerous, well-recognized universities–in the U.S. and abroad–offering degrees at all levels in the field of SCM. A recent CLM listing identified nearly 50 institutions with SCM-related curricula. Continuing education seminars and workshops with SCM themes abound.

4. Contributions to Corporate Performance

Earlier: Historically viewed as a cost center, SCM contributions at the corporate level were judged to be minimal. Since reporting systems focused on managing operational-level activities, any strategic value associated with SCM was difficult to quantify.

Present: Leading-edge manufacturers report SCM costs between 4 percent and 5 percent of sales, compared to the industry average of 7 percent to 10 percent Successful SCM can improve delivery performance by 25%, reduce inventory levels by as much as one-half and enhance overall productivity by at least 15 percent.

To conclude, In this dynamic market place, the equations are kept changing very fast with the leaders of yesterday being displaced by the fast-paced and agile new entrants. Intense competition, demanding customers, shrinking product life cycles, rapid advances in technology- all these factors are fast changing the competitive dynamics in global environment. This volatile business environment is making it harder than ever for marketers compete effectively. The traditional approaches are too slow to keep pace with the evolving global complexity. These developments are putting pressure on business community to look at the each and every components of business like procurement, logistics, marketing etc. Effective linking of functions of these processes puts companies in strategic position. Every link in SCM can add up to a competitive advantage. Time was when companies looked at their supply chains as a means of focusing on their own core competencies, of leveraging those of vendors, of lowering their costs, and of becoming more responsive to customers. Those goals won’t be swept away by the supply chain in the new millennium. But they will be superseded by a singly super-objective: competing on the basis of how well companies’ manage their supply-chain.

References:

1 An Introduction to Supply Chain Management by Ram Ganeshan and Terry P Harrison accessed athttp://lcm.csa.iisc.ernet.in/scm/supply_chain_intro.html

Author
Dr. Rakesh Ainapur
Education : M.Com., MBA(Finance), Ph.D (Supply Chain Management)
Experience : 15 Years
Area : Finance and ERP Consulting
Current Designation : AGM – Business Application
Organization : JSoft Solutions – JSW Group Company.

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Be cautious about the lowest quotes. Sometimes you will get a low quote that is not yet attached to a carrier. Once you dismiss all the other quotes, you will start to hear about additional charges that make that lowest quote the most expensive one. If a quote is way below all of the others, be careful.

Use resources such as the internet, friends and co-workers and the Better Business Bureau to check out any company you are considering hiring to move your vehicle.

Make sure that any brokers you deal with are bonded and that any company you contract with is licensed and insured.

Once you are confident in the company you are choosing, book the order. Be sure that you get either an e-mail or a fax confirmation. Read all the paperwork or e-mails that the company sends you before signing the contract. Also, do not forget that an electronic signature is just as binding as a virtual signature.

You will need to prepare your vehicle for the transport. That will include removing personal or valuable items from the car. Do not pack things that need to be moved in the car as they are not allowed. The gas tank should be below 1/4 tank. This lowers the weight of the load the truck must pull and increased the fuel efficiency. If you wash your vehicle before pickup so that its condition can be seen when picked up.

The carrier should inspect your vehicle at the time of pickup. Any damage to the vehicle will be noted and you will be asked to sign the inspection form. Keep the copy that the carrier gives you until you pickup your vehicle.

Once your vehicle has been delivered, you will perform an inspection to be sure that it is in the same condition as when it was picked up. Take your time with this inspection, because once you have signed this form, you will not be able to make any further claims about damage to the vehicle. If there are additional damages, the carrier needs to sign the form and you need to get a copy of the form.

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The Great Import Plan

This is a refrain I’ve heard over and over again and while there is some truth in it, you can make money being an importer, there is a certain amount of naiveté in the plan. First of all, most people don’t take into account the shipping costs, tariffs and insurance involved – though some do sneak through customs with suitcases brimming. But the biggest flaw in the Great Import Plan is distribution. Canada is a vast but sparsely populated country. In order to sell necklaces, or whatever, you need some method of getting it to the people of Lunenburg at one end and Nanaimo at the other. Even if you are only targeting your local market, you need exposure to lots of customers to make the venture profitable. Do you open a retail store? Hit the Farmer’s Market? Find a distributor?

Before I go on, I bet you’re thinking, “I thought this article was all about exporting?” Well, it is. This little scenario is exactly the same dilemma facing exporters – getting your product to the people that need it and will buy it.

After in-depth market research you may be 110% convinced that everyone in Italy will be clamoring for your product and you may have it all figured out with respect to shipping but the big question is, how do you get it into the hands of your customers? Open a retail store? Sell in local markets? Find a distributor?

Finding an effective market entry method that meets your needs is probably one of the most important and time consuming methods of exporting, yet, in my opinion, it is one that companies concern themselves with the least. I’ve seen companies make mistakes in foreign countries equivalent to giving a mom and pop shop in Flin Flon, Manitoba exclusive, nationwide distribution rights to sell African jewelry. Sure, they might sell a few pieces but it’s not likely they are going to penetrate major urban centers. And as far as I can tell, the only reason companies make this error is because they are lazy in conducting their their due diligence.

Star qualities of a distributor

So don’t sign an agreement with the first person to approach you (I call it “accidental exporting” and there are a lot of unscrupulous people out there that do just that – then never deliver, waiting to be bought out of a contract). Be active in finding a distributor that meets your needs and avoid the temptation to sign an agreement with a distributor merely because they are the biggest, most persistent or super-enthusiastic. At a minimum, consider these qualities when evaluating a distributor:

- Proven track record in a similar line, but no conflicts of interest with competing products.

- Mix of product lines that complement your product. Check to ensure that they actually do represent those products.

- Established distribution networks and strong contacts with key buyers. You may have to appoint several distributors in a country like Italy where business is done regionally and there is little consolidation.

- Solid financial history (be sure to do a credit check) and sufficient cash flow in order to extend credit to customers, as well as a willingness to invest in your line.

- Appropriate staff (in terms of numbers but also marketing savvy) to promote your product.

- Storage facilities, showrooms, shops, service workshops and after-sales service as required by your product.

- Knowledge of local import procedures and regulations.

- References from other suppliers and customers.

- Personal rapport – and this may end up being the most important factor in your success!

Finding a distributor

Finding a distributor that meets all of your criteria can be difficult. I suggest that you interview at least five potential partners (preferably in-person) before you appoint a distributor. Unfortunately, there is no one way of finding an overseas partner and it is a time consuming process. Many companies have good luck approaching the Canadian Trade Commissioner service in their target market, though results can vary from country to country and I always caution that this should be only one source of information. Other options include chambers of commerce, asking for referrals from other Canadian exporters, checking with your end customer to see who their distributors are, trade associations and trade shows. Also, your local library (the Business Link in Edmonton is an excellent resource) will have books such as “The International Directory of Agents, Distributors and Wholesalers.”

Show me the money!

It’s not always possible to sign-on with the largest distributor in a country. Sometimes it is necessary to work with a smaller partner, with the agreement that they will grow as your company grows. It’s like the movie “Jerry Maguire” when Cuba Gooding Jr.’s character, Rod Tidwell, signs on with Tom Cruise’s agency, even when no one else would take the chance. By the end of the movie, when Tidwell’s football fortunes were rising, so were Jerry’s – they grew together. Plus, Jerry was able to devote all of his time to Rod. Wouldn’t that be great for your product?

The important thing is to have a systematic method of evaluating each prospect. At a minimum you should prepare a detailed questionnaire that addresses all of the issues I identified above. Companies that take the time to fill it out will be serious. You would be amazed at what a great filtering tool this is and it will help you to more objectively evaluate prospective distributors.

Bronze medal success

As for the Masters Games, I’m happy to report that my basketball team won the bronze medal in our category. I’m in the front row, center, looking a little goofy (there were a lot of people taking photos, it was hard to know where to look). It was a true international event (we had an Aussie on our team) with over 5,000 of 21,000 athletes from outside of Canada, proving that sport is a common unifier regardless of citizenship, language, religion or political beliefs. It was so much fun, we’re thinking of going to Sydney in 2009!

Copyright© 2005.

Cheryl Lockhart of International Strategies Ltd. assists small- to medium-sized Canadian and foreign enterprises navigate the complexities of global business development. Services include international project identification and management, market research and analysis and foreign partner development.

To learn more about exporting and gain access to more FREE e-zines, visit her web site http://www.intl-strategies.com

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Most of the profit comes from the time it takes for a product has been completely made and when that same product is in the hands of the consumer. The shorter this process is, the more money you make. On the contrary, the same goes for the opposite; the longer this takes, the less profit there is. In order to coordinate these freight transportation services, you need to concentrate on logistics in order to create a logical plan of action. If your company is substantial enough, you can assemble a logistics team to watch over this process. In all, the full logistics plan for freight transportation will include moving the inventory from the company to the freight transportation company, and from the freights to the consumer, or ending client. In order to keep this process coordinated, a database system will needed in order to watch over all of the inventory, inventory levels will need to be checked on to be aware of surplus or shortage, and noticing the cost and finding the most cost-efficient method for storing and transporting goods. All parts of this process must be carefully controlled.

To find the best freight transportation services for your company’s money is another responsibility for a logistics team. The team must obtain crucial freight rate quotes and look to keep them extremely low. Since the deregulation of the truck industry by the government, management has generally been made much simpler. Communication errors have been reduced thanks to improvements in technology in tracking and general communication.

The last main responsibility for freight transportation services is to ensure transportation times are accurate. Trust is important to companies as far as accurate shipment times go. While organization is a key factor, quick shipment ability is just as important. Accurate prediction due to improved highways and interstates now exists, resulting in a better service experience for the consumer and your company, as well as the freight transportation company.

By: Robert Dauvghny

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In the end, customer satisfaction is just as critical to your company’s freight transportation services as lowering costs is. Focusing on finding the balance will result in more customers and, accordingly, more profit in the long haul. Calculating delivery estimates and shipping cost estimates accurately will improve customer service quality and give more returning customers. For these reasons, Freight Transportation Jobs are of the most important jobs in this economy today.

When looking for a company that can provide an efficient freight forwarding logistics program, here are key attributes to look for.

•Multi-modal transportation—Cargo shipping isn’t a one-size-fits-all operation. It’s important that the shipping company you work with offers multiple options for getting your goods to their destination. Multi-modal transportation is a key part of effective forwarding logistics as it allows shippers to choose the most cost-effective and reliable method for delivering their goods. The best shipping companies offer options for shipping by air, sea, and land. The mode of transportation you choose depends on the type of goods being shipped, your required date of delivery, the shipment destination, and your budget.

• Document preparation—Completing the required documentation is another important part of the cargo shipping process. While it’s the shipper’s responsibility to complete the necessary documentation, many shipping companies offer assistance in this sometimes complicated process. This ensures all documentation is properly completed the first time, saving everyone time and streamlining the shipping process.

• Cargo insurance and claims—The shipping company you work with should offer the option to purchase cargo insurance on any shipment you send. While rare, the simple truth is accidents do occur from time to time during transport, causing damage to shipments. Cargo insurance makes certain you’re fully covered financially should anything happen to your package. The best shipping companies have a smooth insurance and claims process that eliminates hassle and keeps customers satisfied.

• Customs brokerage and clearance—Another crucial forwarding logistics service to look for is customs brokerage and clearance. Any time you send a shipment to an international destination, your goods have to pass through customs. Without proper guidance, this can be a time-consuming, costly process. The most experienced shipping companies have established relationships with customs brokers throughout the world, helping your packages clear customs as quickly as possible.

• Loading and unloading—Whether you’re shipping a car or kitchenware, it’s important to know that the team at the warehouse is properly trained in best practices for loading and unloading all different types of shipments. A good shipping company has company approved loading and unloading procedures outlined in their forwarding logistics program. This minimizes the risk of damage, helping your shipment reach its final destination quickly and safely.

• Tracking—Today’s shipping companies offer 24/7 real-time shipment tracking online. This allows shippers to simply logon to the company’s website, enter their unique tracking number, and see exactly where their shipment is at all times.

A shipping company is only as good as its forwarding logistics program. Make sure the cargo shipping provider you choose has a sound plan in place that minimizes errors and ensures maximum satisfaction.

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For the most part, supply chain metrics actually include fill rate, cycle time, inventory turns, and DPMO*. These forms of measures are actually used to monitor the supply chain’s very performance. Furthermore, these measures can also assist you in fully understanding the operations of your company for a certain period of time.

* DPMO: Defects Per Million Opportunities: The number of defects in every million opportunities. By taking into account opportunities for defects, and not just defects, we can compare processes of differing complexity.

There are also other supply chain metrics that are worth mentioning, and these include customer service, inventory, production, procurement, distribution, warehousing, and transportation. All of these aspects comprise what is known as logistics operations. To ensure success in this aspect, you have to understand that companies should go beyond being successful in just one particular area of the whole supply chain. The nature of supply chain in logistics can be very volatile. Thus, for the logistics supply chain to be sustainable, each and every key area has to be measured accurately.

It is also very important to keep track of your metrics so that you can efficiently monitor company performance during a certain time period. The benefits of doing such can give you apt guidance for the purpose of supply chain optimization. When you track these metrics, you can then spot any sort of problem, especially in the management area. You can even do this before the problem manifests itself. What’s more, your performance can then be compared with that of other companies via industry benchmarking.

Supply chain metrics and logistics KPI may be the ideal solutions when you want to determine the weak points that your company should improve on. However, these are not final steps in the process for you would still need to implement the appropriate corrective actions to deal with these weak points. With the adoption and implementation of these corrective actions, the logistics measures of your company will indeed enjoy significant improvement.

Another important thing you have to remember about logistics KPI and supply chain metrics is the fact that they can vary from one company to another. These forms of measures are developed in accordance with the company’s goals and objectives. And there virtually are no two companies that have the same sets of goals and objectives. Thus, the logistics KPI and supply chain metrics that they have implemented in their system would understandably differ as well. So, what can you do to effectively choose relevant metrics to use for your company? First of all, you should understand the logic behind metrics. Understand the very essence of their existence. Secondly, you should also understand just how all of these metrics work. Determine the factors that keep these metrics in motion so that you can understand where your results are coming from. Thirdly, identify the weak points in all the processes your company undergoes. From these weak areas, you can then incorporate goals and objectives to effectively handle these areas that need improvement. The corrective actions can then be implemented, and the results can be duly monitored.

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In a distribution chain, when a product leaves the manufacturing site, it goes to the wholesaler who then takes it to the retailer who finally distributes it to the end users. Sometimes the product can go directly to the retailers, thus bypassing the wholesalers.

Product distribution can also encompass the movement of services for instance in the hospitality industry where hotels can rent their rooms to travel agents, airliners, or tour operators. There are a number of ways an entrepreneur can distribute his/her products and services in the market.

An entrepreneur can either use direct method where one takes his product directly to his customers using his distribution office. For instance taking the product from door to door, or opening a retail stall where the customers can come and buy the product directly.

An entrepreneur can also use the indirect methods where he/she can use middleman like wholesalers and larger distributors. In this method the entrepreneur sells the product in large quantities to the middlemen, who then ‘breaks bulky’, meaning that they sell the product in small quantities to retailers who also sell the same product in even smaller quantities depending on the end user preference.

Many entrepreneurs use a multi-channel approach in distributing their products. They may use middlemen like agents, distributors, franchised chain stores and wholesalers while at the same time distributing using their own offices that are set to specifically sell directly to wholesalers and even sometimes to retailers.

Besides the traditional methods of product distribution, e-commerce is emerging as one of the modern and most effective way of distributing a product to loyal customers over a wide area, in most across the borders. E-commerce has become a popular trend that is posting excellent development prospects for international manufacturers.

Delivering a product to the market is one of the best ways to retain loyal customers in the increasingly competitive market. Distributing the right product to the right clients at the right time and place without any detail or damage allows an entrepreneur to get ahead of the competition with ease without necessarily investing extra money in making the product more competitive.

Most companies consider the product distribution as a noncore business. For them, the money invested in creating a product distribution department can be used in other areas in the manufacturing process. Such companies have now embraced the idea of outsourcing product distribution companies to carry out the distribution programme on their behalf.

Outsourcing enables companies to cut the operational cost because the money they could have invested in creating distribution departments and other overheads can be used in strengthening the core business of company.

Most outsourcing companies provide many other critical services in the product distribution chain like providing warehouses, distribution networks and transportation. These companies offer customized services that fits well to what a company needs so as to take the product to the market in a cost effective way while preserving the quality.

Ryan Fyfe is the CEO of http://www.shiftplanning.com/ – An intuitive and free online employee scheduling tool for businesses of all sizes in all industries.

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