Rogers and Hammerstein had the right idea as we get to know each other and what we want out of participating in Vendor-Tech.
2.
"Staple Yourself
to an Order"
As important as great product is, getting the customer what they ordered when
they want it is just as important. When
was the last time you followed an order through your operation from fax machine
to shipping?
3.
Who Is Doing
What On The Web?
Who is developing your website? Who
maintains the content? Do you take
orders via the web? Sell to
consumers? Who is hosting your
website? How do you manage 1,000 or more
items on a website? This is a chance to
see what is being done by your peers on the web.
4.
Logistics
Do you use UPS, FedEx or DHL? What rates
are you paying? Do you fill your orders
in house? Have you looked at outsourcing
your fulfillment?
5.
PC's
Where do you get your PCs? How do you
support them? What kind of network (if
any) are you running? What kind of training do you provide your employees? How often do you (or should you) replace your
PCs? Can old PCs be put to some use?
6.
Debits and
Credits
What accounting system are you running?
What features work well for you?
What isn't working the way you want?
How big does the pain have to be to switch to a new accounting system? Can some functions be hung on the outside of
the existing system?
7.
Order Cycle
Best Practices
What gets entered, what gets written on the paperwork? Is there any method to your part numbering
madness? Are they easy to enter into
your system? Do they cause errors? What do you print? When do you print it? Can you go paperless? How do you handle backorders? Are your inventory levels "right?"
8.
Web Based
Customer Service
FedEx saves 20,000 customer service people with their web package
tracking. How many calls from customers
and reps do you take just checking on inventory, order status and
delivery? Cisco added an option for
customer to print copies of invoices-they saved 3,000 calls a month at $200 per
call. It's been said the best service is self
service, and its available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
9.
EDI
In an ideal world, data would only be entered once. It would pass seamlessly from customer to
vendor to supplier and back. Do you do
EDI? Is it real EDI or do you operate the world's most expensive fax machine
alternative? Orders from customers and
reps, invoices back to reps, advance ship notices from your suppliers, what is
everyone doing and how integrated is it?
10.
Black and White
(and read all over)
Bar codes can simplify data entry. Most
mid and mass retailers require UPC's. Do
you verify the codes you have are readable?
What else can you do to make your operations more efficient using bar
codes and bar code readers?
11.
Credit
How do you decide who to give credit to?
Are you a member of a credit cooperative? How else do you avoid holding the bag?
12.
Taming the Paper
Tiger
Filing systems. Does it make sense to go
"paperless?" Is it even possible? How do you organize a paperless system?
13.
Telecommunications
Who provides your local and long distance service? How many phone lines do you have (and are you
paying for lines that don't go anywhere)?
Have you looked at, or are you using, Voice Over IP? What about Skype? Who are you using for internet access?
14.
Training
How do you train your sales representatives? How about customers? Do you walk customer stores, unannounced, to
see how they are merchandising your product (and your competition's)? Do you have processes in place to share best
practices between reps or customers?