On-Line marketers deploying real-time BI technology

Real-time BI problems typically rely on data that is more granular than that added to a data warehouse and require a response in minutes or seconds rather than the hours or days it takes to ‘Extract Transform and Load’ a traditional data warehouse. Recent publications from e-commerce analysts JupiterResearch have suggested that ‘short cycle’ responses to consumers’ on-line activities can deliver very substantial improvements in the sales performance, “quick actions based on online customer behavior can generate 18 times more lift and 9 times more revenue than traditional batch-based segmentation techniques.” This on-line marketing response challenge clearly fits in the ‘real-time BI domain’ definition...

Analysts recognizing the value of a 'Manufacturing Aware' Warehouse Management System

Steve Banker, director of supply chain management at ARC Advisory Group, was quoted in a recent article of SDC Exec, "The implementation of a warehouse management system built from a manufacturer's perspective offers a differentiated approach to extend lean initiatives into the warehouse...best-in-class manufacturers [have] business processes spanning production and material flows add[ing] a new level of performance improvement, driving further waste from already lean processes." The article also quoted Apriso customer Rustam Sanaev, IT Operations manager at British American Tobacco...

Who says Wal*Mart isn’t getting value from its RFID program?

Those who have branded Wal*Mart’s RFID efforts a failure should have a look at the dynamics unfolding between the retailer and CHEP, the company that has been managing the flows of an estimated 50% of the pallets flowing into their stores and warehouses. According to an article in Supply Chain Review, shares in CHEP’s parent company Brambles lost some $1.4 billion in value on rumours that Wal*Mart was reviewing its distribution strategies. From Strobe’s perspective, it does not take much detective work to connect the review of pallet flow logistics contracts to the fact that Wal*Mart expects to have the data to be able to...

Risk management consultancy highlights critical need for better Supply Chain management

Supply chain blog SupplyChainer.com has brought some stunning statistics to our attention from a study by Marsh Group, a large corporate risk management consulting firm. The study claims that of 110 risk managers at major multinational companies, 73% believe that supply chain-related risks to their business performance have increased since 2005, while none of the group polled were willing to say that their companies are ‘highly effective at supply chain risk management’. From Strobe’s perspective, the incorporation of a risk-based perspective into supply chain management is long overdue, for the simple reason that...

Consumer survey indicates growing demand for distance shopping logistics solutions

A survey by UK based pollster YouGov indicates that 67% of consumers would buy more from on-line retailers were there a convenient way to return merchandise. In an article in Manufacturing and Logistics IT, the author critiques the suggeston of in-store solution, “You could possibly have a secure drop off zone in stores for depositing pre-packaged online returns. Although this would be great for the customer, it’s not as attractive for a retailer paying premium rents." From Strobe's perspective, the best balance of economics and service is achieved by consolidating the last-mile delivery and collection points in a network of locations convenient to where people live...

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