Sourcing Problem Solving Ability is Our Core Value

POSTED ON April 6, 2021

At Sourcing Captain, we employ techniques with the aim of coordinating all parts of supply chain from supplying raw materials to delivering and resumption of products. We always try to minimize total costs concerning existing conflicts among the chain partners; conflicts like the interrelation between the sale department desiring to have higher inventory levels to fulfill demands and the warehouse for which lower inventories are needed to reduce holding costs. so we say Sourcing Problem Solving Ability is Our Core Value.

We practice systematic, strategic coordination of traditional business functions and tactics across all business functions within our client’s company and across businesses within the supply chain, to improve the long-term performance of the individual companies and the supply chain as a whole.

Our services encompass the planning and management of all activities concerned with sourcing, procurement, and logistics management. We also coordinate and collaborate with channel partners, like suppliers, intermediaries, third-party service providers, or customers to provide product and service offerings that people in business call Extended Enterprise.

Our software also includes tools/modules for executing supply chain transactions, managing supplier relationships, and controlling associated business processes.

Sourcing Captain’s management team considers all possible events and factors that can disrupt a supply chain; possible scenarios are created and solutions are ultimately devised.

We also offer services like the collection of goods after consumer use for recycling.

Running a successful supply-chain management firm requires a change from managing individual functions to integrating activities into key supply-chain processes.

Our business-process integration involves collaborative work between buyers and suppliers, joint product development, common systems, and most importantly, shared information. We know from experience that operating an integrated supply chain requires a continuous information flow.

The key supply-chain processes we use in our approach are:

Customer service management process

We like to make it our concern to understand the relationship between an organization and its customers. At Sourcing Captain, we know Customer service is the source of customer information. It provides the customer with real-time information on scheduling and product availability through the provided interfaces with the company’s production and distribution operations. We employ the following steps in building customer relationships:

• Determine mutually satisfying goals for the organization and customers
• Establish and maintain customer rapport
• Induce positive feelings in the organization and the customers

Procurement process

Our team makes it a compulsory process to draw up with suppliers to support the manufacturing flow management process and the development of new products. In client’s firms with operations that extend globally, we manage their sourcing on a global basis. Our desired outcome is always a relationship where both parties (customer & supplier) benefit and a substantial decrease in the time required for the product’s design and development. The activities related to obtaining products and materials from outside suppliers are mostly resource planning, supply sourcing, negotiation, order placement, inbound transportation, storage, handling, and quality assurance. Many of these include the responsibility to synchronize with suppliers on matters of scheduling, inventory, hedging, and research into new programs. We acknowledge that procurement is a core source of value, driven largely by the ever-increasing trends to outsource products and services, and the changes in the global ecosystem requiring better relationships between both parties.

Product development and commercialization

We make sure that customers and suppliers are fully integrated into the product development process in order to reduce the market time. As product life cycles shorten, the appropriate products must be developed and successfully launched with ever-shorter time schedules in order for firms to remain competitive. Our team in charge of product development and commercialization process always ensure to coordinate with customer relationship management to identify customer-articulated needs; select materials and suppliers related to procurement; and develop production technology in manufacturing flow to manufacture and integrate into the best supply chain flow for the given combination of product and markets.

We practice ‘the integration of suppliers into the new product development process’ mostly because it is known to have a major impact on product target cost, quality, delivery, and market share.

Manufacturing flow management process

Our manufacturing team produces and supplies products to the distribution channels based on past forecasts. Our manufacturing processes are very flexible in order to respond to market changes and accommodate mass customization. We process orders by operating on a just-in-time basis in minimum lot sizes. We understand that changes in the manufacturing flow process lead to shorter cycle times, which translates to improved responsiveness and efficiency in meeting up with customer demands. Our team efficiently manages activities related to planning, scheduling, and supporting manufacturing operations, such as

• Handling,
• Transportation,
• Work-in-process storage, and
• Time phasing of components,
• Inventory at manufacturing sites, and
• Optimum flexibility in the coordination of geographical and final assemblies’ postponement of physical distribution operations.

Physical distribution

We like to concern ourselves with the transfer of a finished product/service to customers. When it comes down to physical distribution, the customer is the final destination of a marketing channel, and the availability of the product/ service is an important part of each channel participant’s marketing effort. We understand that through the physical distribution process, the time and space of customer service become an integral part of marketing. This is our team specialize in creating multiple links in marketing channels with our customers.

Outsourcing/partnerships

We at Sourcing Captain, do not just handle the outsourcing of the procurement of materials and components, but also the outsourcing of services that normally have been provided in-house, Sourcing Problem Solving Ability is Our Core Value to this experience. The logic behind this technique is that the company will increasingly focus on those activities in the value chain in which it has a unique advantage and outsource everything else. We focus more on logistics, where the provision of transport, storage, and inventory control is increasingly subcontracted to specialists or logistics partners. We also manage and control this network of partners and suppliers and that requires a blend of central and local involvement. Hence, strategic decisions are taken centrally, while the monitoring and control of supplier performance and day-to-day liaison with logistics partners are managed locally.

Performance measurement

Our team found a strong link between the largest arcs of supplier and customer integration to market share and profitability. Taking advantage of supplier capabilities and emphasizing a long-term supply-chain perspective in customer relationships can both be related to a firm’s performance. Gary, our founder personally instructs the team that internal measures are generally collected and analyzed by the firm, including cost, customer service, productivity, asset measurement, and quality. We know that external performance is mostly measured through customer perception measures.

Warehousing management

We aim to reduce a company’s cost and expenses, warehousing management is concerned with storage, reducing manpower cost, dispatching authority with on time delivery, loading & unloading facilities with proper area, inventory management system etc.

Workflow management

We specialize in integrating suppliers and customers closely into a workflow/business process and achieving an efficient and effective supply chain.  One of our key goals is workflow management.

Our Supply chain systems configure value for those that organize the networks. We like to think that value is the additional revenue over and above the costs of building the network. A key challenge that we face is co-creating value and sharing the benefits appropriately to encourage quality participation.

CONSULTING

Our consulting team provides expert knowledge in order to gain access to the productivity of a supply-chain and, ideally, and to ultimately enhance the productivity.

Our consulting service is concerned with the transfer of knowledge on methods of exploiting existing assets through enhanced coordination and can hence be a source of competitive advantage. We help the management by adding value to the whole process through the various sectors from the ordering of the raw materials to the final product.

What we do is not glamorous, maybe because there’s nothing tangible to validate our efforts. However, we recognize ourselves as the foundation that supports a lot of manufacturing businesses all around the world.  We always improve inventory management, keep waste at the minimum and end up relieving capital that would otherwise be tied up in stock. Ways in which our consulting team functions are:

Customer Relationship Management

We have a system for developing and maintaining relationships with customers. We identify Individual customers or groups based on their value over time; hence their loyalty can be improved by providing tailored products and services. Our Cross-functional customer teams build Product and Service Agreements to meet the needs of key accounts and for segments of other customers. They also function with key customers to enhance processes and eliminate demand variability and non-value added activities. Our performance reports are designed to measure the profitability of individual customers as well as the financial impact on the customer.

Our software system enables companies to accept, maintain and manipulate a quality, customer-related database to promote increasing revenue and profitability.

Supplier Relationship Management

We ultimately define how a company can interact with its suppliers. As in the case of customer relationship management, the Lanyard Company, for example, will form close relationships with some of its suppliers. Sourcing Problem Solving Ability is Our Core Value,While others are less closely cultivated. We understand good supplier relationship management involves devising the right PSAs and managing them well. So that the company and its suppliers keep benefitting from the most fruitful trading arrangements.

Demand Management

Our demand management allows the company to be self-sufficient in matching supply to demand. The process includes forecasting and correlating of supply and demand, in order to increase flexibility and diminish demand variability. Our demand management process uses customer intelligence, historical sales information and planned marketing efforts to forecast and influence demand.

The Order Fulfillment

This concept involves more than just filling orders. It concerns all activities necessary to define customer requirement and to construct a process. Moreover, It allows a company to meet customer requests, while keeping the total delivered cost, at minimum. It is not just the logistics function, but instead needs to applied cross-functionally and with the coordination of important suppliers and customers. Our ultimate objective is to build a seamless process from the supplier to the Lanyard Company and to its various customer segments.

Manufacturing Flow Management

This includes all the activities relevant for moving goods through the production process. Also, to obtain, implement and carefully manage manufacturing flexibility in the supply chain. Our manufacturing flexibility shows our ability to make a wide variety of products at an appropriate rate and at lowest possible cost. In order to achieve the desired level of manufacturing flexibility, our planning and execution usually extend beyond the production site to encompass the entire supply chain.

Product Development and Commercialization

We provide the system for developing and bringing products to market in unison with customers and suppliers. The product development and commercialization process team must coordinate with customer relationship management to recognize both customer articulated and unarticulated needs; choose materials and suppliers concerned with the supplier relationship management process; and build production technology in manufacturing flow to manufacture and fix them into the best supply chain flow for a Custom lanyard project management.

Returns Management

This is the process by which activities related to product returns, reverse logistics and avoidance are managed within the firm and across key members of the same supply chain. The accurate application of this process enables management not only to manage the reverse product flow efficiently, but to recognize opportunities to diminish unwanted returns and to control reusable assets such as containers. We understand that efficient returns management is an important connection between marketing and logistics, giving an opportunity for competitive advantage.

COMPLETION OF A SUCCESFUL CONTRACT BY OUR TEAM

For a long time coming, we’ve been receiving contracts on Alibaba’s platform. Recently, we received a project from Manoj Arora, on Alibaba’s platform. Manoj Arora is the CEO of a Dutch company known as Phi Promotions BV. The contract was a job for our team to customize the lanyard and woven wristband, which is an official sponsor of Formula Racing. As you know, it is a landmark product used by many spectators. Our team responded to the delicacy of this job with keen observations and problem- solving intuition.

After receiving this project, our team attached great importance to the appointment and soon launched our unique style/method of manufacturer search. because we already had a deep experience in customized promotional gifts. It didn’t seem like that much of a challenge for a contract of its prestige. We started out by just redesigning the general situation and basic information of the factory for this major worldwide project, that we were given. This did a good job of putting the entire project in perspective.

Assurance of Quality Work

Then after, we formulated three different schemes for customers to choose from. The consumers had exceptional receptive attitude towards the concept. At the end of our proposal, they made it known to us that we seemed very professional in our dealings. One of them, at a particular point casually asked us if our team was a factory or a trading company. The question was answered by our docking salesman who said ‘We do not directly produce products, we are only the managers of integrated supply chain, but we have absolute assurance that your project can be done well’. The Customer however made it clear to us that they would only work together with factories that directly produce ropes.

This was our first major roadblock. Later on, the customer abandoned us and went ahead to choose a Hong Kong-funded hanging rope factory in Dongguan to settle communication and negotiation. Then several samples were arranged by them and immediately after the samples were generally confirmed, the customer felt that this was a major project and needed him to come to China personally for an interview. This marked a starting point of the progress on this project. After this, the customer confirmed the order to the factory. While communicating with the factory in Dongguan, the customer was also with us. We updated the progress of the project, but the customer did not let us get proofing arranged. He said he did this because he felt that he would place priority on working together with the factory.

How Customer Satisfaction is Important For Us

We then made arrangements for our channel factory to make several samples while we were busy making plans for our customers. Notwithstanding, the Customer sent us a message before flying off to China, that is to say, they basically decided to cooperate with Dongguan factories in Hong-Kong. These factories house more than 300 workers and we know the owner is from Hong Kong. The entire management of the whole factory is very delicate and is carried out in accordance with ISO standards. These people have gathered a lot of experience in international customization projects. We were also very happy for our customers when we receive their emails. Although we may not have cooperated successfully, we find it very important that our customers find an advantage in their major project of Formula Racing. Our team is only concerned with customer satisfaction and this is why we’re so successful in this business.

The customer was in China the next day after this and he called us saying that we were a supply chain manager and he needed our help. In his actual words ‘Now you are in Dongguan as my agent. Let’s talk about my project with the factory in Dongguan.’

Customer Instructions are Important

This team understands well enough that the customer’s instructions are orders. We anticipated that the customer’s direct participation in the direct negotiation of this Formula Racing Hanging Project should have been met with serious difficulties. Gary, who is our founder, had to drive two hours to the Hong Kong-funded Hanging Factory in Dongguan. This was a very directional step for the entire team to follow. Originally, the customer faced with a problem which was that the customer absolutely had to deliver within 25 days. The realization of this caused a little bit of uncertainty among the team members. The next race of Formula Racing was going to be held in the next month; hence the customer’s deadline for this time was the next month.

However, the factory made it clear to us that once it was towards the end of recent years, then the factory’s orders were already full. This essentially meant that it was impossible to coordinate the production workshop to even attempt to rush the order.

We encountered another problem when we discovered the customized card buckles were not available. It takes a minimum of 25 days to finish the hardware. Even with the time of printing and sewing, the factory can only confirm delivery in 45 days. For our team, hearing these statements from the factory side meant it was time for brainstorming. Our founder postulated that there were two major reasons for this and the first was the problem of coordination within the factory. Generally speaking, for factories in the customized promotion industry, it is absolutely necessary to rush to make certain orders.

Deliver on Time

As an old Hong Kong-funded factory, it was impossible for them to coordinate quickly. The other problem was that the supply chain of the factory was far beyond unreasonable; some of them were out rightly unreasonable. This made a lot of sense to the team immediately and we started making moves. We understood that external cooperating factories (such as hardware factories) are usually unwilling to cooperate with this hanging rope factory and that goes to make the hanging rope factory unable to accomplish this coordinated task.

When it was lunch-time that day, Gary suggested that we all go out together for lunch. Also we were to be accompanied by the representatives of customers and factories (because the factory felt unable to cooperate, so we only arranged a salesman to accompany us for dinner). While we had dinner, we began to ask the salesman what exactly was the reason for the setback in this major project.. The salesman made it clear to the team that he was only a salesman, and many things he could not decide, if he even knew about them, because of hanging up. This came as a bummer to the team. We later discovered that the rope factory and the cooperating hardware factory still have hundreds of thousands of RMB unpaid.

This is the reason that the hardware factory is so unwilling to cooperate with the rush time. At this point, basically in line with the Gary’s theories, supply chain coordination problems arose. As expected, customers started to feel a little helpless at this point in time.

Solve Issues Effectively

To this Gary seriously explained how we do what we do. The formula racing time has set. If we cannot deliver the goods at that time we will face serious compensation. He did not forget to mention that the company may even close down. Gary, like everybody on the team also felt that this problem was very serious. We all hoped to solve the crisis with our abilities. So Gary immediately contacted the owner of a cooperating factory who had done the same project before. He confirmed several key messages. The owner told him that, it’s his business and they’ll try their best to help him solve it. However, he made it clear to Gary that there was a jacquard craft that he couldn’t do. He said he’d find a helper for the job. The answer had promised to come in 30 minutes.

WHAT FINALLY HAPPENED AT THE END

Half an hour later, the factory owner gave us the response we hoped for and said that it could done. Our founder, Gary drove with customers to the factory directly for the interviews. The factory is located in Jiangmen City which is more than two hours away from Dongguan. At a point, it felt like the time of the factory was already over 9 p.m., but the Gary supply chain factory negotiation team does not relent or rest. The customers were touched when they arrive at the factory gate and found that every one of them was waiting for our arrival.

Were we intimidated by this factory with this degree of cooperation? Of course. After we entered the factory and we had the entire project negotiation down, the communication between customers and Dongguan factory for nearly two months was almost completed here, at least until final confirmation. Then Manoj told Gary that he was now the full-time person in charge of the project from then on. Gary would now need to coordinate all the things and confirm the time to catch up with the program racing car.

It was almost 3 a.m. when the project was finished. The client was relieved and was sent back to his hostel for rest.

Supply Chain Ability Means More Competitive Business on All Aspects

We understand that supply chain management is an integral part of all kinds of businesses and is relevant to company success and customer satisfaction. This means more competitive Business on all aspects. Our supply chain ability also

• Boosts Customer Service
• Fulfill Customers expectation of accurate product assortment and quantity to deliver.
• Give customers products that are available at the right location. (Customer satisfaction reduces if Custom Lanyard factory does not have the necessary parts in stock and can’t deliver in the stipulated period).
• Correct Delivery Time (punctuality)
• Good Post-Sale Support – Customers expect products to service quickly. (i.e., customer satisfaction diminishes when a home furnace stops operating in the winter and repairs can’t be made for days)
• Reduce Operating Costs
• Decreases Purchasing Cost
• Decreases Total Supply Chain Cost.
• Enhance Financial Position
• Decreases Production Cost
• Increases Profit Leverage – Firms value supply chain managers because they assist in controlling and reducing supply chain costs. This can end up in dramatic increases in firm profits.
• Diminishes the use of Fixed Assets – Firms value SourcingCaptain because we decrease the use of large fixed assets such as warehouses, plants and transportation systems in the supply chain.
• Increases Cash Flow – Firms respect us supply chain managers because they hasten the product flows to customers.

Some societal Roles that we adopt are to;

• Ensure People Survival

We can help sustain Human Life – Humans rely on supply chains to deliver basic necessities like food and water. Any intrusion on these delivery pipelines can immediately threaten human life.

• Improves People Healthcare – Humans rely on supply chains to successfully deliver medicines and healthcare. During a medical emergency, supply chain performance can be the difference between life and death. Also, medical rescue helicopters can save lives by speedily transporting accident victims to hospitals for emergency medical treatment. In addition, the medicines and equipment necessary for treatment will always be available at the hospital. As a result of remarkable supply chain execution
• Protects People from Climate Extremes – A lot of people rely on an energy supply chain to deliver electrical energy to homes and firms for light, heat, refrigeration and air conditioning. Logistical failure/a power blackout can quickly result into a threat to human life.
• Improve Quality of Life

Foundation for Economic Growth

Foundation for Economic Growth – Societies with a highly developed supply chain infrastructure are able to exchange many goods between businesses and consumers quickly and at low cost. The economy grows as a result of this.

• Improves Standard of Living – Societies with a highly developed supply chain infrastructure are able to exchange many goods between businesses and consumers quickly and at low cost. As a result, consumers can purchase more products with their income thereby raising the standard of living in the society.
• Job Creation – Our Supply chain professionals can create and operate all of the supply chains in any society. We efficiently manage transportation, warehousing, inventory management, packaging and logistics information. As a result, there are so many jobs available in the supply chain field
• Greta Opportunity to Decrease Pollution – Our Supply chain activities usually require packaging and product transportation. As a by-product of these activities, some unwanted environmental pollutants. Such as cardboard waste and carbon dioxide fuel emissions generated.
• Great Opportunity to Decrease Energy Use – Supply chain activities involve both human and product transportation. As a by-product of these activities, scarce energy depleted.
• We Protect Cultural Freedom and Development
• We know how to Defend Human Freedom. Citizens of different countries rely on military logistics to defend their pattern of life. From those who seek to end it. Military logisticians strategically plant aircraft, ships, tanks, missiles and other weaponries in positions. It provide optimum security to soldiers and other citizens. Also, superior logistics performance yields military victory.

PROTECTS DELIVERY OF NECESSITIES

• Citizens of different countries depend on our supply chain managers. It is because to design and operate food, medicine and water supply chains that protect products from tampering. Things like sophisticate packaging techniques, state of the art surveillance cameras, global location systems and inventory tracking are some of the ways use to prevent terrorists from accessing these vital logistics systems.

Coordination Degree

We love helping to transfer products from the manufacturers and suppliers. All the way to the retail door, and this important role makes sure clients and customers are always happy.

Our team that coordinates the procedures all generate from different backgrounds of specialties and job descriptions. Some of their specialties are;

• Planning delivery timetables
• Making sure stores have enough stock
• Ensuring that suppliers have enough stock to meet demand
• Overseeing the ordering and packaging process
• Closely watching stock levels
• Carefully tracking products through depots to ensure they arrive at their destination safe
• Overseeing arrival of shipments

Cost Advantage

We are more than confident in our ability to produce a particular product/service (Custom Lanyard) at a lower cost than the competition. Cost is a function of factors like technology, automation, processes, productivity and resource costs.

Cost advantage use for comparable items and doesn’t apply when there is a very large difference in the quality. For example, a sub-standard Lanyard is not comparable to a custom made Lanyard. For this reason, the term cost advantage applied to commodity products and services where customers usually choose the lowest price item.

A conveniently larger cost advantage doesn’t necessarily. It means that a firm offers the lowest price. For instance, a firm with a cost advantage may be a dominant competitor that sets a price umbrella.

Firms with a significantly large cost disadvantage are more vulnerable to price declines. Because of some factors like supply and demand issues.

In a commodity industry, a cost advantage can be a significant competitive advantage. It allows a firm to dominate a market.

Problem of Time Guarantee

Every Custom Lanyards Projects Means Several Stages on Supply Chain Involved.

As can be seen from our encounter, the Hong Kong-funded hanging rope factory is only a factory that has made two core parts. One is printing and sewing, and others need the cooperation of external factories. This brought about a serious problem of the time guaranteed.

Sourcingcaptain.com integrates all parts of the supply, and locates the plant. According to the needs of the project (product), and has alternative solutions to ensure that it is safe.

Supply chain management is superior to any single factory because supply chain managers are in a higher position to think about the whole project, and sourcingcaptain.com can help you in this regard.