Group Assignment: Post # 4 - 2 / 3 / 2009

Group Assignment: Post # 4 Post by Jenny's IT class blog on Monday, March 2, 2009


Logistics companies such as FedEx and UPS no longer merely carry goods from one place to another. Some of them also provide supply chain planning and management services to their customers and help them manage their supply chain information. Investigate the web site of FedEx OR UPS to see how these companies’ services may be used for supply chain management. Then, answer the following questions:

a) What supply chain processes can each of these companies support for their clients ?
b) How can customers use the Web sites of each company to help them with supply chain management ?

Finalized Answers

for a)

Supply Chain Processes of UPS support to their clients can be categories as follow:
1. Shipment Delivery - traditionally support world-wide delivery with global freights services shipments scheduling
2. Return shipment service - provide track return shipment details for efficient logistics
3. Technology - apply on tracking and routing in the shipping activities
4. Logistics Services - support post-sales service for clients and assist suppliers/vendor management overseas.

besides, UPS also provide value-added services such as
5. Internation Trade - simplfied the complex custom clearance procedures for clients on international tariffs, currencies exchange, custom regulations and shippment schedules.
6. Financial Support - provide a full supply chain service from order to cash, which on behalf of the clients to collect cash or payment right after delivery that may increase cash flow for the clients.
(Rita)



The following link and pic list out the sets of UPS Supply Chain process to provide their total businese solutions to their Business Customers(B2B).
http://www.ups.com/bussol/?loc=en_HK&viewID=browseView&WT.svl=PriNav

for b)
http://www.ups.com/content/hk/en/index.jsx The UPS front page allows customer to choose their location of origin where the service can be simplified one step closer. Geographically UPS can direct the Hong Kong team of staffs to work out the rest of the orders and delivery process for us. Inside page enable us to keep track of their packages, perform more interactive customer services. For their navigators, UPS separates Shipments, Freights etc in order to separate and identify customers' demand more transparently, hence improve delivery service, save time and increase efficiency, sales. This is a Pull-based model of supple chain management where UPS apply to make according to customers' demand and orders.

UPS also offers Supply Chain Solutions consistently strives to shorten the customers' delivery from supply chain through outside innovative services. For instance,UPS will have weather update/predictions provide for clients and contact warehouse locations to pick up or follow up orders for clients, to save time and cost for clients's geographical challenges.
"From UPS Trade DirectSM to time-definite freight services and a worldwide network of distribution centers, UPS assist their clients to get their products to market faster than competitions."

With UPS Supply Chain Solutions clients can manage international suppliers with more accountability and better control,time, distnace etc.They also can expand choices and purchasing posibilities, explore new options and expand purchasing possibilities easily. Standard service include: Vendor Compliance and Order Management, global distribution management, transportation management.
(Joyce)


http://www.ups.com/media/en/01970286_SupplierManagementBrochure.pdf