Improving the “Pick, Pack and Ship” Operation
News
Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bill Jacobson 510-651-5100 x208
Fremont, California - At DCL, the “pick, pack and ship” operation takes on increased flexibility and efficiency to meet customer demand. From customized letters and licenses being printed on the fulfillment line to a full build-to-order model (BTO), the product fulfillment options made available by DCL provide increased flexibility and, at the same time, result in reduced costs.
Sometimes called “postponement”, BTO is the oldest style of order fulfillment and is the most appropriate approach used for multiple-configurations or low-volume products. Delaying final product configuration until the actual order is received allows a quicker response to market demand while also lowering inventory costs.
A BTO strategy ensures that you are shipping the most current products in quantities that are ordered. As a result, stocking of products with a limited shelf life or the wrong configuration is eliminated as are investments in excess and / or obsolete inventory. The strategy also results in additional revenue since a larger number of SKUs with high order rates and shorter lead-times can be offered to your customer base increasing market share.
At DCL, build-to-order can take the form of putting together components maintained at a minimal inventory level based on product history into a final package (assemble-to-order or ATO). Or it can involve actually producing a low-volume, needed component with a quick turnaround, for example a print-on-demand manual or CDR. The strategy can be applied to more than just a small order volume as DCL has implemented customers shipping in excess of 700 orders daily with this model.
Clearly not all product lines lend themselves to this strategy. However, even a hybrid strategy that incorporates a BTO element with part of the product line can increase revenue, provide lower costs, better fulfillment accuracy and higher levels of customer satisfaction.
We welcome the opportunity to review your current fulfillment operations and provide suggestions to improve your cost and efficiency.
About DCL
Since 1982, DCL has been a leading provider of outsourced manufacturing and logistics services for technology industries. Its customers include electronics, software and healthcare companies. DCL's business-to-business services include order processing, project management, packaging and assembly, fulfillment and distribution, inventory management and warehousing and returns management. DCL is ISO 9001-2000 certified, EDI, RFID and MRP/ERP enabled for on-line, 24/7 visibility to production, inventory and shipping information.
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