Supply chains and logistics have always been critical, but they have taken on new significance in the modern world. The globalization of business has made it necessary for companies to be able to move goods quickly and efficiently across the globe.
Additionally, with the growth of e-commerce, businesses now need to be able to manage their inventory in real time and offer top-notch customer support. As the world grows increasingly linked, its significance will only grow in the future.
To understand the role of logistics and supply chain management in the modern world, it is first necessary to understand the difference between them.
Logistics
Logistics is the comparatively more minor process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient and effective flow and storage of goods, services, and related information from the origin to the end of consumption to meet customers’ needs. Broadly, logistics are divided into inbound and outbound logistics.
Inbound logistics
The procedure and method necessary to get the raw materials or components required to make a product or service into the company are referred to as inbound logistics.
Transportation, warehousing, and inventory management require precise planning and execution for inbound logistics management to be successful.
Because it guarantees that the required goods and resources are available when needed and in the appropriate amounts, inbound logistics is crucial for organizations. Businesses must do this to prevent manufacturing process interruptions and guarantee on-time product delivery to customers.
Outbound logistics
The process of sending finished items from a company’s manufacturing or assembly point to the point of consumption, be it a retail establishment or the customer’s door, is known as outbound logistics.
It involves planning, organizing, and managing distribution, storage, and transportation to deliver items where they need to go. Outbound logistics includes the management of warehouses, orders, transportation, and customer service. Some businesses might contract with third-party logistics (3PL) organizations to do these functions.
Supply chain management
Supply chain management involves overseeing the entire process from beginning to end. To put it another way, supply chain management includes every facet of logistics. It consists of a wide range of activities but is never limited to.
Product development
A product development process in supply chain management creates and adds value to a product as it moves from conception to market. The entire process includes market analysis and concept generation, product design, development, commercialization, and launch.
Sourcing and procurement
There needs to be an explicit knowledge of what sourcing and procurement are within the supply chain management process to streamline the process for all people and enterprises.
Procurement is choosing suppliers and entering contracts to provide goods or services. In contrast, sourcing is locating possible suppliers and developing relationships with them.
Production and testing
Production and testing items are part of supply chain management to guarantee client satisfaction. The raw ingredients are the starting point of this procedure, and the finished product is the result.
Numerous actions must be taken to produce a product that satisfies client expectations. The supply chain management process aims to ensure that each stage is carried out quickly and effectively.
Logistics and customer service
Logistics is one part of supply chain management. While conserving cost and maximizing efficiency, logistics aims to ensure that supplies and materials are available when and where they are needed. Also, SCM includes customer service as a critical component.
Any firm that wants to succeed needs to provide excellent customer service, but supply chain management mainly depends on it because the customer is also the supplier’s customer. In other words, the provider immediately benefits from the customer’s contentment with the product or service.
In a nutshell, in this modern business world, no business can exist without logistics and supply chain management. Companies that need to manage their supply chains effectively and logistics frequently need help to meet client needs. It may result in issues such as defective or late orders, unhappy clients, and, eventually, business loss. Thus, its role is indispensable in any business.
