Returns: How Many Are There Actually?
Problem
The client had many thousands of devices loosely labelled as ‘returns’. They were in multiple locations, and many had been in those locations for long periods of time. There were more than 4,000 devices held at various sites. This was very significantly higher than it should be. A count of a few hundred would be normal practice, As well many of these devices were ‘aged’ i.e. they had been outstanding for many months, even years in some cases. Mostly these were at third party providers: storage and transport depots, across Australia.
Solutions
Stoke Consulting set about firstly, engaging with the people concerned and then setting up a Project Management framework. Some of the key elements of the Project Management were:
- Scoping the problem: accounting for the devices. How many devices were there and where were they?
- Bringing on board the stakeholders: the client SME’s, TPL providers and others and getting to understand the reasons why devices were outstanding.
- Making everyone accountable via weekly Project Meetings and then reporting progress to Executive Management.
- Each week, driving towards a new lower number of outstanding returns and their status Getting to the ‘root causes’ i.e. why the devices were ‘on hold’.
- Finally, developing long-term solutions that dealt with the root causes
Outcomes
The Project was ‘short and sharp’ .The number of outstanding devices was dramatically reduced, from over 4,000 to just a few hundred. The TPL costs reduced dramatically, particularly for storage. Long term solutions to the original problem were put in place.
The additional resources applied were actually minimal: just a part time headcount at the Returns Centre. The solution and outcome were more about processes, discipline and accountability.
Do you have an issue in your business that needs ‘cleaning up’ but has been on the back burner for too long?
Would you like to see not only the problem fixed, but long-term solutions put in place to stop the issue from re-appearing? Stoke Consulting can help with these type of problems. Contact us to find out how.
Rod Wallace
Stoke Consulting
Previous line management roles (Supply Chain, Customer Service, Logistics, Sales Management) in SME businesses through to large companies have underpinned Rod’s success with a variety of clients. Key solutions in previous engagements have included Project Management, Business Improvement programs, Facility Development and Relocations and Company Governance.
