Hao posted (Referring to the post 10 ways to Value Add to Your Services by Laurie Dart),
As for your point 7, won't giving quality training to employees more important than having the client appreciation night?
Thank you Hao for your questions.
Having the client appreciation night is something to show that you appreciate your clients, it could be something small like a "Thank you" note or a movie tickets or anything. I think the main thing is that to tell your clients that you appreciate them for using your services.
Of course giving quality training to employees are also important as they are the ones who served the customers so they are the ones who are going to make a good impression on the company but without the customers, the employees will be redundant and could be a liability to the company.
Giving training to employees are also vital to help the company grow, but to value add a service means to serve the clients better and make them feel special, so I think both are equally important to make a client feel special and appreciated.
For all you know, the client might be having a bad day and with the appreciation that is shown by the company to them will just make their day.
Think about it, who does not want to feel appreciated? Even in businesses, people would like to feel appreciated.
0 comments
January 18, 2009
11:27 PM
Questions from the rest We have 2 questions here from Hao (excerpt taken from our tagboard):
Qn 1) Hao: However, is value-added services able to retain old and current customers and attract new ones in this new society? Is it enough?
Answer: Thanks for querying, Hao! Value Added Services (VAS) offered by companies such as 3PL warehouses evolves constantly, thus VAS in warehouses or DistriCentres offers many tailored services like DHL as covered in our post (circa January 7th 2009). This tailored services for its current crop of customers make them stick with the service provider (e.g. DHL) as long as it offers a great customer service level that includes: giving the right type of VAS demanded, right place, right time and so on (remember the 7Rs?). Therefore, retaining the old and current customers.
In order to attract new customers in this day and age where different products requires different type of handling and management, service providers or warehouses need to be able to develop strategic systems tailored specifically for these new customers, when customers approach them. The service providers need to constantly update themselves the new trends in the market and developing services to manage and handle these new products properly to bring it to the masses. VAS service providers should also be proactive in marketing and managing their brand name properly so customers could trust them before acquiring their services. An example would be that FedEx uses the slogan: "Use the service you could trust. FedEx...We live to deliver." FedEx also try to gain new customer markets such as China by producing advertisements that tailors to the people, or culture of let's say China. Check out the videos below to give further insight on this.
Qn2) Hao: People are asking for more nowadays, is value-added services going to satisfy the customers completely?
Answer: In reality, services are a variable thing. It has many contributing factors to it, like employee's motivation that may affect the service rendered and other unseen circumstances that provides delay in shipment. Customers also perceives the level of service rendered to them subjectively. However it would be difficult to say that it is going to satisfy the customers completely.
Therefore, service providers have to be mindful that it is a fact people want more as they have many companies to choose from to acquire Value added services. Furthermore, these customers are paying for a premium for these VAS. Thus what these service proveders are catering are a group of demanding and niche group of customers. Hence, the service providers need to know what the customers want first before tailoring a program aound that requirement. These criterias could be spelt out in the Waybill. However, service providers provide these VAS to the customers and as long as it satisfies the 7Rs (right place, right time, right quantity and so on), it would achieve the aim of satisfying its customers. Feedbacks should also be in place in order to know what the customer felt after using their service and improvements could be made in order to increase service satisfaction in the future.
Hao, I hope this will clarify your doubts. And thanks again for posting your queries.
Example Three:Space Logistics http://www.spacelogistics.net/delivery-specialized.php "Specialized Value Added Services. In addition to our basic door to door transportation services, we offer our customers specialized value added services that will go beyond a basic transportation need, to an integrated global supply chain solution. Among our value added services, we have the following: -Consolidation Services -Sourcing Services Specialized Crossborder Distribution Services Northbound Distribution (Mexico to USA) Southbound Distribution (USA to Mexico) -Art, Furniture and Sculptures Moving Services -Local Distribution in Jalisco (Mexico) -Warehousing -Pick and Pack -Consulting We combine our experience in purchases, sales, distribution, imports and exports, with our state of the art logistics, international transportation and warehousing infrastructure, to offer our customers specialized, custom made services that help improve the efficiency of their supply chain management, while obtaining important savings and innovative ways to develop additional business alternatives.
Our warehousing, consulting, consolidation and sourcing services promote trade between Mexico and USA, bringing new business options to both countries." These are a few examples and articles which you all can use as a reference for value-added services! (: For now, toodles (: Loves, Joanne
10 Ways to Add Value to Your Services, by Laurie Dart
The saying, “nothing is for free” isn’t necessarily true especially when you’re talking about added value services you can offer your client. These are services you offer your clients in addition to your regular services. They can be standalone services or they can incorporate existing features of your current services. Either way, they provide an added value to your clients – once that puts you above your competition in your client’s eyes.
What does it mean to add value to your services and why is it important? There are millions of small businesses out there. You need to create ways to stand apart from the crowd. Value added services are one way to do that. What exactly an added value is will vary based on whether a client is a prospect, a current client, or a past client.
Your most important client is your current client – you do the most for them. Keeping current clients happy reduces your recruitment and marketing costs and increases the stability of your business. You’ll need to direct most of your efforts to this group of clients.
Next are past clients. It stands to reason that re-signing them would require less time and resources than trying to sign a new client. Past clients are also more likely to give you referrals. Your experience with past clients makes it easier to identify value added services that would likely be attractive to them.
Finally, the least amount of energy and expense should be expelled on the potential client. They are the toughest and most expensive. Why – mostly because they know nothing about you. You’ll spend a lot of time and money educating them and determining which value added service is likely to appeal to them.
1. Mail or email an industry-specific article or link to your client with a personal, handwritten note saying "I thought you would find this interesting" etc.
2. Offer alternative forms of payment. Add value for your customers by providing them several different options when paying. Not everyone has a credit card or a PayPal account. When think about your business processes from your customer’s perspective, you’ll quickly realize the added value they receive.
3. Gift Cards, Loyalty Cards, and Prepaid Cards. Boost your business with new revenue channels and increase customer loyalty by offering a gift card, loyalty card, or prepaid card program. A more convenient alternative to gift certificates for your customers, gift card programs also help you build brand awareness. Loyalty card programs reward customers for purchases to keep them coming back.
4. Quarterly progress reports. Send your clients quarterly progress reports and outline what you accomplished together as a team and how you can help them get where they want to go next.
5. Coffee on you – Many of us "do everything except make” for our clients. Send your clients a coffee card with a note saying “today the coffee's on me!"
6. A free sample. Give away free samples of your products or products of local retailers. For example a B&B with a great jam can give away free samples.
7. Client appreciation night. Give your client a movie night on you. Send movies and popcorn with a note letting them know how much you appreciate their business.
8. Celebrate some of the more unusual holidays during the year and give small inexpensive gifts – e.g. National Popcorn Day – give out popcorn (can you tell I like popcorn!).
9. Offer annual meetings to your clients to discuss business at no charge - review progress and goals together for the next year.
10. Partner with another like business and collaborate on a coupon to offer a discount to your clients.
These are a few ideas and ways to add value to your services which I got from this website http://www.jogena.com/articles/articles0705/art0705j.htm You may consider these ideas if you are a marketing manager or if you wish to set up your business (:
Hello to my fellow readers! This is Joanne here. I suppose this is the first time you guys see me blog! Well, I was away for my operation on the excursion day itself for DCM, so I didn't get to see the logistics operations. Sorry about not blogging as I didn't know what to blog.
Moving on to my next post, I will be touching on the topic of ways to add value to your services (: So please read up on the next post (:
Today we will be talking about the value adding services in air freight. We will be taking the example of a cargo airline, MASKargo.
MASKargo has done a lot to try to stay competitive in the air freight industry.
Value adding services that are offered by MASKargo are:-
I-PORT It is a service which enables the company to extend MASKargo's services up to Malaysia's major seaport, Port Klang. It is also called "an airport within a seaport".
It is a hassle free transfer of cargo from the seaport in Port Klang to MASKargo's Advance Cargo Centre which is in the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). This service ensures an efficient customs declaration(useful, it cuts down time spent in shipping of goods) any additional documentation as all sea- to- air shipment from the seaports are sealed by the Customs Department, and loaded on to MASkargo's scheduled trucks for outbound destinations through KLIA. Cargo space and flights for the intended airport of destinations are pre-booked by forwarding agents at the MASkargo Air-Zone online handling office, known as "XPQ", situated within the port's Northport Container Yard Terminal at Port Klang.
i-secure It is a new airport to airport logistics facility from MASKargo. It is designed for all vulnerable cargo requiring high security service every step of the way, from point of acceptance to point of delivery. Cargo under this service will be stored in a permanent-surveillance area prior to being transported. Types of cargo supported by i-secure include semi-conductor products, consumer electronics, cameras, CD-ROM, computers, watches, and pharmaceutical items. The new i-secure service from MASkargo caters specifically for priority and secure cargo shipments. i-secure is currently available at Malaysian Airlines stations worldwide. The benefits/ usefulness of this service are:-
Security arrangements at airport of origin, transit and destination
Service standard for guaranteed smooth cargo clearance
Priority uplift gets the cargo released and being shipped faster
Utmost care during cargo inspection and handling
Cargo storage in a permanent surveillance areas.
Animal Hotel MASkargo Animal Hotel started as a centre catering to inbound animal shipments for staging and delivery. This changed on 15 June 2004 when the Animal Hotel became a one-stop-centre. The activities included import, export and transshipment delivery and payment. Only then did it transform into a 6-star facility. The MASkargo Animal Hotel is reputed to be one of the best in the world.
The MASkargo Animal Hotel has over 1,297 sq m of space. The animals and pets are given ample space to roam before their flight of upon arrival.
It is the sole Animal Hotel in Asia and one of the three in the world. The facility caters to animals such as horses, tigers, fishes, birds, reptiles and elephants. The animals are under the care of the MASkargo team of experienced handlers, and are provided with constant supervision, from acceptance to delivery during the transit.
The facility is open 24 hours daily. An on-call veterinarian is available. The MASkargo Animal Hotel places emphasis on comfort, safety and hygiene.
Priority Business Centre MASkargo's Priority Business Centre is designed to serve by-invitation only customers. Initiated by MASkargo as a first of its kind in the air cargo industry, Priority Business Centre is open 24 hours a day.This is useful in catering to a niche customer market, in giving exclusivity in treatment.
Perishable Centre A Perishable Centre was set up by MASkargo to ensure that perishable cargo remains well preserved, the one-stop centre takes care of the acceptance and delivery of the perishable cargo under one roof. MASkargo provides an “Unbroken Cool Chain" for optimumcooling conditions. Cargo is moved as soon as possible to cold rooms where up to 16 units of maybe be stored. By doing so, the freshness of the cargo is ensured.
One of the key factor in value adding role is Service. Service is the main proponent for the customer to demand a specialised program tailored to thier needs.
Availability of goods when clients places order will usually lead to clients' satisfaction and enhances future sales.
Most clients look for a company which could provide them with a low price for their goods but also expect the company to provide them with good customer service, albeit at a premium. Example: Following up customer's request calls and accurate time of delivery.
Example of some value added roles by Warehouse:
Transportation Consolidation : warehouse would consolidate different suppliers' Less-than-Truck-Load(LTL) and ship a truckload to plant.
Product and Supply mixing
Service
Contingency Protection: It acts as a buffer stock(safety stock) against contingencies such as transportation delays.
Smoothing: Prevents expensive overtime at low production levels
Example of some value added services:
Labeling
Ink-Jet Printing
Component Assembly
Kitting
Re-packing/ Re-working
Trade fairs and events
Labeling:
Labeling ensures accuracy and security and follows international standardisation of bar coding. RFID tags may also increase overall security and visibility of the product. Labeling also leads to time and cost reductionsreduces errors by helping the integration of logistic operations internally and externally. The Logistics Label bridges the physical flow of goods (using bar codes) and the electronic information flow (using Electronic Data Interface, EDI). RFID tags such as those from Skyetek's embedded RFID, may also be used for including swing tags, kimball/security tags or labels such as price stickers and other promotional labelling - that are ready for retail display. This depends on the customer's needs. Hence, this VAS increase the usefulness by increasing visibility either during shipment, or benefits the customer by providing security in retail purposes.
Ink-Jet Printing: A VAS that tailors to customers needs such as printing on a wide range of substrate (material that provides a surface on which something is inscribed on) from vinyl and paper to glass and polyolefin. This is used for industrial graphic solutions,providing advanced inkjet printheads and latest software for customer.An example would be Advanced Inkjet Technology's services that they offered.
Component Assembly Manufacturer's may put the responsibility of component assembly in the hands of the 3PL or total solutions provider to assemble sub-parts or components together later at the 3PL's premises. However, the 3PL must have expertise in handling such assemblies. An example would be DHL's 'Product assembly/ postponement strategy'. This Postponement strategy is useful as a logistical deferment technique, where the manufacturing or assembly process is delayed andcustomising them for local markets in the downstream supply chain - minimising of stockholdings and cutting inventory obsolescence.Hence, with lower obsolescence, holding costs is greatly lowered and reduce the need for more inventory storage space. Although constraint could be that Total costs must be evaluated before being implemented. This is because, such implementations may inrease its Total costs instead.
DHL also providestailored packaging and bundling, hardware configuration, software installation, and localisation (e.g. addition of documentation and labels).
Kitting Kitting, another method of postponement, is the addition of items such as inclusion of accessories and batteries into the product package. This is especially used in kitting of handsfree in handphone sets boxes or batteries for toys, before the product is packed and sealed to be delivered to customer.Kitting may include: component kit build, assembly line operations, packing, shrink-wrapping and blister packs.
Re-packing/ Re-working Re-work or redress is the customisation or alterations made to products - often to suit a local market. It covers re-packing of finished product to support a customer's product launches and promotions, and can also include re-palletisation. Usefulness; this achieves the customer's goals when releasing a new product to the masses and needing to customise to differing local markets. Thus product launches could be released more quickly, giving an edge against its competitors.
Trade fairs/ Events Another unique service includes delivering of exhibits, stands and promotional materials to trade fairs or events. However, 3PL with Distribution centres and employees located around the world are able to employ this strategy. It customises using the different transport modes and handling requirements as demanded by the customer.
Customers may benefit (usefulness) by:
gaining access to experts assisting in planning and coordinating worldwide fair activities
worldwide presence at important trade fair centres giving the expertise on site to support the customer's events
customs formalities and clearance expertise for ease and speeds up the process
high service flexibility ensuring customisation
complete range of exhibition services giving flexible options.
With such customer customisation, this service increases the customer service value tremendously.
Hey there! We here do hope the New Year's break was a welcome respite to you all.
This post shall deal with Value-added services provided by DHL International, Ltd. DHL International Ltd (originally stands for Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn) is a globally renown and established logistical provider. It is a third party logistics (3PL) provider, offering total solutions to its customers at a premium while giving a complete assurance on its safety and delivery. It has a variety of transport fleet ranging from vans to boats, accordingly used in different situations. For more information read more from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DHL
We had found that DHL provides a myriad of value-added services (VAS) with some paid or even at no added cost at all (Free-of-Charge, FOC)!
Several of these VAS includes: 1) Delivery Details (FOC) Service is available through DHL's GlobalTrack, via phone, DHL provided software like EasyShip or through calling their customer service officers. GlobalTrack works by entering the "DHL Order Code" online to give its goods visibility.
2) DHL Return Solutions (Paid) Upon request, DHL could preprint Waybills^ according to its second tier customers (DHL's customer's customer) return addresses and information, if need be to facilitate a proper return. DHL could tailor it specifically through:
Contacting your local DHL Sales Representative
Calling 1-800-225-5345
^A waybill is a document, or available electronically, issued by a carrier giving details and instructions relating to the shipment of a consignment of goods.
Another method is through managing returns process through 'DHL Logistics'.DHL could design a tailored program by sending advanced replacements and track the returns, manage your product recall, or produce and send a shipping label and container to your customer. 'DHL Logistics' may include 'Asset Recovery' or 'R3 service'. Constraints: Several constraintsare faced by the contract logistics provider (3PL) could be that the DHL Returns solutions may not work if the customer did not enter the right cutomer information or addresses in its Waybills. The process may get messed up with wrong returns delivery placements and hence the process gets to be repeated again. This may end up to end-user dissatisfaction as goods get delayed. Thus it is always the DHL's customer's responsibility in checking such information input were accurate.
3) R3 Service (Paid) R3 = Retrieve, Repair and Return notebook computers and other small electronics within 48 hours. It is a total solutions where DHL pickup the goods, return to customer's repair center and back to the its second tier customers within 48 hours or less. Benefits:
Unique to DHL and the only service of its kind, anywhere (An innovative service provision)
Use multiple repair sites, and any mode of DHL transportation (For reliability)
Specially designed and tested R3 box, carried by DHL drivers (For added safety)
Complete shipment preparation including shipping label and Waybill (Facilitates returns)
Driver wait time of up to 5 minutes while your customer packs the unit (Time-sensitivity).
4) Shipment Value Protection (Paid)
A customer may request for shipment value protection on pickup through checking the text field in its Waybill (both manual or electronic, available through DHL's WebShip) and declaring the goods value. Shipment value protection covers the actual cash value of the shipment or repair costs, whichever is less, in the event of physical loss or damage, subject to the terms agreed upon.
Constraint:It might be very tedious and complex to determine the costs ofShipment value protection to be repayed to its customers, in the event of a mishap. It would be much complex if the product involved was a unique or rare item. Physical loss or damage could also be subjectively determined and thus adds on to the complexity in determining repayment costs to DHL's customer.
5) Other VAS services needing an additional fee(Paid) Other VAS services that needs payment are:
Waybill Preparation (DHL will complete the Waybill form for you to accompany with your domestic shipment.)
Sunday, Holiday & After Hours Service (By special arrangements made through DHL. Used to meet urgent demands especially during festivities period)
Special Handling / Hazardous Material Service/ Lab Pack (For special or hazardous shipment arrangements. 'Lab Packs' a quick and safe way to send bodily fluid shipments and protect employees from potentially hazardous packaging leaks and used mainly for medical purposes or for lab tests.)
Constraints in Hazardous Material Handling: Certain countries may not allow the shipment of goods containing banned or restricted substances. This is especially prevalent in the European Union (EU) group of countires, which adhere to a strict banned substances code. Chemicals such as Asbestos are banned in the EU and the USA as prolonged exposure may lead to lung diseases. Therefore, although the 3PLs could make arrangements for such substances to be shipped out from country of embarkation, the country of destination could have banned or restricted such substances from entering. Hence, some exports like Aldrin (insecticides) may not be delivered to the EU. Refer to the list of banned substances by the EU here:http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/products/safetytm/clasann6.htm
Therefore, from the above VAS covered, DHL offers a total solutions to its customers although such 3PLs charge a premium. It caters to almost every aspect of the customer requirements as needed, some for free while others at a fee. For more information visit: http://www.dhl-usa.com/home/home.asp.
Heads up! This time, this post would be about argomento numero uno(topic number one in Latin); Shrink-Wrapping!
Shrink-wrapping is one the value-added services found in certain distribution centres and warehouses. Shrink-wraps are a versatile medium of packaging and protection. It could be applied to almost anything and for whatever cause. It also provides an extra membrane of protection for the materials wrapped. It looks like something found in the kitchen, especially useful in covering a container of dough when baking, or to preserve goodness of fruits to ensure freshness.
The process involves a roll of translucent film usually about 40 cm wide and a thickness of an arm, scissors, a plastic tube covering the fingers of the user (to avoid blistering of fingers)/or a stand as featured in the video below, plus lots of precision due to the nature of shrink-wraps sticking its surfaces together.
Today, we caught up with Solyh (Lyh) whom will be giving an insight of this value-adding service. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Edeson (Ed), Joanne (Jo) & Ziyun (Zy): Hey, we heard you had a short stint previously at a local distribution centre. Could you share with us your experiences?
Lyh: Oh, that was during December 2006 when i had just finished my O levels that i had a stint with DHL's Changi Airfreight Cargo Centre there as a contract worker. That is why I would like to share with you the practices there as experienced by me, as a bottom-up point of view.
Ed: So, among them is the shrink-wrap service? For what purposes is it applied?
Lyh: In my workplace, they had a variety of shrink-wrapping services for air-freight containers, cartons' cages, luggage bags and also cartons that had tore apart while in transit/handling.
Jo: Whoa, cartons that had tore apart while in transit/handling? Sounds messy...i hope that will not happen to my 'online spree' (definition at: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/spree) order shipment. Anyways, what is this shrink-wrap service is used for, respectively?
Lyh:
As in for air-freight containers, they are used to avoid contact of the containers with aircraft oil, which this would always stain our clothings when handling it. Furthermore, shrink-wrap is used for securing the freight load from the vibrations in air travel which may thus open its lift-gates. However, it would be more crucial to securely shrink-wrap these freight if the container is using a canvas lift (an opening to unload/load goods) as it is more susceptible to wear-and-tear.
Cartons are placed in steel castored 'roll cages' to facilitate the movement of the cartons around the WH/DC before being shipped out. Thus this is used as a temporary measure. It would also secure the cages as these cages are sometimes filled to the brim and the weight of these cartons may pry open the cages, though properly closed, if it was not shrink-wrapped.
Luggage bags are shrink-wrapped to prevent it from the rough and tumble of the plane journey and the handling of it in the airports. This is to stop those bags that could not shut properly from pouring its contents out.
Lastly, shrink-wrapping plus taping will also prevent further damage towards carton boxes which are torn, mainly due to reckless personnel handling. These cartons may be set aside to quantify its content and report for damages if it had split open as I did experienced once.
Zy & Ed: Oh so the shrink-wraps are used for many purposes though some are used for prevention as an added measure or as a result of an accident.
Lyh: Yes, that is correct. Furthermore these services, mainly included in the freight charges are usually applied as needed, depending on its situation. This is a value-adding service that gives a peace of mind for customers, not just delivering the item as it was in the past. However, some large air freight cargo containers needed to be shrink-wrapped each time, probably due to the distance of travel or as to the customer's requirements, such as Emirates cargoes.
Ed, Jo, Zy: Alright, that would be all for this post. Till the next one in 2009!Happy New Year!
This post will be about my experience from the ALB trip.
Visiting the ALB (Army Logistics Base) is very enriching as it enhances my understanding of the logistics industry. It shows me how a real logistics base operate and what technology is used. When I 1st saw it, I was amazing by the sophisticated technology involved in all of the processes.
The ALB adapted a through-flow movement in its warehouse which means the loading and unloading bays are both at the opposite ends of the warehouse.
There was a presentation given by one of the staff introducing us to ALB. It is a highly secured based as it involves weapons and part of the country's secrets as the main customer for the company is RSAF (Royal Singapore Arm Forces), that is why we are not allowed to take any photos of the warehouse.
The height of the ALB is about 2 storeys high, which is about 20 meters. There is also the carousel system in the warehouse for smaller items. I think the carousel system is very interesting as it is like a ferries wheel when it turns. The carousel saves a lot of time sorting and searching for a small item and all are labeled accordingly. What I like the most about the warehouse is that part of the warehouse uses powered mobile storage. The powered mobile storage has a safety sensor, so if there is someone standing between the rack while it is moving, it will beep loudly and stop moving. This decreases the tendency of an accident happening in the warehouse.
This is a very educational trip and it has been a great experience for me and my peers. Thank you to ALB for being such a great host.
ALB(Army Logistics Base) is a warehouse for keeping all the army's equipments, machine parts, general supplies, medicine supplies,etc and it is outsourced to Singapore Technologies Logistics Pte Ltd to managed the operations.
My first impression of ALB is very big. It has a tight security to all it visitors and emloyees. We are not allowed any carema devices into the warehouse. We had a presention done by one of their employe and had a tour around the warehouse to get to know more about their operations.
Below are some of the findings i had observed during the tour:
ALB uses Through flow for their operations. In the receiving area, they have 14 unloading bays for unloading goods coming into the warehouse.
Warehose handling System:
Pallet Automated Storage and Retrieval System: There is a profile check to detect whether items are store correctly at their correct location. there are 6 cranes operated to help in storing the pallets and it can be found near the receiving and distubition area.
Bin Automated Storage and Retrieval System: it could be found in the auto spare warehose ans it uses to store gerenal supplies etc: MIDEF's vechicle parts. it has 29,00 bins and having 5 cranes in operation.
Mobile Racking & Shelving System: It has a sensor for safety reason. etc if any person step into the moblie rack when it is operating, it will automated stop it operation.
Vertical Carousel: It has 74 layers of conveyer in stocking medic's supplies. it is a fool proof system, a light is indicate on where to pick the items for the picker to save time on locating the items.
Laser-guided Vehicle: it is a fully automated machine in storing the goods. it can save on manpower and time. It is normally charged and maintain after working hours, it can help to bin in to the correct location.
Radio frequency identity (RFID) system. This intelligent system controls all warehousing and distribution management functions within ALB. It is able to monitor stocks in the inventory and track consumption patterns, providing instant inventory updates.
With all these it can help ALB in cutting down their saving and time in handling the incoming/outgoing goods, hence this will helps to save a huge amount of money. it is an efficient storage facility that saves land and increases storage capacity too.
Hello again! This post will be about the ALB trip.
We had a task there - to experience "real-life" logistics operations. However, i thought that the visit to the ALB might also give a peek of army life , while contemplating about my future NS enlistment. Well, it didn't, it was ran by a specialist company; ST logistics.
A talk dished out by an employee gave insights of how advanced the warehouse and distribution processes there were. Its customer, the RSAF demands efficiency in processes as well as land use. Another interesting thing was the variety of product lines stored there.
Moving on, the ALB was indeed a through-flow and there were SKU items ready to fulfill the customer's order near the loading bay. That consignment were duffel bags for those waiting for enlistment in December. The height of the ALB was about 20metres, to accommodate for High racks.
Several storage systems were used such as the mobile racking system, vertical carousel, double deep pallet racking and shelving systems for small item storage for medicinal supplies. A wall-mounted controller operated the space-efficient mobile rack. The vertical carousel on the 3rd floor was used to store medical supplies like small gauze patches. It was about 10 metre high and it works without the picker seeing the products in the carousel, thus minimising pilferage and damage. The double deep pallet racks had heavier (e.g. tyres) and high throughput items (e.g. shoes) at the lower end. That made sense to what was written on it in the textbook.
There were many Material Handling Equipments (MHE) around, namely, the AGV at the inbound area and, the Pallet AS/RS at the outbound area. However, they weren't in use at that time.
My favourite part of the journey was the advancement in infantrymen equipment and fatigues. One could see how far the RSAF have come. Well a mystery remains, the 20TEU containers truck were nowhere to be seen.
Anyways, my thanks to ALB staffs for being so accommodating to us.
Edeson, Solyh, Ziyun and Joanne, your blog facilitators will regularly update and posts on views shared about this subject: Distribution Centre Management!!!
But be warned, we are not your typical boring institutional blogger who writes in language alien to us all. Let's say our blog's architecture would be 'by all, for all'.
We hope to share and account our journey in discovering this module as documented in this blog. However, our main focus would be the 'Value adding roles of warehousing and distributing operations'. Feel free to give comments or write in our tagboard.Plus, rest assured we will make this blog as fun as you would like.
Behind the pseudonyms & image thumbnails From: Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore, 01º 22' N, 103º 48' E, Earth Course of study: Junior students of Logistics Operations & Management
The Individuals
This team is made up of 4 souls:
-Edeson-
` loves travelling & languages
` hopes for world peace
-Joanne-
` loves purple
` loves food
-SoL.Y.H-
` His strife: Nobody owes me a life, so get with it.
` Dream job: Social worker at Unicef.
-Zi Yun
` Loves Latin Dance ( Feel the beat, Feel my Passion)
` Loving Him
o make a client feel special and appreciated.
10 Ways to Add Value to Your Services,
Finally, the least amount of energy and expense should be expelled on the potential client. They are the toughest and most expensive. Why – mostly because they know nothing about you. You’ll spend a lot of time and money educating them and determining which value added service is likely to appeal to them.
5. Coffee on you – Many of us "do everything except make” for our clients. Send your clients a coffee card with a note saying “today the coffee's on me!"
Hello to my fellow readers! This is Joanne here. I suppose this is the first time you guys see me blog! Well, I was away for my operation on the excursion day itself for DCM, so I didn't get to see the logistics operations. Sorry about not blogging as I didn't know what to blog. 
MASkargo's Value Added Service 
Today we will be talking about the value adding services in air freight. We will be taking the example of a cargo airline, MASKargo.
It is a new airport to airport logistics facility from MASKargo. It is designed for all vulnerable cargo requiring high security service every step of the way, from point of acceptance to point of delivery. Cargo under this service will be stored in a permanent-surveillance area prior to being transported. Types of cargo supported by i-secure include semi-conductor products, consumer electronics, cameras, CD-ROM, computers, watches, and pharmaceutical items. The new i-secure service from MASkargo caters specifically for priority and secure cargo shipments. i-secure is currently available at Malaysian Airlines stations worldwide. The benefits/ usefulness of this service are:-
MASkargo Animal Hotel started as a centre catering to inbound animal shipments for staging and delivery. This changed on 15 June 2004 when the Animal Hotel became a one-stop-centre. The activities included import, export and transshipment delivery and payment. Only then did it transform into a 6-star facility. The MASkargo Animal Hotel is reputed to be one of the best in the world.
MASkargo's Priority Business Centre is designed to serve by-invitation only customers. Initiated by MASkargo as a first of its kind in the air cargo industry, Priority Business Centre is open 24 hours a day.This is useful in catering to a niche customer market, in giving exclusivity in treatment.
A Perishable Centre was set up by MASkargo to ensure that perishable cargo remains well preserved, the one-stop centre takes care of the acceptance and delivery of the perishable cargo under one roof. MASkargo provides an “Unbroken Cool Chain" for optimum cooling conditions. Cargo is moved as soon as possible to cold rooms where up to 16 units of maybe be stored. By doing so, the freshness of the cargo is ensured.
Labeling:
Kitting
Re-packing/ Re-working
Lab Pack (For special or hazardous shipment arrangements. 'Lab Packs' a quick and safe way to send bodily fluid shipments and protect employees from potentially hazardous packaging leaks and used mainly for medical purposes or for lab tests.)
Constraints in Hazardous Material Handling: Certain countries may not allow the shipment of goods containing banned or restricted substances. This is especially prevalent in the European Union (EU) group of countires, which adhere to a strict banned substances code. Chemicals such as Asbestos are banned in the EU and the USA as prolonged exposure may lead to lung diseases. Therefore, although the 3PLs could make arrangements for such substances to be shipped out from country of embarkation, the country of destination could have banned or restricted such substances from entering. Hence, some exports like Aldrin (insecticides) may not be delivered to the EU. Refer to the list of banned substances by the EU here: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/products/safetytm/clasann6.htm
Heads up! This time, this post would be about argomento numero uno (topic number one in Latin); Shrink-Wrapping!
os of the warehouse.
ALB(Army Logistics Base) is a warehouse for keeping all the army's equipments, machine parts, general supplies, medicine supplies,etc and it is outsourced to Singapore Technologies Logistics Pte Ltd to managed the operations.
Hello again! This post will be about the ALB trip.
Edeson, Solyh, Ziyun and Joanne, your blog facilitators will regularly update and posts on views shared about this subject: Distribution Centre Management!!!
