Use Logistics to Compress Cash-to-Cash Cycles

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Commerce SolutionsSupply Chain Consulting

Logistics is the lifeblood of any organization. It connects suppliers, manufacturers, intermediaries, carriers and end customers with actionable data based on historical transaction patterns. Yet too often corporate leaders view logistics as a cost center instead of a competitive advantage. We find the best way to overcome that perception is to connect the dots between our deep skill set and the positive financial outcomes we can deliver for our clients.

When Transportation Insight talks about logistics as a competitive advantage, we refer to the speed to serve as much as the cost to serve. Time is money.  Companies implementing strong logistics strategies typically turn their inventory faster. They need to rely less on safety stock throughout every level of the supply chain, which is itself a cash burn. They keep goods in motion so they reach consumption points faster, and turn capital quicker.

Reduce Cash-to-Cash Cycle, Free Up Operating Capital

For definition, cash-to-cash cycle time examines the number of days of working capital an organization has tied up in managing its supply chain. The faster the cash-to-cash cycle, the fewer days an organization’s cash is unavailable for other investment. According to American Productivity and Quality Center (APQC) research, the top performers have 60-day cycle times. The bottom performers clock in at about 120 days+.

Reducing cash-to-cash cycle time involves eliminating factors (such as inventory) that tie up operating capital. Effective organizations optimize inventory to free up capital while maintaining enough stock to satisfy customer orders. This can be accomplished through a well-designed demand forecasting, comprehensive company-wide inventory optimization strategy, supported by logistics that aligns roles and responsibilities in the supply chain, and identifies processes that can be streamlined.

Streamlining order-to-cash processes can also reduce cash-to-cash cycle time because faster invoice processing and receipt of customer payment decreases the amount of time that an organization’s capital is unavailable.

Make no mistake, there are some logistics people who love inventory because it covers some of the “stumps in the water,” as we like to say. But safety stock exists because businesses struggle to match their inventory needs with final demand. Safety stock is also an impediment to optimal cash flows.

But in a lean world, there is no such thing as “safety stock.” Everything turns in its own time, and on its own velocity. Thus, it is critical to identify and root out supply chain inefficiencies at the front end. Are you optimizing inbound shipping lanes, whether domestic or international? Does your inventory strategy balance your costs with meeting customer delivery expectations? Do you have the technology and expertise to effectively manage your product velocity and shrink the cash cycle?

Companies have multiple customer channels. You may have a traditional B2B channel, an e-commerce channel, or a hybrid. Each channel may have its own dedicated inventory. They also have their own cash-to-cash cycles. They are certainly going to have their own logistical challenges. A capable logistics partner like Transportation Insight can support the unique needs of each channel to achieve the most financially desirable outcomes.

Mastering Logistics to Meet Consumer Demand

There are companies that have succeeded in re-inventing the wheel. Then there are others that prospered by improving on legacy processes. Walmart wasn’t better than any other retailer. It offered the same brand of toothpaste and laundry detergent as others did. Sam Walton’s genius lied in focusing on logistics to get goods to the shelves, and in customer’s hands, faster and cheaper than anyone else.

By putting the right product, in the right place and price, when and where the consumer wanted, Walmart accelerated cash returns for manufacturers and for itself. It also turned out to be a lethal combination-for other retailers.

Mastering the competing dynamics of transportation and inventory requirements can be a complex undertaking. You need to weigh the importance of improved working capital with ensuring that goods are always available when and where your customers need them. This is our forte.

Each day, we bring our data platforms, deep understanding of carrier networks, rate negotiating and auditing expertise, and decades of accumulated industry experience to bear to solve these problems. We are quite candid with customer feedback, and what we hear most from our clients is that we take challenges like these off their hands, provide them with rich analysis, and enable effective decision-making.

For more information, read “Move to the Front” today.

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