Project Logistics

A number of the world's largest companies engage with relatively small logistics consulting firms to greatly help them navigate their way through complex logistics decisions. Don't these companies have internal expertise in running effective logistics operations? Of course they do, so what value do they find in engaging consultants?

 

One answer is that being a professional Project Logistics is a substantially different occupation to being a logistics manager, and it takes a different skill set. While the very best consultants will generally have some operational experience on their CV, they'll also have exceptional analytical capability, and the ability to distil and communicate the main element messages from the outputs of their analysis.

 

Below are some typically common questions addressed by logistics consulting projects:

 

· "We're growing, what should we do about our logistics?"

 

· "Just how do we make our operations more productive?"

 

· "What equipment should we use within our warehouse? How should it be laid out?"

 

 

· "We've acquired another company, what is our combined network strategy?"

 

· "We need to understand our logistics costs better at an individual / product level"

 

· "We have an excessive amount of stock, how can we reduce it without affecting our customer service?"

 

· "Are we paying an excessive amount of for transport? Can there be ways to reduce transport costs?"

 

While an expert logistics consultant is dealing with your issues (among others) all the time, operational managers will simply address them occasionally. An experienced consultant has seen these problems before and understand how others in your industry (and other industries) have dealt with them - what has worked and what has not. She or he will are suffering from structured approaches to the most popular project types.

 

As these requirements are sporadic, it is simpler and less expensive to use a flexible resource than to retain employees with the necessary skills. The desire for an additional view is another factor, which explains why even those few large companies that have internal logistics strategy teams still use consultants from time to time.

 

When selecting a consultant, it is important to ensure they have the right capabilities and experience, and are independent of selling any product.

 

So whether your reason for needing a consultant is because of complexity, urgency, deficiencies in internal resources or a requirement for specific expertise, ensure you select a company of professional logistics consultants! This will enhance the likelihood of an effective outcome for your project.