There are many different components to a supply chain, starting with finding raw materials to make products and ending with the end of a product’s life. In between, there is manufacturing and inventory management, distribution and defect management, and product returns. All of these functions are often considered to be necessary costs in the supply chain. But what if you could turn them into revenue generators?
Don’t you agree that optimizing your product returns process cannot only save you money, but also become a competitive advantage? What if you stopped worrying about fighting customers on returns and just accepted them all? It would open up a completely new world of opportunities for you around loyalty and brand reputation.
Most organizations do not think that way because they are more concerned with the burden that returns pose. What if you could think the same way about waste or defects? What if you could reduce the number of touch points in your supply chain? Or turn your distribution network into a competitive advantage?
The next four chapters will educate you about the different possibilities around cost minimization and also how to exploit some of the necessary components of your business for revenue growth.