Report and update (Retail Logistics)

Keeping the higher management updated with the available stocks gives them insights on their plans forward.

On a monthly or quarterly basis, I will generate reports on the following information;

1) List of fast-moving products

Products that have a sudden spike in orders or have been consistently selling very well for the past months will be reported. 

2) Products with reduced demand

Products that are previously selling well are tracked, with its inventory reported. This is important as management might decide to host discount events just to clear away these items.

3) List of items expiring 

I will tabulate items that are expiring based on the number of months from the day of the report. The standard practice is to identify things that are expiring within half a year or less. 

From management's reaction to planning and implementation will usually take some time before it reaches the customer's hand. Hence, reporting early is important!

4) Request to hire 

When there is a seasonal peak such as Christmas and New Year or when I foresee the business is expanding with more inventory to handle, I will be wary about manpower crunch.  

This is where I will bring up this issue one or two months earlier and seek approval on whether to hire

i) part-timers

ii) activate 3rd party logistics (3PL) 

iii) contract staffs

5) Updates on warehouse improvement

Based on logistical processes and feedbacks acquired from stores and outlets, I will propose ways to improve our operations to smoothen the logistical needs and meet the delivery timeline.

I will also update on what has been done to continue to be in compliance with various certifications such as;

i) Workplace, Safety, and Health (WSH)

ii) Quality Assurance and Food Safety (QAFS)

iii) Health Science Authority (HSA)

v) Agri-food and Veterinary (AVA)

Any breach of these certifications when being "spot checked" may affect our logistical operations, putting some major products on-hold.

I will also look at ways to reduce operational costs, such as 

i) whether to outsource our operations to 3PL versus hiring

ii) look for alternative vendors to service our machineries and equipment at a cheaper cost

iii) optimise delivering routes to save on fuel costs