by Elizabeth Hines | Jan 21, 2014 | Blog, Logistics, Strategy, Supply Chain
This post was originally published on EBN.
Summer is over, fall has arrived, and winter is right around the corner. As the days grow shorter and colder, don’t let inertia take over. Instead, put your packaging on a diet.
Here are three reasons why a packaging slim down will improve the health of your company’s supply chain and the world:
1. You can save money. By reducing the amount of packing you use for a product and/or by using right-size packaging, you can reduce transportation costs and materials costs.
For example, the packaging used for Apple’s iPhone 5 is 28 percent smaller than the packaging that was used for the original iPhone. The reduction in the size of the packaging translates into being able to fit 60 percent more iPhones on each shipping pallet. Apple points out that this saves the company one 747 flight for every 416,667 units they ship.
Poland Spring provides another example. Poland Spring has reduced the amount of resin that goes into the making of their bottles by a significant amount — from 14.6 grams of resin per bottle in 2005 to 9.2 grams of resin per bottle in 2012. Not only is the bottle 40 percent lighter (read: reduced transportation cost), the company also saves a sizeable amount of money each year in materials. In a recent Slate.com article Kim Jeffery, CEO of Nestle Waters North America (Poland Spring’s parent company), is quoted as saying:
You can’t be a public company and ask shareholders to bear the burden of higher costs just so you can be green. It has to be consistent with creating shareholder value. There needs to be a return on these investments. So, for example, when you use 200 million fewer pounds of resin a year, at 90 cents a pound, that’s a huge savings.
By my calculations, that’s a savings of $180 million annually.
2. It is better for the environment. Putting your packaging on a diet can reduce the amount of waste, CO2 emissions, deforestation, water use, water contamination, and hazardous material use.
In a September 2013 Packaging Digest article, Ron Sasine, senior director of packaging for private brands for Walmart, wrote that as a result of the company’s efforts to reduce packaging it was “able to reduce the overall greenhouse gas impact of our packaging by an average of 9.8 percent in our Walmart U.S. stores, 9.1 percent in our Sam’s Clubs in the U.S. and 16 percent in our Walmart Canada stores.”
3. It makes your customers happy. A 2012 survey conducted by Packaging World and DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers found that the primary focus of the packaging world over the next 10 years will shift from cost to sustainability. Specifically, the report found that 45 percent of those surveyed believe that perceived “greenness” will be important to consumers.
Additionally, a 2012 study released by Perception Research Services reported that in 2011 significantly more shoppers were more likely to choose environmentally friendly packaging than in 2010 (36 percent versus 28 percent), and that half of shoppers surveyed were willing to pay for environmentally friendly packaging.
Tell us your thoughts on packaging trends in the electronics industry. What’s important to you and your customers?
by Fronetics | Jan 14, 2014 | Blog, Leadership, Logistics, Strategy, Supply Chain, Talent
Hiring: Why you should try before you buy
Source: http://www.lethbridgemusicaltheatre.ca
I just finished reading a great post on hiring by Matt Mullenweg, founder of Automattic and the creator of open source WordPress software. The post focuses on the company’s “unorthodox hiring system” and how it has enabled Automattic to hire great talent and realize high employee retention rates. Although time consuming, I think Mullenweg and Automattic are on to something.
Before Automattic extends an offer, the candidate must first go through a trial process, on contract. The candidate is given real work and is compensated for doing the work. At the end of the trial process both the company and the candidate have a better picture of each other and if they are a good fit. Or as Mullenweg puts it: “There’s nothing like being in the trenches with someone, working with them day by day. It tells you something you can’t learn from resumes, interviews, or reference checks. At the end of the trial, everyone involved has a great sense of whether they want to work together going forward. And, yes, that means everyone — it’s a mutual tryout. Some people decide we’re not the right fit for them.”
Mullenweg acknowledges the “huge time commitment” of this process. But he points out the benefits and why they have not abandoned the system for an easier one: the process is able to identify great talent that works well within the company’s culture, the process weeds out candidates that are not a good fit before they become a part of the team, and the process had led to consistently high retention rates.
In my experience, too often both companies and candidates are guilty of moving their relationship forward faster they should – and regretting it later. For this reason “auditioning,” as Mullenweg calls it, or “try before you buy” as I think of it, is an hiring strategy that should be embraced more often.
What do you think of this hiring strategy? What are the advantages and disadvantages do you see?
by Fronetics | Jan 14, 2014 | Blog, Leadership, Logistics, Strategy, Supply Chain, Talent
Hiring: Why you should try before you buy
Source: http://www.lethbridgemusicaltheatre.ca
I just finished reading a great post on hiring by Matt Mullenweg, founder of Automattic and the creator of open source WordPress software. The post focuses on the company’s “unorthodox hiring system” and how it has enabled Automattic to hire great talent and realize high employee retention rates. Although time consuming, I think Mullenweg and Automattic are on to something.
Before Automattic extends an offer, the candidate must first go through a trial process, on contract. The candidate is given real work and is compensated for doing the work. At the end of the trial process both the company and the candidate have a better picture of each other and if they are a good fit. Or as Mullenweg puts it: “There’s nothing like being in the trenches with someone, working with them day by day. It tells you something you can’t learn from resumes, interviews, or reference checks. At the end of the trial, everyone involved has a great sense of whether they want to work together going forward. And, yes, that means everyone — it’s a mutual tryout. Some people decide we’re not the right fit for them.”
Mullenweg acknowledges the “huge time commitment” of this process. But he points out the benefits and why they have not abandoned the system for an easier one: the process is able to identify great talent that works well within the company’s culture, the process weeds out candidates that are not a good fit before they become a part of the team, and the process had led to consistently high retention rates.
In my experience, too often both companies and candidates are guilty of moving their relationship forward faster they should – and regretting it later. For this reason “auditioning,” as Mullenweg calls it, or “try before you buy” as I think of it, is an hiring strategy that should be embraced more often.
What do you think of this hiring strategy? What are the advantages and disadvantages do you see?
by Fronetics | Dec 24, 2013 | Blog, Leadership, Logistics, Strategy, Supply Chain
Thank you: Two Powerful Words
I have two young children. One of the values in which I am trying to instill is that of graciousness. A couple weeks ago I sat down with my daughter so that we could write thank you notes for the gifts she received for her third birthday. My five-year old sauntered by and made the comment that what we were doing was: “just plain silly because no one else ever writes thank you notes.” He got part of it right – very few people do write thank you notes. What he didn’t get right is the silly part. Taking the time to say thank you and show appreciation is not silly and is not passé. Rather, taking the time to say thank you is critical not only to your success, but also to your well-being. “Thank you;” two powerful words.
Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that a mere “thank you” more than doubled the likelihood that those providing help would provide assistance again. The research also found that a ‘thank you” yielded an increase of 50 percent in terms of productivity and an increase of 15 percent in the average amount of time a person spent providing assistance. The researchers also noted a spill-over effect. That is, gratitude begets gratitude.
Why is a simple “thank you” so powerful? The researchers found that expressions of gratitude increased feelings of both self-efficacy and social worth. They also found that it is the feeling of being socially valued more than the feeling of competence that encourages people to provide more help in the future. In short, people like being acknowledged and valued for our efforts.
While there is rationality at play here, Peter Bregman, CEO of Bregman Partners, Inc., believes “[S]aying ‘thank you’ is mostly an emotional act. It connects one person to another. Saying ‘thank you’ doesn’t just acknowledge someone’s effort, thoughtfulness, intent, or action. It acknowledges the person himself.” Why does this matter? Because, Bregman continues: “Acknowledging each other is our basic responsibility as human beings living in community with other human beings.” Mary Kay Ash, cosmetics entrepreneur, puts it another way: “There are two things people want more than sex and money: recognition and praise.”
Acknowledgement, recognition, praise, expressions of gratitude – what is incredible is that these don’t need to be achieved via an extravagant and expensive gift, rather they can be achieved, for free, with two words – “Thank you.”
In an article on the value of networking Kathryn Minshew, founder and CEO of The Muse and The Daily Muse, calls attention to the fact that people are more likely to give opportunities to those who are most in their recent memory. Given this, she offers the following advice: “Be the person they saw yesterday as often as possible.” What Minshew leaves out is that that last memory needs to be a positive one. A simple and effective way to leave a positive memory – say, write, or type “thank you.”
Robert Eckert, former chairman and CEO of Mattel, offers the following tips on expressing thanks within the workplace:
- Set aside time every week to acknowledge people’s good work.
- Handwrite thank-you notes whenever you can. The personal touch matters in the digital age.
- Punish in private; praise in public. Make the public praise timely and specific.
- Remember to cc people’s supervisors. “Don’t tell me. Tell my boss.”
- Foster a culture of gratitude. It’s a game changer for sustainably better performance
- Acknowledgement, recognition, praise, a simple “thank you.”
I offer up a challenge to you. Over the next week take the time to say thank you, to acknowledge others, to praise, and to show your appreciation. My guess is that you will be both surprised and impressed by what and where two little words will get you – so much so that you’ll make thank you second nature.
by Fronetics | Dec 16, 2013 | Blog, Logistics, Strategy, Supply Chain, Talent
Kathryn Minshew, founder and CEO of The Muse and The Daily Muse, began a piece for the Harvard Business Blog Network with this sage advice: “Network Your Face Off.” The truth and value of this statement cannot be underestimated. Here are 5 reasons why networking is essential and why connections matter.
1. The larger the network the larger the salary
A recent study of 6,000 executives in over 3,000 firms found that the more connections an employee has, the greater the salary. Specifically the study found that a 50 percent increase in network size accompanies a 3.8 percent increase in salary with respect to the average.
2. Networks beget jobs
A survey conducted by The Adler Group found that 46 percent of active candidates and 49 percent of passive candidates found employment thanks to networking. Similarly, a study conducted by Banque de France and the University of Toulouse noted that half of all jobs in the United States are filled through personal contacts. ABC News cites an even higher number – according to ABC News, 80 percent of jobs are landed through networking.
3. Networks bring opportunities
The opportunities networks can bring include: partnerships, invitations to events, introductions, and invitations to give talks and presentations. In short networks bring opportunities that benefit and feed your career, professional development, and personal interests.
4. Networks make you smarter
Knowing what is happening in your field and industry is vital. When you have a strong network you are more likely to be “in the know” than those who do not have a strong and active network.
5. Networks make you happy
Minshew writes: “Networks are powerful, and when done right leave you surrounded by a core of individuals who are all rooting for your success and happy to help you.” So true.
Networking is essential. Get out there and build your network.
by Elizabeth Hines | Oct 29, 2013 | Blog, Leadership, Logistics, Strategy
There are a host of issues and risks you need to consider and mitigate when implementing an international reverse logistics process. Here are six things to consider when taking your reverse logistics process international:
1. Laws, rules, and regulations
One of the first issues that you need to understand are the laws within the involved country (or countries) as well as any rules and regulations, such as taxes and tariffs, that focus specifically on border crossing of defective or non-working electronics. Not taking the time to understand the legal system could result in fines and/or costly delays.
2. Costs
Costs are another issue. Labor, transport, and disposal costs, for example, vary vastly from country to country. Accounting for even minor cost fluctuations is essential, and not only for budgeting and cost containment. Shifting cost can upend even the tightest client relationships.
3. Product classifications
Product classifications can vary from country to country. Research how the client country classifies product types. When it comes to defective or nonworking electronics, one country’s commodity can be another country’s contraband. Furthermore, misunderstandings can be expensive. For example, understanding product classifications such as tested-defected or non-tested-defective can mean the difference in being able to resell or recycle in one country to another.
4. Service levels
You must also consider service levels. What are the labor norms? Are they drastically different than those in the United States? How will the labor norms impact the service level agreements you have in place? More than likely you will find that what works well here in the United States will need to be amended elsewhere.
5. Culture
Another important thing to consider is culture. One cannot begin working in another country without taking the time to learn about and understand the culture. Although it may be tempting, don’t try and change the culture. Real success comes when you work with/within the culture.
6. How things work
Finally, take the time to fully understand what it means to work in the specific country. For example, does the country shut down around the Christmas holiday? What impact will that have on meeting deadlines? How far will you need to plan ahead?
