The management value.

Generally, when you are looking to optimize processes to reduce costs, many focus on the management carried out with inventories, the level of stocks and management in warehouse administration, seeking to find anomalies in the internal processes taking place in the organization, but few consider to analyze from inbound logistics.

Good management, on inbound logistics, will result not only count on the availability of inputs required for products manufacturing or service that the company provides

Today, it is inconceivable that supply management it is not integrated into the company´s strategic planning. The concept of performance evaluation based on the reaction, compared with urgent orders to avoid breaks in the stocks ("putting out fires") through a reactive policy; it´s outdated, since it effects the customer fidelization with company.

Good management, on inbound logistics, will result not only count on the availability of inputs required for products manufacturing or service that the company provides. It will also allow a close relationship with suppliers (vendor management), whom, far away from to be considered just as a provider, they must be considered as a vital link in the process; thanks to a good management, they can obtain long-term agreements and above all ensure the quality of products the company needs to develop its activities and deliver their own products or services on quality, place, time and required amount. The impact of their behavior directly affects the whole process, not only in fulfilling its mission as an organization; because the product or service will be done, but at what cost?

The inbound logistics, therefore, is important or so important like inventory management, storage and dispatch. Hence the importance of adequate logistics policy as part of the strategic planning of the company.

Today, it is inconceivable that supply management it is not integrated into the company´s strategic planning.

By setting production levels, as defined objectives, will allow an orderly inventory planning. It is noteworthy that the analysis performed based on the objectives of the organization, may establish operating levels for each SKU (stock keeping unit), independent of the definitions of maximum, minimum and security levels. The logistics policy established, should seek and handle variables in order to find a balance to keep it within operating margins, investment and acceptable risk, to enable it sustain the operations of the organization (something not easy), if furthermore, must consider the market´s behavior and the existing data on historical records of acquisition and production, to predict scenarios, visualize trends and thus make decisions that enable it to achieve the optimal level of investment. The activity is complex.

The warehouse management is the other part of inbound logistics and also something to be considered. There are enough literature about storage, but inexplicably, the experience it is not applied (except in large chains), generally being at the discretion of the warehouse manager, who does not respect the provisions and stowage conditions set. A bad management can affect the SKU condition or increase losses. Finally, an extra cost.

The ideal is to plan in a joint environment with the highest degree of empathy for the function and costs that everybody must take as a part of the organization, but the reality is far away from that. On one hand, everyone wants to reduce costs and on the other a maximum availability of SKU for production. Is on this stage, where managerial leadership is key to bring closer both costs and production process to the company´s objectives. Although they are not all well received by some actors in the chain, since it is not possible proper management when there are partial views of a problem whose genesis and implications have strategic nature.

Imperative is to consider inbound logistics since the strategic planning process stage, up to product or customer service delivery.

Largely responsible for decisions materialized in the inventory, are the result of the uncertainty generated by external factors and economic decisions, based on technical analysis, which must reconcile data with a different complex operating environment and whose behavior affects differently each organization.

This entails decisions that could even consider outsourcing stages in order to achieve the objectives and the desired balance between cost, production and service quality.

Therefore, the reader will agree with the fact of how imperative is to consider inbound logistics since the strategic planning process stage, up to product delivery or customer service, through a logistic policy (appropriate to the objectives of the organization), which will optimize procurement, internal control processes and adding value, something that will not only reduce costs; but will also contribute to the corporate image and increase the competitive advantage of the company.