“…Antonio has demonstrated that he is a competent consultant who thinks deeply about his clients’ challenges and unfailingly works in their best interests at all times to ensure that their condition is improved by working with him to achieve their business objectives…”
– Patrick Daly, Managing director, Alba Logistics
Services provided by Logiko through business consulting and process optimization are tangible and support clients’ strategic goals. For example,
- Increasing profitability through process productivity and operational efficiency in the supply chain,
- Supporting growth through more precise planning and increasing production and logistics capacity, and
- Enhancing cash flow through inventory optimization and swapping inventory for information, know-how, and cash.
Relationship is Key
The relationship between the consultant and the client is actually defined by the most important word, “relationship.” Without a genuine and honest relationship between the client—the one being assisted—and the consultant—the one providing assistance, there is no possibility of collaboration. For this reason, pre-packaged consultancy solutions off the shelf cannot have an effect and will never be implemented because the initial discussions focused on solutions rather than the goals and values the client wants to achieve.
Almost every time I come to one of the first meetings with a client, I am faced with the question of whether and what experience I have in their industry. This is not a real obstacle to the consultation process; it’s simply an inquiry into whether we will place our trust in each other or not. Trust is the foundation for building relationships, and without a relationship, there is no collaboration. Or, if there is collaboration, it won’t end with quality assistance to the client, either because the proposed actions will be inadequate, or they will ultimately not be implemented.
Doctor and Patient
The next model of collaboration between the client and the consultant is one that can be compared to a doctor-patient relationship. The client calls the consultant to examine the company or specific parts to see how it functions and to bring in and implement certain tools.
In this mode of consultation, there are several important things to note. Firstly, we can observe that in this case, the client has even less control over the entire process. Similarly, for the consultant to be helpful in this model, a lot of time must be spent on-site, gathering information from various sources to ensure that the proposed solution is adequate. Methods I use in such consultation mode include, but are not limited to:
- Observing the processes to be improved
- Conversations with management (the client or project sponsor)
- Conversations with the direct manager (owner) of the process
- Informal discussions with workers in that process
- Formal workshops and their results
- Results of data analysis
- Results of anonymous surveys
The fundamental rule is never to trust a particular phenomenon or information obtained from just one source or the above methods. Every piece of information, especially if it is oral observation from a team member, worker, or even management, should be verified from several sources. Only when a behavior pattern is confirmed through several or all methods of information collection can we draw conclusions and provide solution proposals.
Diagnosis is an Intervention
The third model for the relationship and collaboration between the client and the consultant is consulting through the process (“process consultation”). Process consulting is not a technology or a set of interventions for working with groups, nor is it just a model for advice. It is not a profession or a permanent job. Instead, it is a philosophy of “helping” and a technology and methodology of how to be of help.
Once the effective help relationship with the client is developed, the client and the consultant together can diagnose the situation and develop appropriate remedies. The emphasis is actually on the “process” because it is more important, or at least equally important, how things are done among people and groups than what is done.
In fact, at the beginning of every assistance process, this modality should be used. One of the reasons is that even diagnosing is actually an intervention. In other words, the intervention in the consultation process begins much earlier than one thinks—indeed, it has already begun.
LOGIKO STRATEGIC SERVICES IN SUPPLY CHAIN:
SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGY
How to develop a supply chain strategy that will help you achieve your goals?
SUPPLY CHAIN MODELS
To overcome the complexity of the supply chain, it is necessary to create a simple model.
DIGITAL STRATEGY
Digitization of Processes and Advanced Digital Strategies for a More Efficient Supply Chain.
SCENARIOS IN SUPPLY CHAINU
Do you want a better understanding of the supply chain and what lies ahead in the future?
LOGIKO TACTICAL SERVICES IN SUPPLY CHAIN:
PRODUCTION PLANNING
How to Grow and Increase Revenue While Maintaining Service Levels for Your Customers?
INVENTORY MANAGEMENT
How to Enhance Cash Flow through Supply Chain Management?
PRODUCTION OPTIMIZATION
How to Increase Productivity?
– A Practical Guide for Manufacturing Leaders
EFFICIENT LOGISTICS
How to Ensure that Logistics and Warehousing are Swift and Efficient in Their Operations?
How to accelerate company GROWTH?
Production Planning
Optimal batch size provides an optimal balance between production setup costs and inventory costs.
Proper material requirements planning is the heart of production planning, influencing the accurate needs for semi-finished products, raw materials, and packaging in warehouses and production halls.
If we can plan and schedule capacities well, we will reduce waiting times, create production savings, become more efficient and productive, and eliminate bottlenecks.
Capacity Management
According to the definition, economics is the science of managing scarce resources, and capacity is not only scarce but also a costly and increasingly important resource. To optimize the use of this resource and increase business capacities without significant investments in technology, at least three methods are available:
- Eliminating excess from processes,
- Productivity, and
- Asset turnover.
Another piece of wisdom: Capacity is also made up of people multiplied by the productivity they achieve.
How to increase PROFITABILITY?
Efficient Logistics
Customers love when their order arrives as quickly as possible, even before they expected it, and employees are satisfied when they complete all tasks within regular working hours. Similarly, you are aware that there are peak seasons when the number of orders and transactions in the warehouse increases by more than three times compared to the average. So, how do you speed up warehouse operations to ensure timely deliveries even during peak seasons and keep customers satisfied?
To make your warehouse fast, it must be FAST! Therefore, the word FAST means quick, but at the same time, it is an acronym for what will help us make our warehouse and warehouse operations as fast as lightning
Productive Production
After experiencing sales or revenue growth, profit becomes one of the most cherished toys for every entrepreneur, manager, and owner. Profit is, in fact, the essence of the entire entrepreneurial endeavor. If there is no profit, then the entrepreneur cannot fulfill their mission, whether it be selfish or generous; whether it pertains to personal wealth or the well-being of the community and society.
The task of every company as a profit-oriented organization is to generate profit to then achieve its higher purpose. How to achieve profitability? There are several ways, and they depend on the type of business and industry. Three methods can influence a company’s profitability.