Frontline Logistics

The Assembling Orders module involves picking the right product at the right time and delivering it to the right place. It involves principles that, in effect, will reduce fatigue while increasing productivity. You will also learn about the most economical uses of manpower by establishing the following principles:

• Unit-Load Principle – Combination of as many units that can be transported in single movement, resulting in a lower per item transport cost
• Straight-Line Movement – Reduction of the distance traveled to transport goods; proper matching of a vehicle to a load
• Time-and-Motion Principles – Proper timing of deliveries, in the right quantity

Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to determine:

• Effective order picking procedures
• Methods for correctly picking products
• Methods for reducing and dealing with product shortages
• Efficient guidelines for assembling orders
• Methods for proper vehicle loading

Logisticians must have the tools to create a feasible budget within a business environment. The Controlling Budgets module focuses on helping you gain a better understanding of fixed and variable costs and draw on this knowledge as it applies to company financial plans. There are many ways in which to control budget costs that may not seem obvious. For example,

• Maintenance of both costs of storage and costs of movement
• Maximization of safety to improve worker output
• Efficient utilization of space and equipment
• Utilization of cubic space by installing racking systems
• Reduction of manpower using machines and equipment

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Be able to generate a projection of these variances in real time
• Be able to present realistic information in budgets
• Understand the difference and importance of fixed and variable costs
• Be able to negotiate timely action to deal with real variances

Inventory costs may go virtually undetected in a warehouse operation. In the Controlling Inventory module, you will develop an understanding around the cost of inventory. An effective system of inventory control meets the demands of the sales, customers, production and finance. The goal for any operation is to minimize the total cost of distribution. Effective inventory policy and procedures include:

• Development of guidelines from the analysis of the economic trade-off between inventory levels and alternate production strategy costs
• Quantitative and measurable statements of customer service objectives
• Production scheduling guidelines
• Analysis of competitive position
• Policy decisions on variability of production rate, length of production runs and the use of overtime

Upon successful completion of this module, you will gain the tools to:

• Create effective space utilization plans
• Efficiently reconcile inventory
• Plan inventory around projected demand

“Nothing is gained by winning an argument and losing a customer” (C.F. Norton). The Customer Complaints module will help you strengthen your ability to define customer expectations and identify key issues and how to implement solutions to address these issues.

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Be able to create resolution guidelines
• Understand customer expectations
• Develop successful problem solving and communication skills

The Customer Service module addresses both efficient and effective customer services. Products must be made available at the right time, delivered to the right place, under the right conditions and for the right price to ensure customer satisfaction. Efficient distribution reduces costs; effective distribution enhances profit. Customer service includes the following processes:

• Creating a climate of confidence, credibility, and satisfaction
• Filling customer orders for products and services
• Working with customers to develop alternate solutions
• Handling complaints and inquiries courteously
• Generating teamwork from all departments

Upon successful completion of this module, you will have the tools to:

• Solve issues which cause service variances
• Maintain effective and efficient customer service standards
• Provide necessary service information

In the Forklift Safety module you will learn about the principles of forklifts and trucks. You will understand the rules and regulations of safe forklift operations as well as material handling procedures. It is important to determine the flow of materials because you will have a tremendous amount to be moved quickly. In this module, you will also learn:

• The four primary energy sources for forklift vehicles
• The differences between counterbalanced and straddle trucks
• The lifting capacities of forklifts
• Principles of load centre, load length and load width
• The four general types of forklifts

Upon successful completion of the module, you will:

• Have the tools to create certification programs for forklift operation
• Understand the rules and regulations of forklift safety
• Be able to develop equipment procedures

The purpose of the Good Logistics Practices module is to help you to be able to construct or modify company procedures to effectively meet your company’s objectives and standards including:

• Customer service at a lower cost
• The successful implementation of logistics procedures
• More effective customer service, and

Upon successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

• Address and remedy performance gaps amongst employees
• Define your personal and company objectives
• Modify company procedures to meet standards

An important issue facing business and warehouse environments today is health and safety. Accidents causing injury and even death among working employees is an essential phenomenon to be able to understand. It is important for you to create a safe work environment. The Health, Safety & Environment module provides you with knowledge both preventing and minimizing the impact of accidents and workplace incidents.

You are responsible for the following repercussions resulting from workplace accidents:

• Penalties associated with the incident
• Personal injury
• Loss of production
• Equipment damage
• Site contamination

Upon successful completion of the module, you will have the tools to setup and execute:

• An effective company health and safety program
• Proper and efficient environmental protection

In the Operating Procedures module, you will learn to document and maintain quality physical distribution procedures. Running an efficient warehouse operation requires that you:

• Have a well-trained and motivated staff working in a safe and healthy environment
• Be cognizant of efficiency and economy in the utilization of space, manpower, and equipment
• Provide appropriate storage for and access to items
• Increase the net value of items through the effective use of physical layout
• Reduce costs associated with storage and retention of inventory items
• Increase customer service
• Minimize transportation costs

You will learn how to effectively develop these principles by executing key warehousing functions. Upon successful completion of this module, you will understand:

• How to effectively revise procedures
• Physical distribution procedures
• The importance of procedure education and compliance

The Personnel Problems module provides information about the ideas and techniques of problem resolution. Staff of many logistics organizations comes from diverse social, economical, and cultural backgrounds. Along with the pressures of business performance, competition, regulatory constraints, and overall change, these factors can lead to incidents of conflict. This module addresses the need for:

• An understanding of the liability risk on the part of managers, employees, and the organization as a whole
• Employees to be knowledgeable about and comply with, the formal policies and procedures of their organization
• A defined set of procedures for the reporting and resolution of conflict

It is imperative that all staff members be educated about the ideas and techniques of problem resolution. Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

• Create a non-confrontational environment
• Identify real personnel problems
• Maintain policy compliance amongst workers
• Maintain an effective resolution process

In the Product Damage module, you will understand total costs and impacts of product damage to the organization and its customers. You will be introduced to the unit-load principle in which handling of product is reduced to a minimum. Ideally, there would be no handling of customer goods at all. This principle, you will learn, is based on the idea of handling as many items in a single unit of movement as is safe and economically possible. The benefit of such is a lower handling cost per unit.

This module will demonstrate easy pick-up for mechanical equipment as well as the characteristics of practical methods of handling. Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Understand the costs of damage to you and your customer
• Learn how to minimize damage
• Understand packaging limitations and restrictions

In the Scheduling Carriers module, you will learn to develop carrier schedules and execute route plans. In most distribution centres it is the responsibility of the dispatcher to plan the carrier schedule. It is important that products are successfully delivered to customers while meeting standards of delivery service, time, cost and quality. The dispatcher is responsible for:

• Assigning shipments to each truck
• Co-ordinating load size with truck capacities
• Establishing route and sequence of deliveries
• Planning arrival and departure times for each delivery
• Balancing the workload between drivers
• Taking appropriate action to maintain deliveries during driver holidays, illness, truck breakdowns and maintenance
• Measuring and controlling driver performance

In this module you will learn how to successfully meet these requirements. You will also be able to recognize the two main parameters for measuring fleet performance: fleet utilization and load factor. Upon successful completion of the module, you will have the tools to establish:

• Efficient and workable daily carriers
• Workable daily resources
• Adjustments for emergency situations
• Tools to monitor carrier performance

The Scheduling Resource module provides information about resource demand and schedule development. The warehouse is typically used for storage of merchandise. Stored merchandise, however, represents a company’s capital, which is left tied up while charges are accrued. The modern warehouse is an important instrument in establishing and maintaining profits. Modern warehousing addresses issues around utilizing the warehouse as a distribution centre as opposed to a storage place. Steps necessary to create a modern warehouse include:

• Saving costs on receiving a single stock-keeping unit or fine item
• Improving worker and equipment productivity by just 5%
• Improving building design, layout and handling efficiency

These activities are discussed in the Scheduling Resources module. Upon successful completion of the module, you will learn how to:

• Successfully forecast weekly resources
• Increase demand for resources
• Resolve discrepancies peacefully

85% of the typical distribution budget is allotted to transportation. It is necessary that the right carrier is chosen at the right price. In the Selecting the Right Carrier module, you will learn how to select an effective and cost efficient carrier. There are four steps to ensuring good carrier selection practices:

• You must develop a carrier performance review process
• You must thoroughly understand the shipping requirements of your most important customers and the service levels that are crucial to the customer’s business
• You should create a prioritized list of carriers who provide required service levels at an acceptable cost
• You must develop procedures to match the carrier to the shipment under both normal and emergency operating conditions

In this module you will learn how to manage these steps and to select a carrier that is optimally matched to service level and cost. Upon successful completion of the module, you will learn how to:

• Develop a system to monitor carrier performance
• Effectively manage your company’s carriers
• Efficiently match customers with carriers