Background on a current project

The Healthcare Global Customer Service parts businesses currently uses two main software vendors plus a Microsoft Access database to calculate stock levels at 195 worldwide locations, for more than 150,000 stock keeping units. The inventory goal is a 95% Fill Rate (FR) for parts overall and a 98% Fill Rate for Customer Critical Parts (CCP). The current solutions are not meeting the inventory requirements, producing too high stock levels. The business needs statistical multi-level multi-location optimization capability, which is not available in the current solutions.

Additionally, the HC parts businesses have additional requirements for which the current software solutions have no capability. Example:  HC GCS needs software to analyze its contract customers and recommend locations for new stocking locations to meet the contract requirements (parts must be at the customers within XX hours).

As part of the RFI process for the tool we processed actual data to measure inventory reduction potential of 18% to 37% percent (proof of concept exercise). Along with these potentials, the following potential benefits have been evaluated and are incorporated into the business case:

·        Inventory reduction through better forecasting, inventory optimization and      vendor performance/ lead times;

·        Reduced expediting costs (less emergency shipments).

In addition to the quantifiable benefits, the selected planning solution is also expected to deliver qualitative benefits, such as:

·        Improved customer satisfaction and contract renewal rates;

·        Reduced second trips for FSE’s due to improved part availability;

·        Better end-to-end visibility and management control options for consistent realization of business objectives;

·        Strategic enabler for competitive differentiators or growth opportunities.

Interesting article!

An interesting article by Zohar Gilad on how to cut costs in IT budget.

Please find the link here:

the love of my life for the past 26 years!

Dutch winter fun

Temperatures dropped below zero centigrade and that is when Dutch fever starts for skating on nature ice. We went down to the Hart of Holland and participated in a tour through the polders of Utrecht (Wilnis, Kockengen, Portengen). The last time we really had ice is some 15 years ago and that is why my skills were a little bit rusty. It was cold, we had snow, but a lot of fun at all control points. Music and Berenburg!

the full set is here!

Manhattan

Manhattan is perfect. I should buy an appartment here!
see the full set here:

Bootleg Beatles

Yesterday I had the good fortune to witness a spectacular show of the Bootleg Beatles and it was fantastic, thanks to Roel vd B. who made this possible; with a little bit of imagination you see the Beatles. They do not try to put “something of themselves” into it, but give a 1 on 1 impersonation of the real thing. There were 3 blocks, beginning – St. Peppers and all hits after that album. The show lasted for almost 3 hours. A must go see.  
The full set is here:

The Bootleg Beatles!

ERP Dream Team

The ERP Dream Team went skiing again. This time we went high into the Alps to do our thing. It was good fun and extremely cold. You can find the full set here: