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9:00am – 4:30pm
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Pre-conference Full day workshops
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What You Need to Know for Operations and Fulfillment Management Success
*This tried-and-true full day workshop is back by popular demand! Learn what it takes to deliver superior fulfillment as a competitive advantage. The latest strategies, tactics and best practices will be presented for each aspect of the fulfillment process by industry experts who have seen it and done it. The focus will be on maximizing service performance and improving operational efficiency. This workshop is a ‘must’ for everyone involved in the fulfillment process, from supervisors to executives. Topics include:
World Class Customer Service
Multichannel customer care; contact center management and organization; staffing strategies; inquiry and complaint resolution; contact quality management; web-based self service
Distribution Management
Space utilization; equipment & automation options; productivity improvement; minimizing replenishment; best practices in picking, packing, receiving and stock handling; shipping alternatives; improving accuracy
Returns
Layout, handling and processing methods; returning goods to stock; analysis tips; reduction strategies
Information Technology
The role of IS and technology; E-commerce platform, order management and warehouse systems alternatives; essential system requirements; selection and implementation strategies; getting the most out of your system
Performance Management
The benchmarking process; work load forecasts; scheduling; flexible staffing; work simplification
The Vital Signs
Industry benchmarks; typical unit costs and ratios; key operating reports; exception reporting; measuring service performance
Speakers
Bill Kuiper, Partner, Spaide Kuipers & Company
Bill Spaide, Partner, Spaide Kuipers & Company
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9:00am - 12:15pm
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Morning Workshop
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Meeting the Challenges of Smaller Operations This is the most important workshop to attend if your company has sales of less than $15 million. Whether you’re in the startup phase or ready for the next big push, planning for growth while controlling costs is no easy task. You strive to exceed customer expectations and maintain a healthy profit, but issues relating to employees, technology, reporting, vendors, and a host of other challenges make it sometimes seem unattainable. Join your peers for candid discussions in a lively moderated roundtable … a highly interactive opportunity to network with other smaller operations colleagues who are grappling with many of your same challenges. Share and compare ideas, information, successes and missteps to avoid. Prior to attending the workshop, you will be asked to complete a short survey so that we can be sure to cover issues that are the most pressing to you and your peers. This workshop is recommended for anyone involved in the operations of a smaller mail-order business, from the CEO to front line team members. Here is a sampling of the issues that will be addressed: • Applying “user friendly” design to your entire business. • Negotiating with vendors as you grow • Low-cost IT solutions with big service and efficiency payoffs • Overcoming the limitations of your order processing system • Creative ways to document your Standard Operating Procedures • Generating custom reports quickly and easily • Managing extreme seasonality • Ways to reduce labor costs by streamlining processes • Capturing useful customer feedback to improve operations • Creating an empowered workplace to maintain high morale You will hear • Proven solutions to reduce labor costs by improving efficiencies and streamlining processes. Speaker David Kravetz, Co-Founder, Fairytale Brownies |
Boost Productivity, Enhance Accuracy & Increase Customer Satisfaction Many people believe that operational excellence requires an investment, automation, material handling equipment, consultant, etc. Absolutely not, with these 10 tips you can improve your operation and become a better leader. In this fast paced, energetic presentation you will hear stories of other companies who have improved their operations and mistakes companies have made. Get ready for a lot of great information and fun interaction while you get some practical information to take back to your company and apply. Don’t miss the opportunity to review in detail every functional area and get the best in class ideas and processes to make your facility a more efficient and effective one. Don't miss: • Ideas and tips on how to build a productive, passionate team. • Key Performance Indicator list of areas to track in your facility. • Focus on order fulfillment, how to increase accuracy and productivity without cost. Speaker |
Blueprint to Reduce Parcel Shipping Costs 10-30% this 3-hour workshop will provide the blueprint to reduce parcel shipping costs 10-30%. Based on best practices and case studies from leading corporations and presented by one of the industry’s top advisors, attendees will learn how to use metrics and benchmarking to identify savings opportunities, develop Request-for-Proposals (RFPs) and other procurement strategies, negotiate rates, terms and conditions, and develop freight audit and other cost savings tools. Part One – Data Analysis Specific instruction to collect and analyze distribution data to identify opportunities for modal optimization and contract improvement. Emphasis will be placed on how and what to analyze including accessorial charges, discounts actually received, minimum shipment charges, billing type, weight/dimensions and packaging. Understanding shipment level detail will lead to lower shipping costs, greater productivity and enhanced communication with your carriers. Part Two – Procurement Strategies This session provides valuable information to help you write RFPs and other procurement strategies to reduce overall shipping costs. Instructors will help you better understand UPS and FedEx pricing agreements and “cost to serve” rating model. Advanced negotiation strategies and specific savings vehicles will be revealed. Speaker |
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12:00pm - 1:15pm
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Lunch
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1:30pm- 4:30pm
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Afternoon Workshop
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Power up your workplace through Hiring & Relationship Building
In this half day workshop, walk always with an amazing education on how to motivate and retain employees whom are most valuable to your business. From interview education, measuring employee performance, compensation methods, to all the other puzzle and pieces that will lead you to a successful business with low turnover and a high job satisfaction rate.
Whether you are involved in warehousing, operations or fulfillment part of your business, all participants in this session will walk away with higher expectations regarding coaching sessions and a realistic way to achieve better results. Walk away with a blueprint of the steps to hiring, interviewing, offering, training and empowering employees to achieve a world class workplace.
Don’t miss:
• New ways to look at employee performance and compensation
• Understand the importance of aligning objectives and addressing potential conflicts with your employees
• Learn how to consistently train and empower your employees to they can do their best job for you
Speakers
Cathy Hayward-Hughes, Owner, General Manager, Crystal Creek Logistics
Tim Holody, COO/General Manager, Seta/Palm Beach Jewelry
Jay Minnucci,President, Service Agility
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Fundamentals of Inventory Management for Marketers
This session will review numerous components of Merchandise Analysis and Inventory Management and the critical roles that it plays in controlling profitability. We will discuss factors that can contribute or actually hinder efficient merchandising and inventory management performance. How these principles can apply to small, large, apparel, hard goods, start-up, and multi-channel businesses.
Don't miss:
Merchandise Statistics and Profitability
• What are the key performance metrics and their impact on inventory management decisions • Understanding the benefits of capturing all demand and its critical impact on marketing/ inventory decisions (planning and forecasting), initial and final fill rates (order level and item) and what do they mean, returns, initial margin, cost of backorders, square inch analysis, inventory turn, etc. etc.
• Item profitability model
Planning and Forecasting
• How basic assortment planning is the key to accurate forecasting and can dramatically improve profitability • Why planning is a company effort and how merchandising/inventory can dictate page counts, circulation and demand plans. • Techniques and measures that will guarantee to improve product selection and item profitability
• How and when to buy and why an inventory spending budget is critical to your plans
• Why you should never forecast based on product lead times and why it will adversely impact your performance
Building relationships – Internal and External
• Vendor relationships – Understanding and negotiating out “hidden” costs built into the merchandise • How to build effective relationships between Inventory Management and other departments (e.g. marketing. merchandising, creative, operations, finance, etc.) within your organization
Speaker
George Mollo, President at GJM Associates, inc |
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6:00pm – 7:30pm
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NCOF11 Kickoff Party!
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