setting goals for your supply chain in the new year

Happy New Year! Not only is it a new year, but a new decade. Now is the time where business owners and management are feeling inspired to kick off 2020 on the right foot and to have a successful, profitable year. At NOTS Logistics, we work with a wide variety of supply chains and have found that most customers we partner with have a general idea of where improvements can be made in their operations. Many of them are looking for improved visibility, more accurate inventory planning, reduced losses, better customer service, etc. While they may know what areas of their supply chains they wish to improve, they often need assistance in making those improvements come to life. This is where S.M.A.R.T. goals come into play.

Specific – When setting a goal for your supply chain, you must be as specific and clear as possible. If people do not understand the goal, how can you expect them to achieve it? Also, it should not be too broad. Otherwise, your staff will not be able to focus their efforts or feel truly motivated to achieve it. There should be no question as to what the goal means and for what department and team members are responsible for making it happen.

Measurable – When drafting a goal, ask yourself what metrics will be used to assess it. A goal needs to be measurable, so that your management team can track its progress. If it is measurable, it feels more tangible. If the goal may take months or even longer to complete, set some measurable milestones so that your employees can feel more motivated.

Attainable – This one is self-explanatory. The goal needs to be achievable, so when creating it, think of what your employees may need to achieve it. Will they need new technology or more training? A goal should inspire rather than discourage.

Realistic – Ask yourself is this goal realistic for your team given the timeframe and their available resources? If your goal is to implement more accurate inventory planning, do you have the proper Warehouse Management System in place to assist your employees? When setting your supply chain goals, make sure that your goals will motivate your employees not frustrate them because they are unrealistic.

Timely – Every goal you set needs to have a definite start and end date. If there is no deadline, there will be no real sense of urgency to make it happen. The goal will sit on the back burner and be forgotten. Set a realistic time constraint, and then remind employees through team meetings, signage, etc. You want the goal to be enforced consistently.

At NOTS Logistics, we believe in order for a goal to be completed, it needs to be S.M.A.R.T. We help our clients clearly define their goals to their workforce and equip them with the resources to get the job done. If you are ready to take your supply chain to the next level in 2020, contact us today.