Effective VMI: Enabling your Suppliers

Effective VMI: Enabling your Suppliers
A Supply Chain Connect Whitepaper
Copyright © 2007 Supply Chain Connect, LLC. All Rights Reserved.Introduction
Today, as more and more organizations strive to improve productivity and profitability by dedicating the bulk of their resources to their core competencies, many of them are looking for efficient and cost-effective ways to outsource ancillary and support activities. In fact, leading research firm IDC reports show that, in 2006, companies spent over $425 billion to outsource secondary and back-office business functions. And, the same study predicts that the market for outsourced business services will reach over $641 billion by 2009.
Nowhere is this trend more prominent than among supply chain-centric organizations such as retailers, wholesalers, distributors, and manufacturers. But, as many of these companies have begun to reduce staffing levels and related expenses through outsourcing strategies, they have been challenged to dedicate the needed resources to effective inventory management - hindering both sales efforts and customer service delivery. This growing problem has forced them to re-examine the way they manage their inventories, and find new ways to address this critical business function without diverting staff time from activities that directly impact sales and profits.
As a result, many supply chain firms are turning to Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) as a means of overcoming this challenge. In VMI arrangements, suppliers take full responsibility for monitoring and maintaining the inventory levels of its products at customer facilities. AMR Research predicts that the use of VMI models and related best practices methodologies will grow at a rate of 10 percent through the end of this year, with growth of more than 6 percent annually expected in the longer term.
The Benefits
Unlike consignment agreements, where the supplier retains ownership of the product until it is consumed, the product becomes the customer's asset immediately after purchase with VMI models. Additionally, VMI eliminates the need for third-party arrangements, where distributors or logistics providers act as paid middle-men to handle inventory administration.
Well-designed VMI arrangements can offer tremendous value to both buyers and suppliers, boosting the efficiency and profits of both parties. Some of the key benefits include: Buyer Supplier
. Eliminates the time and costs . Increases market share by securing all of a associated with administrative customer's business for the types of tasks such as managing products it supplies. replenishment parameters and issuing purchase orders.

Copyright ? 2007 Supply Chain Connect, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
. . Can minimize required supply Enhances the accuracy of inventory chain inventory by 20 to 30 replenishment planning by enabling buyers percent, according to studies to closely monitor the sales or use of its conducted by Forrester products at each customer's site. Research. . Improves revenue generation through . Improves supply vs. demand expanded service level agreements (the reliability and helps avoid agreed-upon percentage of orders that can stockouts and unfilled orders. be completely filled through VMI).
. Allows for additional time to focus on core competencies and strategic, revenue-generating activities.

Key Considerations
When developing a new VMI agreement, both suppliers and their customers should carefully consider the following items:
. Which product or products will be covered under the arrangement . The minimum, maximum, and target inventory levels to be maintained . Re-order trigger points and related processes . Product replenishment frequency . Material return policies Ensuring VMI Success - The Risks and How to Avoid Them
Although the benefits are significant, there are some risks involved for both customers and suppliers when entering into a VMI program. For example, suppliers may face higher administrative costs. Additionally, they will need to allocate additional staff resources to handle those replenishment activities that were previously performed by the customer. In order to justify these added burdens, suppliers must have sufficient sales volumes and gross margins.
Possible customer risks include... [download for more]