For the Small Business

The supply chain incorporates all aspects of moving material from the vendor through the manufacturing process to the final customer. The supply chain is no longer contained within countries borders, but encompasses all nations, whether they are vendors, manufacturers or customers. This article will examine the ways in which companies can export their products to new markets.

Every company that embarks on an implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) project hopes that the implementation will be a success; on time and on budget. There are a number of critical success factors that could help ensure that success of a typical ERP project. This article highlights some of the most important strategies that...

When your company communicates with your customers the process can involve many different people within both organizations using a variety of different methods. To ensure that your company can provide the best customer service experience possible the use of customer relationship management (CRM) software should be considered. This article examines the elements that are found in CRM software.

Transportation costs can be a significant part of a company’s overall logistics spend. With the increases in the price of fuel, the proportion allocated to transportation can be upward of fifty percent. Transportation costs are a major target for company’s to reduce and there are a number of transportation strategies that can be used by...

Vendor Managed Inventory or VMI is a process where the vendor creates orders for their customers based on demand information that they receive from the customer. The vendor and customer are bound by an agreement which determines inventory levels, fill rates and costs. This article describes the VMI process.

The layout of a warehouse may need to be changed to accommodate new product lines or to add greater flexibility to the warehouse operations. When a new warehouse layout is proposed a detailed planning process should be followed to ensure the success of the project. The planning process is discussed in this article.

Small businesses are often not associated with manufacturing, however in the US small manufacturers can be found in all fifty states. Organizations such as the American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC) exist to promote small manufacturers and to lobby government. This article examines some of the manufacturing processes that are used by small businesses.

Small businesses need to seek out every opportunity to win sales. They can do this by using their competitive advantage. Creating a strategic sales plan will allow the small business owner to have that advantage over other businesses. This article will help you to develop a winning strategic sales plan.

Sales forecasting is especially difficult when you don’t have any previous sales history to guide you. In this article the author provides a detailed explanation of how to use three methods of sales forecasting.

Customer satisfaction is key to any company's success, but it is even more important for a small business. This article will show you some secrets of good customer service that not only make common sense, they make good business sense.

Returns are not always due to products being defective. According to the Reverse Logistics Association (RLA), 75% of returns are not faulty. The RLA found that the main reason a product is returned is due to some kind of misinformation at the time of purchase. In this article, you'll see how returned material can actually help your bottom line.

Small businesses can follow the lead of larger businesses by outsourcing their logistics function. This article examines why outsourcing logistics function makes sense when small and midsize companies grow larger or have special needs.

It is important for a small company to manage its supply chain in the most efficient, cost-effective and collaborative way possible. Small business is under pressure to reduce manufacturing costs and to help customers reduce their own costs. This article discusses the needs for small businesses to implement supply chain software.

The product life cycle can be divided into several stages characterized by the revenue generated by the product. A life cycle can be very short or very long. Most products start in the product development stage. Companies develop new products all the time and a small percentage of those reach the market. This article describes the different stages in the product life cycle.

Market segmentation is the identification of parts of the market that are different. Segmentation gives a company a greater ability to better satisfy the needs of its customers. However, not all customers are the same and each has unique characteristics and requirements that may not be found in any other customer. This article examines some of the elements of market segmentation.

Small business grants are usually only available for specific types of businesses or activities that the government wants to encourage. Examples of these activities include expanding child care centers, creating energy efficient technology, or developing marketing campaigns for tourism. These grants are awarded by state and local governments, not the Federal government - even if the funding is from the national level. The Federal government does not award grants to start or expand a small business.

Small businesses create 65% of all new jobs. For this reason, loans to small businesses keep the economy functioning. However, banks require a business to be show signs of success before lending money. This makes sense, because the bank wants to get a return on its investment.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration develops and enforces rules and regulations that relate to drivers, vehicles, and the carrier. As well as the enforcement of regulations, the FMSCA encourages the education of drivers and carriers. This article examines the work of the FMCSA.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) developed Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) to look at how data is collected, reported, and how it can improve safety for commercial motor vehicles (CMV). The CSA measures covers trucking companies, drivers, and shippers who hire third parties to move freight. This article examines...

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a part of the US Department of Transportation (DoT). It is responsible for the federal size and weight regulations for commercial motor vehicles (CMV). The regulations are found in Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 23 CFR Part 658. This article examines the size and weight limitations specified in...

To drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) as person is required to have a commercial driving license. The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 required that drivers of commercial motor vehicles were qualified to drive such vehicles to ensure greater safety on the highways of the United States. This article looks at different aspects of...

Commercial trucks that operate on US highways can be classified based on their gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). The classification is divided into eight classes, one through eight, although many people use the more generic terms, light duty, medium duty and heavy duty. This article examines the different types of truck classifications in the US.

The main function of the freight forwarder is to act as an intermediary between the client who is hiring them and various transportation services that are involved in getting the product overseas to the customer. This article looks at the different services that a freight forwarder can offer.

Customer satisfaction is extremely important in an economy where the vendors are having to work hard to win new business and keep their existing customers. If a company fails to satisfy their existing clients there are many other vendors who would like the opportunity to win the business. This article looks at how vendors can win and retain...

A company may make a decision to have an in-house vehicle fleet based on the needs of the company to get goods to customers as quickly as possible. However the convenience of having a vehicle fleet to transport items at a moment notice comes at a considerable price. This article looks at the cost of owning a fleet of delivery vehicles.