Achieving a controlled balance between order management and the stocks in your warehouse is the holy grail of any business, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We’ll see that by using free TMS software, this need for controlled organisation and planning is within the reach of your VSE or SME.

How to avoid :

• seasonal tensions (i.e. sales, the Christmas period, holidays),
• economic and climatic hazards (economic, political, health-related, etc.),
• nor changes in consumer habits according to the various aspects of their lives (inflation, etc.)?

In the life of a company, depending on its sector of activity, the volume of orders can vary enormously from one week to the next.

The solution is to be one step ahead of your stock!

Yes, of course, but overstocking is money lying idle… For an SME or a very small business, the financial mass involved can quickly prove to be a source of financial imbalance that is detrimental to the company’s survival.

Achieving a stable balance between supplies and customer orders takes work.

Planning and organisation, thanks to TMS software, are the two keys to achieving this.

DDS offers a TMS that is 100% free of charge and with no obligation.

Inventory management: definition and optimisation factors

What is stock management?

Stock management is the process of planning, organising, controlling and managing your company’s stocks.

The aim is threefold: to ensure that stock is available exactly when you need it for production or direct shipment of orders, while minimising storage costs.

In small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), stock management is particularly important, since it can represent up to 30% of the company’s assets.

This significant proportion of expenditure takes a heavy toll on the company’s accounts.

How is stock managed?

The stock management process comprises the following stages:

• planning
• organisation
• stock control
• and ordering for replenishment.

Let’s look at each stage in more detail:

• Stock planning involves determining the company’s stock requirements. To achieve this, it is necessary to take into account customer demand, delivery times posted in real time by suppliers, storage costs which determine the maximum possible quantity of products in stock, and the company’s objectives.
• The organisation of the company’s stocks must be efficient, precise and in real time in order to minimise product shortages and overstocking. To achieve efficient organisation, storage locations and procedures for receiving and dispatching stock must be defined.
• Stock control involves monitoring stock levels and identifying any problems. Regular physical inventories should be planned.

How can you optimise stock management? TMS 100% Free of charge and with no commitment

Automating tasks is the key to optimising stock management.

This digital transformation provides real-time information and improves stock visibility.

Implementing a TMS (Transport Management System) software package can help VSEs and SMEs to manage their stocks more effectively.

By providing real-time information on stock levels, stock location and stock movements, the TMS tool drastically improves stock visibility.

This gives the company complete visibility of its stocks and enables it to make more informed decisions about replenishment.

Controlling order management: a competitive challenge for VSEs/SMEs

What is order management?

Order management in VSEs and SMEs covers all the processes involved in processing orders placed by customers.

Comprising the reception, validation, preparation, dispatch and follow-up stages, it is an essential activity for VSEs, SMIs and SMEs.

Efficient order management makes it easier to satisfy customers and boost sales.

The role of TMS software in optimising order management.*

TMS software offers a variety of features that can be used to improve the efficiency of order management.

Being able to centralise all information relating to orders in a single place, either internally or in the cloud (customer, product, stock and transport information), promotes coordination between the company’s various departments.

By receiving orders by email, the company drastically reduces data entry errors. What’s more, some of the tasks previously performed by an operator can now be automated.

These tasks include validating orders, preparing shipments and tracking deliveries.

This real-time automation is a lever for growth and profitability, since it unquestionably saves time and reduces errors. This digitalisation of processes is accompanied by functionalities dedicated to route planning and the management of customer returns.

As a result, not only are routes calculated to cost less, but even small and medium-sized businesses such as VSEs and SMEs can offer the same delivery features as large groups and ETIs: perfect communication with the customer.

Informed of the status of the order, its delivery date and time, and any delays, the customer is a happy customer.

Simplified dispute management, thanks in particular to order history, is a fundamental step forward in supply chain management.

To date, too few VSEs / SMEs and SMIs have access to these functions. That’s why DDS has developed the first 100% Free, No-Commitment TMS offer, to make them available to companies of all sizes and in all sectors.

Things to remember

A company such as a VSE / SME / SMI benefits from using TMS software to monitor and manage :

stock levels of its products in real time ;
as well as customer orders.

Inventory and order management are optimised to guarantee product availability for customers.

An efficient supply chain means lower logistics costs.

It increases profitability and improves its competitive position, while improving customer satisfaction.

DDS has specially developed a TMS offer that is 100% free of charge and with no commitment, and can be implemented in just 30 minutes.