Globalisation is dramatically influencing the way business is managed and transacted today, and no area of a business is affected more by this development than the supply chain. End-user organisations with an international footprint therefore need to partner with service providers that are experts in international delivery, that can supply whatever equipment is needed by sourcing from anywhere and delivering to any place, and can do so no matter in which country this assistance is needed.

It’s important for end-user organisations to plan properly and keep varying lead times in mind. Careful demand planning plays a crucial role, because how well vendors manage this function impacts directly on their partners’ business. If vendors don’t plan properly, their partners run into restrictions because everything from the shipping and customs clearance, up to the implementation and go-live date are delayed.

The best cost-saving strategy would be to outsource all procurement and logistics to a supply chain service provider that has sufficient expertise and experience in international logistics to know how and where to save. Attempting to handle logistics in-house without the proper expertise often leads to higher costs, rather than lower, because it’s not part of the organisation’s core focus.”
“While there’s an international trend towards outsourcing IT procurement and logistics, it’s important to realise the benefits of entrusting the entire IT supply chain to a single outsourcing partner that has expertise across the board. It’s not advisable to outsource piecemeal, mistakenly thinking it will be more cost-effective. A fractured supply chain creates complexity, and complexity creates cost.