Returning to the Community — Corporate Social Responsibility
by Jeremy Vick
In our industry, speed, accuracy and profitability take center stage. As companies focus on the next quarter, the all mighty dollar rules all. With the requirements for lower cost, faster turns and better service, companies are moving offshore. What if you could find a company that can deliver your required services that competes with offshore providers? Yes I said, competes with offshore providers dollar for dollar, all while helping your corporation take advantage of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). These companies are out there.
What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?
Many definitions have been written about CSR, but the bottom line, and what each definition points to is, how a business gives back to the community and society. The community or society can be everyone from employees, customers, suppliers, community organizations, local neighborhoods, investors, and shareholders. The point is, do you know what CSR is, does your company know? Do you have a plan in place? More...
Implementing an efficient reverse logistics strategy can be a winning approach for retailers as they look for ways to improve the shopping experience and boost customer loyalty. According to a December 2005 survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 92% of consumers said that they are likely to shop with a retailer again if the returns process is convenient. Conversely, the same poll found that 82% of consumers would not shop again with a retailer that has an inconvenient return process.
Larry Maye formerly of Motorola has joined Palm, Inc. as Senior Director, Reverse Logistics Global Repair and Logistics. Larry is responsible for the overall management of Palm service repair, warranty management and operational improvements in support of Palm's growing SmartPhone and PDA markets.
There are some unmistakable truths about top corporate execs. CEOs and EVPs love to walk the aisles of their stores, which are shiny and freshly waxed in anticipation of their "surprise" visit. Yet, on such field trips, they rarely see the stock rooms, and they are often hustled past the return counter. Likewise, corporate big wigs like to don a specially personalized hard hat, climb in the golf cart or Gator, and ride around the distribution center, seeing "neatness" on parade - rack after rack, pallet after pallet, shipment after shipment of new merchandise. Yet, they are most often not afforded the same "royal treatment" when they tour their firm's return processing area.
Attendees discussed reverse logistics challenges in the high tech industry, role of transportation and distribution on reverse logistics, successful outsourcing strategies, and the hidden costs of reverse logistics, just to name a few.
During both events, attendees were given first hand views of RL operations through two very different facility tours. In Memphis, attendees received a rare glimpse into one of the most efficient distribution hubs in the world — the Fed Ex Memphis Hub. In San Jose, attendees got a special tour of the AER Worldwide facility, where they were able to see how AER maximizes asset recovery from excess electronic components and e-Waste streams.