Conference & Expo Highlights

Over 400 attendees representing 200 companies gathered in Amsterdam for Europe's largest reverse logistics conference! Reverse logistics professionals and leading academics from throughout Europe met to share best practices and discuss the most pressing reverse logistics challenges.

Companies represented included Philips, IBM, Nike, Intel, DYMO, Cisco Sytems and Hewlett-Packard, just to name a few. Please visit our Event Attendees page for the complete listing of the companies that participated.

Conference sessions and panel discussions focused on industry-specific issues such as Managing Reverse Logistics to Improve Performance, Services Role in Delighting Customers and Driving Loyalty and Methods of RL Outsourcing.

Attendees also had the opportunity to meet with Exhibitors during the 2-day Expo. "RLTS provides the perfect environment to meet with customers and partners leading to the identification of solutions for their specific issues," said Melissa Berg-Baker, Marketing Director at Click Commerce.

Visit the Photo Gallery for pictures from the show.

Several companies have recently become RLA Members or have upgraded their membership. These include:

• Platinum Level: Microsoft
• Gold Level: TNT, Philips, Image Microsystems
• Silver Level: Wal-Mart, Sanmina-SCI, American Electronic Components, Pelican Products, Mercorp, Sunnking

RLA Membership provides passes to RLTS events and access to RL Quote and conference presentations. Go online for a complete list of Membership Benefits.

ScanSource Inc., global distributor of specialty technology products, recently announced the promotion of Andrea D. Meade to Executive Vice President of Operations and Corporate Development.

Brad Hendrick recently left Arvato Services Inc. to join Foxconn as Director of Sales and Business Development, Global Services. Foxconn, a contract manufacturer provides repair and support services for manufacturing and non-manufacturing customers.

Data Exchange Corporation recently announced that Robert (Bob) A. Passaretti has joined the company as Senior Vice President of Human Resources.

ModusLink Corporation recently announced that Scott D. Smith has been appointed President, Sales and Marketing. Mr. Smith brings more than two decades of sales and marketing experience and will be responsible for ModusLink's global sales and marketing organization.

Reverse Logistics Checklist: Using Visibility to Enable Your Customers

by Paul Rupnow

One of the best ways to improve your Reverse Logistics processing is through visibility. In this checklist, we will review some of the ways to meet the needs of your customers by providing them with visibility. In addition, by providing them with visibility, you will also benefit and improve your Reverse Logistics processing.

A wise Reverse Logistics professional once said: "We can maintain a high level of customer satisfaction, even when things go wrong, when we give our customers visibility to every step of our Reverse Logistics process with them."  Full Article

• China International Consumer Electronics Show (SINOCES) - Qingdao, China - July 6 - 9, 2007
• National Electronics Service Dealers Association - Denver, CO - July 24-28, 2007
• RL Seminar - Chicago, IL - August 15, 2007
• AutoTech 2007 - Novi, Michigan - August 21-23, 2007
• RL Seminar - Columbus, OH - September 12, 2007
• RLTS Singapore 2007 - October 2-4, 2007
• RL Seminar - Austin, TX - October 17, 2007
• CEA Industry Forum - Las Vegas, NV - October 19-22, 2007

"Bringing Simplicity To Life"

The RLTS Amsterdam 2007 keynote address was delivered by Wim Van Gils, Vice President & General Manager Global Customer Service, Philips Consumer Electronics, Europe. The Philips' philosophy is expressed that the Philips brand is "sense and simplicity." Throughout Philips, the "Net Promoter Score (NPS)" will be used to increase brand equity, and increase the likelihood that customers would recommend Philips to a friend or colleague. There is a focus to drive NPS across all key categories, processes, functions and units within Philips.

An effort is underway to change Philips customer service delivery concept from "cost control" to "value creation." This is present in both the relationships with channel sales partners as well as the consumer experience. Discussion on the impact of the "expectation level" during the handling of a service task showed that higher NPS scores were achieved when a certain level of service was promised, but a higher level of service was actually delivered. Furthermore, even if a promised level of service cannot be delivered, by promptly communicating this fact to the customer before the promised delivery date resulted in NPS scores staying high. In other words, repairs promised (and delivered) resulted in higher brand loyalty, and thus more likely that a customer would recommend Philips.

The conference presentations are now available and free to RLA members for download.

For the next 30 days, attendees at RLTS Amsterdam may apply their registration fee to an Associate level membership. For only $200.00, this Membership Upgrade will provide access to all presentations delivered in Amsterdam as well as all prior conferences.

The fourth annual RLTS Singapore will be held on October 2-4, 2007 at the Le Meridian Hotel. Companies from the South Pacific, Asia and many other international delegates will be in attendance. ODMs and OEMs will be looking for 3PSPs that can manage Reverse Logistics in North America and Europe, along with identifying Service Logistics solutions for the Far-East.

Held earlier this year to avoid the holidays, this premier Reverse Logistics Event is just three months away. The chance to meet with peers and competitors to discuss Reverse Logistics issues along with meeting key industry professionals make this Conference & Expo second to none.

Many Speaker and Panelist positions are still open. There are great benefits for speaking or participating on a panel. Also, it is never too late to make a good decision. So exhibit now to showcase your products and services at RLTS Singapore 2007!

RL Quote provides OEMs, ODMs and Retailers a way to connect with 3PSPs. With RL Quote a manufacturer or retailer can send out RFIs anonymously to our worldwide database of suppliers, screen through the 3PSP responses and narrow down the prospects.

RL Quote is available for all manufacturers and retail companies at no cost. 3PSPs that are members of RLA can respond to these RFIs:

• RFI ID 91: Indonesia - Major Computer OEM is seeking field service 3PSP for Indonesia
• RFI ID 89: Mexico - Manufacturer looking for Field Service and Potential Rework/Sorting Facility Service for Monterrey and Juarez, Mexico.
• RFI ID 88: Hungary/Czech Republic - Manufacturer looking for Field Service and Potential Rework/Sorting Facility Service for Paty, Hungary and Pardubice, Czech Republic
• RFI ID 87: Brazil - Manufacturer looking for Field Service and Potential Rework/Sorting Facility Service for Jaguariuna Sao Paulo, Brazil
• RFI ID 86: India - Manufacturer looking for Field Service and Potential Rework/Sorting Facility Service for Pondicherry, India

Get details at RL Quote.