Understanding The Health Check: Phase 4: Supply Chain Integration – Questions

Do you use email, phone, or the system to communicate with customers?

Most communication about jobs/orders is via email/phone
Some information is automatically transferred to/from suppliers/partners, a lot is still emailed/phoned
Customers/partners can interact with our system directly (e.g. via the web), to get job status info or updated job data

If you have not achieved Phase 4, you always communicate with customers directly either in person, via phone, or email.
As you progress with Phase 4, more and more information is transferred electronically between customers/suppliers/partners.
Achieving Phase 4 means that customers/suppliers/partners have access to your system to both gain information and give information regarding their jobs,
- For instance, through a Web interface (allowing status updates, etc.) or through direct access to your system.

Do you call or email other organisations when you need job info?

Mostly we call or email other organisations when we need their info about a job
Some updates transfer directly into/out of our computer systems from/to other organisations (e.g. customs), without people having to do anything
We rarely have to contact third parties personally; job info transfers between our computer systems automatically

If you have not achieved Phase 4, you communicate with other organisations directly to obtain information about a job, via call or by email.
As you progress with Phase 4, requests for information relevant to a job are more and more satisfied by automated access to data from your supply chain partners.
Achieving Phase 4 means that your customers and suppliers will communicate directly with your system, using the web to transfer information from system to system.
- For example, you might be looking for customs clearance confirmations, job information / shipment information, such as the contents of a package (e.g. bill of lading), customs declaration information, or supplier pricing rating.
- You will find that is directly available through your system.

Do customers place orders by phone or email?

Mostly, customers contact us by email, fax, phone to place an order, and we key it into the system
Customers often use email to place orders, and we can transfer most of the data into our system automatically
Customers/partners can interact with our system directly (e.g. via the Web), to place orders

If you have not achieved Phase 4, employees designate time to answer phone calls and emails from customers placing orders / requesting a job.
As you progress with Phase 4, more and more customer orders will be submitted electronically.
Achieving Phase 4 means that customers do not need to phone or email in order to create an order because they can do it electronically through your system.
They have access to all the information they need to make an order (i.e. rates, availability, expected due date).

Do you call or email other organisations when you need pricing/quoting information (rates)?

Mostly, we call or email other organisations when we need quote info
Some rates transfer directly into our system from other organisations (e.g. carriers), some we have to call for, some we get by email
Rates transfer directly into our system from other organisations (e.g. carriers), without people having to do anything

If you have not achieved Phase 4, operators contact other organisations directly when they need pricing information.
As you progress with Phase 4, operators can get more and more of the pricing/quoting information directly from within your system.
Achieving Phase 4 means that your computer system automatically communicates with other organisations’ systems to acquire information.

Can customers track jobs without contacting you directly?

Customers have to call/email us to find out the status/location of their job
Customers can find out job status (while we have control of it), from our system
Customers can interact with our system to track their job from origin to destination

If you have not achieved Phase 4, your business will spend a lot of operator time answering calls and emails from customers regarding their jobs/orders.
As you progress with Phase 4, customers can look up the job status for themselves. Achieving Phase 4 means that your system allows your customers to keep track of their jobs/orders, i.e. via a web interface / online tracker.
- For example, a package tracker when you order something online or send something in the mail.