Logistics includes all the processes required to go from raw materials to end customer delivery, including purchasing、inventory management、warehousing、shipping、customer returns. All product-oriented businesses have logistics as a cost of doing business. Some may think it only applies to large businesses, but companies of any size can benefit from logistics improvements.

The good news is that any improvement in logistics you make results in savings in your cost of doing business. Best of all, these savings drop right to your bottom line as profits.

Some examples of how logistics can help your company include:

• Cost savings

• Reduced inventory

• Improved efficiency

• Improved delivery time, which improves customer satisfaction and can be a competitive advantage if your competitors can't deliver as quickly

• Getting Started in Logistics

You don't have to be a logistics expert, or even have one on staff to get started finding logistics savings. Instead, you can try. There are many third party logistics firms both large and small as well as consultants that can be very helpful in identifying and getting at specific savings opportunities.