With a rich history spanning over 57 years, boasting a network of more than 570 stores across the United States, and offering a curated selection of products with an emphasis on private-label brands, this company stands as a leading grocery store chain, with a well-established presence in the retail industry landscape.
In its pursuit to expand its market reach and address evolving industry dynamics and customer demands, the company encountered challenges in effectively managing its supply chain operations. With a diverse array of fast-moving products, store managers were tasked with the continuous monitoring and adjustment of inventory levels, necessitating timely issuance of purchase orders to warehouses or suppliers.
The critical bottlenecks were evident once these purchase orders were initiated, with the lack of visibility and tracking capabilities for store managers and other stakeholders to monitor the real-time status of their orders undermining operational efficiency and heightening the risk of stockouts, overstock situations, and customer dissatisfaction.
In its endeavor to empower store managers and streamline supply chain operations, the company embarked on a quest to find a strategic partner to lead the way. After three years of successful collaboration in retail supply chain transformation, during which a strong foundation of trust was established, Brillio emerged as the ideal candidate. With a demonstrated track record of delivering tangible results and possessing extensive domain expertise in retail supply chain management, Brillio stood out as the perfect partner for the task.
After conducting a comprehensive series of discovery workshops over the course of two weeks, which included stakeholder interviews, the teams identified several problem areas that were sources of inefficiencies and lack of visibility.
Through in-depth discussions with store managers, the teams collaboratively mapped out the pain points and gained a granular understanding of operational challenges. Drawing from these insights, the teams outlined the current state (as-is) and envisioned the future state (to-be) prior to embarking on the transformation journey, ensuring a comprehensive grasp of the client’s ecosystem and establishing a robust foundation for solution deployment.
To tackle the supply chain challenges, a multifaceted solution was devised. Firstly, an interactive web portal was developed to provide real-time tracking of item procurement status—from suppliers to warehouses and between warehouses. This entailed the incorporation of algorithms for grouping and scheduling orders based on store clusters and regions, optimizing procurement processes.
An advanced Purchase Order Management System was seamlessly integrated into the Store Portal, enabling warehouse managers to efficiently review and schedule orders.
Furthermore, a Transfer Order Algorithm was crafted to empower warehouse managers to transfer orders between warehouses according to stock availability. Additionally, a comprehensive dashboard was implemented to offer stakeholders visibility into appointment statuses across supply chain nodes, enabling real-time monitoring and customizable views tailored to specific business parameters.
Following the implementation, visibility of product delivery timelines across the supply chain saw a 10% enhancement, leading to improved transparency and insights. Furthermore, a comprehensive 360-degree view of inventory status resulted in enhanced demand forecasting and a significant 14% decrease in stockouts over an 18-month period.
The company witnessed a noteworthy 25% improvement in the closure time of employee feedback cycles, indicating heightened operational efficiency and employee satisfaction. Collectively, these outcomes underscored the substantial value delivered by the solution, which streamlined operations, minimized costs, and elevated customer satisfaction levels.
