Worldpack has extremely strong relationships with its customers but with COVID, even we have upped our game and our Service with Guts mission, acting nimbly to offer rapid solutions to customers to meet their immediate needs. We spoke to Matthijs Buitenhuis, Account Manager at Worldpack about his role and the drivers he is currently seeing.
He says: “I work as an account manager for several leading high street fashion brand accounts. My job entails working closely with the internal sales support team to ensure that a customer has all the Goods Not For Resale (GNFR) items that it needs.”
Matthijs’ main target is making sure his customers’ goods are available and delivered on time. He explains how the Worldpack team cover strategy and operational issues: “I work with the customers strategically to help improve their master planning and forecasting. I look at the data we hold and compare it to their requirements to ensure stock levels are managed.
“Part of my role is how to make our offering more innovative, sustainable and to add value. I work with the data/ insights team to see whether there are products that can be sourced that are more effective and will offer cost savings, while ensuring that these fit with the retailer and brands’ values. I work with the internal sales support team on the operational side of the business, so deadlines are met and delivery runs smoothly.”
Matthijs proactively looks for drivers and trends that could affect the supply chain and ensures that he is one step ahead. He says: “The biggest trend that I am seeing at the moment is that many brands are looking for innovation to improve agility, reduce cost and give them greater flexibility within the supply chain.
“Understandably in the current pandemic, they want to make the lowest risk decisions possible. They certainly don’t want stock sitting in warehouses should there be more lockdowns, so many brands are looking to order goods in smaller shipments. They are also looking at more local procurement while ensuring that any certification is accepted globally.”
As a recent report by multinational professional services firm PWC points out, in the past, decisions on how to organise supply chains were based on scale effects and lowest cost. Usually, making the decision to purchase in smaller quantities means the loss of economies of scale. But because of its international, assured and accredited supplier network, Worldpack is able to batch buy while maintaining competitive pricing.
Matthijs adds, “Even buying in smaller quantities and working with shorter timelines, we can offer customers the same goods in smaller batches, but they are not paying more. This suits their wish for lower risk in the current climate but because of our competitive pricing, it is a cost-effective option for them.
“For the companies we work with, they have greatly appreciated Worldpack’s expertise and advice about procurement and the supply chain, as well as how our insights team can use historical data and analytics to help them with forecasting. Having solutions that will work for clients in the short and long term means anyone who wants their GNFR supply chain to be more effective should talk to us.”
If you are reviewing your supply chain in light of the Coronavirus pandemic or just want to see what it would be like to work with a proactive trusted partner who uses data to help get you the best prices and product choices, speak to Worldpack. You can get in touch by email at online@worldpack.eu or ring us on +31(0) 88 494 20 80.
