We Have Always Done it That Way

TAKING THE LEAD

Lewis Davis Senior Director of Technology and Research

Have you ever wondered if there was a more efficient way, but either did not want to rock the boat or weren’t sure how to proceed? Now is the time to question those processes and look at a better way.

We Have Always Done it That Way!

“We’ve always done it that way” and “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” are dangerous phrases that can hurt your business. Why do we assume that because something worked in the past it is still the best for the future? Are we so busy getting the job done that we cannot see there may be a more efficient way? Have you ever wondered if there was a more efficient way, but either did not want to rock the boat or weren’t sure how to proceed? Now is the time to question those processes and look at a better way. This article will review the processes associated with fcB2B and how your business can be more efficient by making a few changes.

The first process we will review is maintaining your product and price changes. Is this still a manual process? The fcB2B product/price catalog allows your fcB2B suppliers to send the products and prices they have linked to your account. You already receive this via a printout, email, website, or spreadsheet, but how does your system get updated? Having someone manually enter the information or via a manipulated spreadsheet, which is slowly imported. With fcB2B, the process can be automated. Existing products are updated with the latest price, new products are added with the description from the supplier and dropped products or colors are removed. This process normally takes minutes, not hours or days. Imagine the time savings during a price increase or when new products are being released.

The next process relates to the ordering of products. Most suppliers provide a website for checking stock, reserving stock, placing orders, and checking your order status. This would be nice if you only had one supplier, what happens when you have five, ten or more suppliers? For simplicity, let us assume you have ten suppliers each with a different website for entering orders. You would need to collect all products to be ordered for a supplier, find the website, login, navigate to the order entry screen, select the product, enter the quantity, verify the products and quantity, submit the order, now update your system with the reference number. Now repeat this for the ten suppliers. Sounds like a lot of steps with possible interruptions and hopefully no errors. Why not let your ERP system do this for you with the push of a button? With fcB2B, the software collects the orders for suppliers and allows you to press the button to submit the order with the products and quantities needed. It will update each order with the reference number normally within seconds. Whether all your suppliers provide fcB2B or not, think about the time savings and reduced errors you can gain when connecting with those that do use fcB2B.

Do you get notified of products or PO’s being delivered prior to the truck showing up at your door? If your suppliers are using fcB2B, they can provide you with an Advanced Ship Notice. The ASN contains PO numbers, PO line numbers, roll numbers, package numbers, products, quantities, and a bill of lading number.

Do you still wait for the mail to run to get your paper invoices so someone can begin verifying what was ordered, received, and invoiced? What if the verification was automated so that your invoice was received electronically, linked to the PO, and receiving, then marked for payment?

All the information needed to help you receive and update the PO and customer order. Most systems will show when a customer’s order is complete and ready to be installed.

The last piece is the invoice. Do you still wait for the mail to run to get your paper invoices so someone can begin verifying what was ordered, received, and invoiced? What if the verification was automated so that your invoice was received electronically, linked to the PO, and receiving, then marked for payment?

Computers are excellent for repetitive tasks and can help free up an employee to be more productive in other areas of your business. Take the time to look at your process and do not keep doing things the same way because “We’ve always done it that way.” By spending a few minutes reviewing your manual processes, you may be able to update and save many hours.

Visit our website at www.fcb2b.info and click on the Resources tab to learn more about fcB2B. The Members Connections tab has a listing of the members who support fcB2B.

Do you B2B? If not, why? Contact me to find out how to be more efficient in your business: Lewis Davis at 706-217-1183 ext. 132 or via email at ldavis@wfca.org. ■

Don’t let moisture make you the villain in a flooring horror story that might ruin your reputation.

At right: Always use a pinless moisture meter to be sure your wood is fully acclimated prior to installation. Below: Remember to assess the moisture condition of the concrete subfloor.

Always have the right moisture measurement tools so you can make an accurate evaluation. For concrete subfloors, that means using an in situ relative humidity (RH) sensor. Only the RH moisture test can determine the true moisture condition within the concrete. Other tests only measure surface moisture conditions, which can’t tell you about moisture that may push to the concrete surface later on and destroy your hardwood installation.

You also want a pinless wood moisture meter to make sure the hardwood floor is fully acclimated. Use a pinless meter and not a pin meter so the moisture testing doesn’t mar the beauty of the hardwood boards by leaving pinholes all over them. A pinless moisture meter also lets you measure much more quickly and accurately.

Don’t let moisture make you the villain in a flooring horror story that might ruin your reputation. Use trusted moisture testing systems from Wagner Meters to be well prepared before your flooring installation. For more information, call the Wagner Meters team worldwide toll-free at (844) 533-9100 or visit wagnermeters.com. ■

Use a pinless meter and not a pin meter so the moisture testing doesn’t mar the beauty of the hardwood boards by leaving pinholes all over them. A pinless moisture meter also lets you measure much more quickly and accurately.