Scheduling System ROI
There are a lot of ways to create cost benefit within your scheduling system. One common area that many companies consider when looking at acquiring a scheduling solution is an ability to improve the efficiency of the lines in the plant. Well designed solutions allow the schedule to be sequenced and optimize the schedule so that the change over times between scheduled jobs is reduced, or so that increases in transition efficiency are achieved due to improved decision making in regard to change over. This can provide a nice ROI.
There are many very specific scheduling constraints that vary from one company to another that can improve the ability of a company to compete in its’ market. Examples of these types of scheduling constraints include JIT (just in time) delivers to remote locations. JIT can create finished goods inventory reductions in many companies that allow the team to create inventory reductions thereby increasing there cash on hand. Other examples include logistics and routing. There are businesses that are able to improve cash flow by arranging deliveries and reducing shipment expense. It can certainly pay to choose a solutions provider that is progressive and has the experience and the tools to accomplish these types of systems.
Another source of ROI is the improved coordination with delivery schedules and capacity to promise machine utilization. A well designed scheduling solution will offer its’ users intelligence on what can actually be achieved in relationship to customer requests. Good systems will provide reports for use by customer service allowing “what if analysis” into current and anticipated demand. I have also looked at systems that can show the scheduling department and customer service reps that there is available capacity to promise. This type of information is great information that can be used to report machine availability to potential customers. There is also benefit in additional customer satisfaction. An increased capability to communicate accurate delivery schedules can go a long way in terms of customer satisfaction.
I recommend looking at companies like Tuppas software or ShopfloorReporting.com. These companies are very agile and they build good solutions that provide strong benefit very affordably.
