The typical measure used in the industry is a vitality metric which measures the amount of sales generated by product releases within a set number of years as a percent of total sales. Think about this as a freshness indicator on your product offering. The trouble with this and many other business outcome related metrics is that the feedback is very latent. Development cycles can take months to years before you get even the first feedback point. I found a study from the Corporate Executive Board to be very illuminating on this point. Basically, they separated the great organic growth firms from the rest of the pack and then looked to see if they tended to focus on a different set of metrics.
The results were clear, if you want to get more from your R&D investments the leadership team needs to be looking at the health of your portfolio of projects:
This offers a focus that is not latent, and pays significant dividends in the long term.
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There’s no doubt about it: When it comes to transportation, economic fluctuations have made a huge impact. Within a decade, the logistics industry has done a 180 – from an overabundance of trucks and drivers vying for companies’ precious cargo by offering competitive pricing, to a smaller number of transportation companies hard pressed to meet their commitments despite considerable rate increases.
It’s a simple matter of supply and demand. The recession took its toll on the logistics industry, driving thousands of trucking companies out of business. Now that the economy is on the rebound, the gap left by these extinct carriers is tangible. With a significant shortage of both trucks and drivers, the market naturally answers to the highest bidder. How can you keep your products moving and still control your costs in this challenging scenario?
With regards to transportation, substantial cost reduction incorporates two key components – Rate Reduction and Process Improvements. For many companies, emphasis has been placed primarily on rate reduction, which remains a key component. However, having the right logistics framework in place is just as, if not more effective in managing transportation costs.
Even skilled rate negotiators who, in years past, expertly bargained for the best deals, aren’t able to produce the same results in the current environment. Today’s marketplace is conspiring against them, and carriers now undoubtedly have the upper hand. According to Forbes, private US trucking companies posted their fourth year of higher sales in 2013 with net margins averaging 6 percent, compared to 3 and 4 percent in recent years. In fact, the trucking industry’s outlook is so peachy and the driver shortage so severe, that drivers are being snatched from school before getting their certification, while trucking companies are resorting to incentives in order to lure enough drivers to keep their fleets on the road. So unless an organization is planning to launch their own trucking division, it might be time to start considering other viable ways to improve their shipping process besides just benchmarking freight rates.
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