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Issue # 162
Hi Friend,
You may have noticed in previous updates, newsletters, or at my website that I have been promoting a service I call The Spare Parts Management Solutions Network (or just The Solutions Network for short). Recently I have received quite a few enquiries on what it is and how it works so in today’s update I am going to answer those questions.
What is it?
The Solutions Network is a membership network of product and service providers that I know and trust and am happy therefore to refer to you, my extensive network of clients and industry practitioners.
How does it work?
For you it is simple: if you have a need for any spare parts management related product or service, just contact me directly (even just reply to this email), I will contact you to discuss your need, and if I know anyone that I trust to help you, then I will make the introduction.
For the providers it is much more complex. They need to be known to me personally and they need to satisfy a range of criteria relating to reputation, customer service, capability, longevity, and stability. Ultimately, as the referrer, it is my reputation that is on the line so I want to be sure that the provider can deliver.
Isn’t it just advertising?
Absolutely not! With advertising the publisher will place an ad for anyone with the money to pay for it. They have no interest in the quality of the service. With The Solutions Network, its personal. It is my reputation on the line. If I refer someone to you and they don’t perform, it is my reputation that gets tarnished. This means that only companies that I am comfortable endorsing can join The Solutions Network.
I heard that providers pay a fee, so how independent is it really?
Yes, there is a commercial relationship between me and the providers. However, it still comes back to my reputation, so I will only refer companies that I know can deliver. I won’t refer companies that don’t meet my criteria. As long as everyone understands this, I think that it is all OK, transparent and accountable.
Why are there only a few companies involved?
Two reasons: first it is relatively new. Our foundation member company was sparesFinder and with them, and others, we have been working out the best approach this service. Now that we have done that I am expanding the network. The other reason is that I have rejected a number of companies that have wanted to join The Solutions Network. As I have indicated above, the bar for joining is quite high!
That about covers the range of queries I’ve had but if you have more questions then please just ask.
Ultimately, the Solutions Network helps you by short-cutting your search for quality providers that you can trust to provide the products and services you need. So contact me if you are in need of any spare parts related product or service.
Keep on improving,
Phillip Slater
Founder, SparePartsKnowHow.com |
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Updates From the Blog - Currently on Open Access
Essentially all inventory stocking decisions can be resolved as a forecasting problem. This is because the essence of inventory management is determining the most appropriate level of inventory to hold, to service the expected future demand for that inventory, based on the expected supply constraints.
This article and extended white paper (members only) explain the issues around forecasting spare parts and the white paper suggests the most appropriate approach for different scenarios.
Recently I was in Louisville, Kentucky and visited the Muhammad Ali center. (If you ever make it to Louisville this is a ‘must visit’ museum.) One of the Ali quotes I saw at the museum resonated with me with respect to almost everything we do but also with spare parts inventory management and achieving best practice. This article explains how.
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| | The Solutions Network
As explained above, The Solutions Network introduces you to trusted providers of spare parts management tools and services.
For an introduction to a provider that I know and trust please contact me via return email or for specific solutions follow the links below.
Data Management and Cleansing sparesFinder: helps companies solve materials data challenges and provides the tools needed to deliver significant savings beyond data cleaning.
Conferences and Related Training MAPS Conference: the most comprehensive event for spare parts and MRO professionals in the USA. Look out for next year's conference in September!
Media and Information
Spare Parts Management Consulting and Training Initiate Action: my company providing consulting and training services specifically targeting spare parts management.
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