Supply chain consultants in New Zealand know that this far-flung corner of the world is replete with logistics opportunities and challenges, just like any other nation. However, they also know that few nations have the same combination of opportunities and challenges.
New Zealand’s remote location, inter-island geography, and contrast in demand density between urban and rural regions, combine to make innovation vital for success in supply chain management.
That’s why, in a country commercially dominated by SMEs, the most successful enterprises are those prepared to continuously think bigger and better, and to look outside the business when necessary, for insights and answers to supply chain challenges.
How Supply Chain Consultants Aid Innovation
Thanks to advances in technology, continuous development of supply chain management disciplines, and especially the expertise of supply chain consultants in New Zealand, more and more importers, exporters, and domestic enterprises are able to match the operational performance of larger multinational corporations.
As a result, these smaller businesses are finding ways to compete in big-business markets, increase their profitability, and achieve organic growth.
Supply chain consultants are instrumental in making this happen, primarily by helping companies take advantage of global best practices, select and implement technology, and above all, to think differently about ways the supply chain might be improved.
The Value of Supply Chain Consultants in New Zealand
A good firm of supply chain consultants in New Zealand can help your company innovate and overcome logistics challenges. Local consultants in particular, have a deep understanding of the issues specific to supply chain operations in this country, many of which are geographic in nature.
Indeed, geography represents a significant challenge to all New Zealand companies, whether they operate in global or domestic markets.
For example, companies based in many world cities enjoy vast catchment areas containing many millions of potential customers, all within a few hundred kilometers of their plants, warehouses or sales centres. Enterprises in Auckland, on the other hand, would struggle to reach 25 million people within a 3,000 mile radius of the city.
As if the country’s geographical remoteness isn’t enough though, the North and South Islands of New Zealand are separated by the unpredictable waters of the Cook Strait.
The watery divide ensures that even centrally located companies have a more difficult task than most when it comes to transportation and distribution within the borders of the nation.
There’s no easy out for companies that avoid inter-island trade either, since outside of Auckland and the other main cities, the bulk of customers are located in sparsely distributed, remote communities, where demand density is low and travel-distances are lengthy.
Unless your company is able to focus a well-resourced supply chain management team on these geographical challenges, it’s not easy to find and implement solutions for more competitive, responsive, and cost-effective logistics operations. This however, is where supply chain consultants in New Zealand can be of invaluable service.
Aside from the experience they gain from working on innumerable projects, consultants constantly research, study, and upgrade their skills, the better to fulfill their mission—to help clients compete in a country where transportation costs are among the biggest obstacles to profitability.
Read more from this blog: Supply Chain Management Consulting – How to Maximise the Benefits
Selecting Supply Chain Consultants in New Zealand
As in most developed countries, there’s no shortage of supply chain consultants in New Zealand to choose from, but it’s not always easy to find a consulting firm that’s right for your business. Perhaps the best approach is to try and find consultants with experience in your type of supply chain operation.
For example, if your company is largely involved in domestic markets, you might look for consultants who can show how they’ve helped firms similar to yours to improve supply chain performance.
On the other hand, if your company is involved in imports and/or exports, it’s a good idea not only to seek out consulting companies specialising in global supply chain management but perhaps even to consider those that operate internationally and have offices in the countries with which you trade.
What About International Supply Chain Consultants in New Zealand?
Regardless of whether your business is domestic or international, there are some real advantages to engaging a provider that has consultants in New Zealand, but also operates offices overseas. The primary benefit is the availability of consultants who know New Zealand’s logistical peculiarities, but have experience gained in other countries to draw on as well.
Why is this so advantageous? It’s because although New Zealand might be unique when you consider its logistics challenges collectively, most of the individual issues exist elsewhere too.
Consultants who operate in multiple countries may have worked on and solved a wider range of problems than those who only ever work with New Zealand clients. This can make all the difference when it comes to developing innovative solutions to supply chain problems.
It doesn’t mean though, that your company should totally discount local supply chain consultants, or that you can benefit only from the costly services of the big multinational providers. In fact, there are consulting firms that can offer you the very best of both worlds—Logistics Bureau being a prime example.
Global Experience, Regional Knowledge, Domestic Presence
Logistics Bureau is a small and friendly company of supply chain consultants with offices in Australia and Southeast Asia, as well as in New Zealand, where we’ve been helping our clients to innovate and overcome domestic and global logistics challenges since 1997.
To learn more about the services provided by our supply chain consultants in New Zealand, please contact us online or give our Auckland office a call at +64 (9) 352 2059. We’re ready and waiting to take on your challenges—and turn them into competitive opportunities.
