{Super SCM Makers} Plum: Data-Driven Supply Chain

Sankaranarayanan Alagappan, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Pureplay Skin Sciences Pvt Ltd asserted that digitization was the need of the hour, and D2C selling was not an exception. With logistics SaaS solutions such as route optimization, fleet management tools, and last-mile visibility tools, supply chains could plan delivery networks and routes optimally, reduce costs, build greater visibility in the supply chain, and automate manual processes such as dispatch planning and carrier allocation. 

“The new ground reality also demands companies to be prepared for different scenarios and challenges in business. Logistics SaaS tools can enable businesses to come up with optimal game plans that can tackle these challenges efficiently. Whether planning to expand D2C operations or trying to optimize existing D2C operations, it’s essential to consider implementing intelligent logistics tech in your D2C supply chain to gain a competitive advantage while fulfilling customer expectations effectively,” he explained.

Data: A Game Changer

He further stated that Data Tech was extremely crucial for logistics, especially for D2C brands and e-commerce platforms since a good chunk of orders were likely to return in the Cash on Delivery (COD) space. Plum has leveraged tech to track orders once they leave their fulfillment centers till they are delivered by its logistic service providers.

“The biggest way in which we have leveraged technology is to reduce our logistics cost by obtaining double confirmation from the COD customer on whether he/she is willing to accept the order or not, via an OTP-based confirmation. This has enabled our organization to reduce the Return to Origin (RTO) percent and save the logistics cost that goes into order returns,” concluded Alagappan.