Re: Suggested Time for Accurate Forecasting of iPad
Traditionally, poor forecasting has resulted in problems for some of the departments in the company. The production, inventory management and purchasing are some of the departments that have been affected to the extent that it resulted in low productivity. Meeting the needs and demands of the customers is critical and essential as a consequence of enhancing the loyalty of the customers. The product has to be shipped to the customer on the set date. To this extent, the manufacturer of the iPads should be prioritized. The packaging and manufacturing department should work in synergy to ensure that the clients have the product at an appropriate time.
Besides the coherence in the production units, the human resource should be enhanced to ensure that the lead manufacturing time is kept at a bare minimum of just one week. The company should consider manufacturing widgets in the company to avoid time wastage. Consequently, the company should procure plastic covers from Crystal Technology Company. The procurement of the plastic covers is three weeks. Additionally, the cardboard shipping box bought from Investments vendors should take four weeks. The widget is manufactured using steel that has a lead-time of four weeks.
The shipping of the product is scheduled to reach the customer in time. The timeliness aforementioned in this context is set based on the instance the product is meant to reach its predetermined destination. It is imperative to underscore that the lead-times are dependent on the vendors and the amount of time they take to manufacture some of the materials needed for the production of the iPads.
The customer placed an order on the 1/06/2015, and the customer requires the product on the 30/08/2015. The time that the client has set for the reception of the product is adequate. Case in point is that it presents the company with enough time to make the orders from the vendors as a consequence of completing the production process. The lead-time for the production of the widgets is one week, and the duration is justified based on some facts. The company is capable of manufacturing the widgets because there are necessary materials essential for the establishment of the device. Consequently, the product does not have much effort and in the sense that the transistors, capacitors and the soldering materials are available at the firm.
The engineers have the capabilities and technical know-how to deliver on their mandate. One week is, therefore, a valid time frame for the manufacture of the widgets that could have taken much time if purchased from other vendors. The procurement of the devices takes time, and it is not easy to acquire them at the set time. If the gadgets were to be purchased externally, it would take about five weeks. It is prudent for the company to produce some of the elements to limit the time taken to manufacture the iPad.
The procurement of plastic covers from Crystal technologies is established to about three weeks. Most of the companies who manufacture the plastic covers produce covers, and the earliest that can be done is three weeks. The covers are only needed for the packaging and having them after three weeks does not limit the appropriate delivery of the Ipads on time. The cardboard shipping is four weeks because the destination is far away from the company’s premises. Moreover, there are some processes that have to be fulfilled to have the cardboard at the company. To this extent, the company does not have to worry about the late arrival of the product because the four weeks takes into consideration some of the unseen circumstances that might arise in the shipment process.
One of the challenges that might delay the production process is the fact that the steel that is used for the manufacture of the widgets takes about four weeks. The company has to wait for the steel to finish the manufacturing of the key item needed to complete the process. The procurement team envisages that a four-week time frame is adequate to have the steel. The four weeks are set based on the idea that the vendors are aware of the importance of the device and will adhere to the schedule. If the materials needed for the manufacture of the products are received on time, is possible to the produce the customer’s product on time to avoid disenfranchisement.
Coordination is essential, and the teams must have coherence in their undertakings because failure to do so is disastrous for the derivation of a positive feedback. Besides the challenges that might arise, it is believed that the teams at the company can effectively deliver on their mandate. This forecasting exercise takes into consideration the negative implications that might arise either during the procurement or production. Give or take the customer should receive the product on time.
