Introduction Name: Nimbl Fulfillment Industry: Fulfillment & Logistics Headquarters: Salt Lake City, Utah Key Stakeholder: Sterling Westfall, Head of Operations "Response has transformed our procurement process. The time savings alone make it worthwhile, but the real value lies in the visibility and control we now have over our spend. Our managers are more efficient, our accounting team is happier, and we're running a leaner operation overall." — Sterling Westfall, Head of Operations, Nimbl Fulfillment Nimbl Fulfillment, a fast-growing fulfillment and logistics provider, faced challenges typical of many mid-sized logistics companies. With a wide array of vendors, decentralized procurement, and manual processes, inefficiencies were holding them back. Enter Response, a centralized procurement platform that streamlined indirect spend management and brought visibility, control, and automation to Nimbl's operations. Results "Before implementing Response, it took about two full days (16 hours) per month for accounting to reconcile and categorize everything manually. Now, with Response, it takes only 30 minutes to an hour." — Sterling Westfall, Head of Operations, Nimbl Fulfillment Nimbl Fulfillment experienced measurable improvements in efficiency, cost management, and team morale after implementing Response: Significant Time Savings Procurement became dramatically more efficient, with managers reducing time spent on orders from 1 hour to just 10 minutes per session, saving 50 minutes every other week per manager. On the accounting side, reconciliation time dropped from 16 hours a month to under 1 hour, freeing up valuable labor hours for higher-priority tasks. Enhanced Budget Control Real-time visibility into departmental budgets allowed managers to proactively manage their spend. As a result, rogue spending decreased from 50% to less than 1%, with nearly all procurement now centralized and tracked through Response. Improved Operational Efficiency The streamlined procurement process eliminated the need for managers to over-order supplies, leading to a 30-50% reduction in inventory overstocking. This shift not only reduced waste but also freed up cash flow by aligning orders with immediate business needs. Boosted Team Morale By giving teams autonomy to make procurement decisions within set guardrails, Response fostered trust and improved efficiency. Accounting staff also benefited from simplified workflows, eliminating time-consuming and tedious manual processes. These results showcase how Response empowered Nimbl Fulfillment to save time, cut costs, and improve operations at every level. The Challenges Fragmented Vendor Management With dozens of vendors to manage, each requiring separate logins and unique processes, procurement was both disjointed and time-consuming. The team relied on manual orders and reconciliations, adding hours of unnecessary labor to their workloads. Limited Visibility into Spend Budgets were tracked manually using spreadsheets, a method prone to errors and inconsistencies. Managers often operated in the dark, lacking real-time insights into departmental budgets, which led to frequent overspending and financial mismanagement. Inefficiencies in Approval Processes Procurement workflows were cumbersome, involving multiple manual approvals that lacked enforcement to prevent rogue purchases. Accounting teams spent the equivalent of 2 business days each month manually reconciling invoices and categorizing expenses. Additionally, bi-weekly orders took each manager over an hour to complete, significantly impacting productivity. These inefficiencies highlighted the urgent need for a streamlined and automated solution—a gap that Response was perfectly positioned to fill. The Solution To tackle their procurement challenges, Nimbl Fulfillment implemented Response, a platform designed to centralize and streamline operations. Here’s how it addressed their pain points: Centralized Procurement Response provided a single platform to manage all vendor relationships and purchases, eliminating the need for multiple logins and processes. Enhanced Budget Visibility With real-time insights into departmental spend, managers could proactively monitor budgets, reducing the risk of overspending. Automation Response simplified workflows by automating approvals, order placements, and invoicing, saving significant time for both operations and accounting teams. SKU-Level Insights The platform introduced detailed tracking of purchased items, enabling better inventory management and improved spend visibility. By consolidating these capabilities into one user-friendly platform, Response empowered Nimbl to save time, reduce inefficiencies, and take full control of their indirect spend. Implementation and Adoption "The implementation process was fairly quick. We basically just provided all of our different vendors and within a day or so they were all set up. And then we were testing it fairly quick after that and you could immediately see the time saved from each of the different users." — Sterling Westfall, Head of Operations, Nimbl Fulfillment Implementing Response was a smooth and efficient process for Nimbl Fulfillment: Seamless Onboarding With Nimbl’s vendor list in hand, Response set up all accounts in less than a day, ensuring a quick transition. Immediate Impact Managers experienced an 83% reduction in procurement time, cutting the process from 1 hour to under 10 minutes. Minimal Disruption Thanks to Response’s intuitive platform, teams were operational almost immediately after a brief training session. This seamless adoption allowed Nimbl to see the benefits of Response right away without interrupting day-to-day operations. Unexpected Benefits "Ordering was such a hassle before Response, managers were ordering anywhere from 30 to 50% extra just because they didn't want to order as frequently." — Sterling Westfall, Head of Operations, Nimbl Fulfillment Although Nimbl Fulfillment adopted Response primarily for its procurement capabilities, the platform delivered unexpected advantages that extended beyond its core functionalities: Lean Inventory Management By reducing overstocking, Response improved cash flow and enhanced budget accuracy, helping Nimbl run a leaner, more efficient operation. Scalability The centralized procurement system provided a solid foundation for growth, enabling Nimbl to scale operations without a corresponding increase in overhead or complexity. Future Insights Nimbl plans to tap into Response’s robust data analytics for vendor consolidation and pricing negotiations, unlocking new opportunities for cost savings and procurement optimization. These additional benefits demonstrate how Response continues to deliver value beyond expectations, empowering Nimbl to optimize operations while preparing for future growth. Why Nimbl Recommends Response Nimbl Fulfillment found Response to be an indispensable tool for streamlining procurement and driving operational efficiency. Here’s why: Efficiency Gains The platform delivered immediate time savings across both operations and finance teams, dramatically reducing manual workloads and freeing up resources. Scalability Response’s centralized system was designed to grow alongside Nimbl, ensuring the business could scale seamlessly without additional complexity. Control & Visibility With real-time budget insights, Response empowered managers to make informed decisions, eliminating guesswork and enabling proactive spend management. For Nimbl, Response was more than just a procurement solution—it became a vital tool for improving efficiency, control, and scalability across the organization. Conclusion For Nimbl Fulfillment, Response has been a game-changer, streamlining procurement, improving budget management, and saving countless hours of labor. By centralizing their procurement operations, Nimbl is poised to scale efficiently while maintaining control over their indirect spend. Interested in transforming your procurement process? Book a demo today to learn more.

Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) supplies play a critical role in making sure businesses around the world run smoothly and safely, but most people have never heard of them before. So, what are they and why do they even matter? ‍ What does MRO mean? ‍ MRO is literally defined as “maintenance, repair, and operations.” ‍ ‍ What are MRO supplies? ‍ MRO is a term commonly used in the procurement and operations world to describe all of the “Other” expenses involved in your supply chain. That means many different categories of supplies are often lumped into MRO, such as: Consumables (e.g., cleaning, warehouse, office supplies) Industrial Equipment (e.g., compressors, gauges, pumps) Upkeep Supplies (e.g., repair tools) Safety Equipment (e.g., gloves, goggles, hard hats) Furniture & Fixtures (e.g., desks, chairs, lights) Electronics (e.g., computers, printers) ‍ ‍ Why are MRO supplies important? ‍ If properly managed, the importance of MRO supplies will likely go unnoticed. They typically only make up about 5-10% of the total Cost of Goods Sold (COGS). So at a glance, they don’t seem that important from a cost-lowering perspective. However, from a business-operation perspective, running out of MRO supplies could bring your entire operation to a halt. They also play a critical role in safety. Whether it’s about ensuring equipment works as expected or protecting your team with proper PPE, you’ll need to make sure that you have the right MRO supplies stocked or else you could be putting your team at risk of injury. Whether you’re a distribution center that needs corrugated boxes on-hand to fulfill orders or a manufacturing facility that needs a certain tool to keep your equipment running, if these supplies aren’t there when you need them, the consequences can be massive. ‍ What are best practices for managing MRO supplies? ‍ There are a few key ways to stay on top of MRO supply management: ‍ Hire a procurement or purchasing person ‍ If you have the resources, hiring for a procurement or purchasing role will make your life a lot easier and ensure the practices below are all being worked on. This person will need to be or become knowledgeable in a variety of products to ensure they’re achieving best value for money. ‍ Manage supplier relationships ‍ You’ll want to identify the items that pose the greatest risk in your supply chain. What items will lead to major consequences if you don’t have them on-hand when needed? Determine what these products are and focus on fostering relationships with the suppliers providing them. Implementing key performance indicators for your suppliers and conducting regular performance reviews will also help make sure you’re working with the best suppliers for the job. ‍ Set spend controls ‍ Enforcing spend controls for MRO supplies will help prevent any rogue purchasing behavior. It’s helpful to set these spend controls based on spend amount, product categories, and purchasers. ‍ Track key performance metrics ‍ Tracking key performance metrics internally like downtime costs, inventory levels, and lead times will arm you with the information you need to make sure you’re never out of your most critical supplies. ‍ Proactively manage inventory ‍ Implementing scan guns for consumables isn’t usually very efficient although it would theoretically help you get a real-time pulse of your inventory. In practice, it’s more reasonable to have someone on your team manually tracking inventory levels for consumables. Some companies have even opted to implement vending machines to automate spend tracking for smaller goods like gloves or markers, for example. ‍ Conclusion MRO management is ultimately about proactively preventing big problems that could bring your operation to a halt. It’s when MRO is overlooked that it goes from being a small portion of your COGS to a major expense and headache. Ultimately, implementing best practices today will save you a lot of time and money down the line.

If you’ve been looking to connect with other professionals in the distribution and warehousing industry, there’s no shortage of groups to join. In this post, we break down some of the top associations by location, who they’re best for, and the resources they offer to members. In no particular order: International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA) Location: North America Who should join? Third-Party Logistics (3PL) companies What resources do they offer? Annual IWLA Convention & Expo, workshops, seminars, an insurance captive, networking, warehouse law, retained counsel services, warehouse forms, promotion of the 3PL industry, and a warehouse directory ‍ Warehouse Education and Resource Council (WERC) ‍ Location: United States Who should join? All warehousing and distribution professionals What resources do they offer? Annual WERC Conference, online courses, webinars, chapter meetings, regional gatherings, online events, job listings, discounts, and distribution logistics sector knowledge base. ‍ Texas Warehouse Association Location: Texas, USA Who should join? Warehouse and distribution professionals in Texas What resources do they offer? Educational programs, marketing on behalf of members, networking events, and state legislature task force. ‍ Southeastern Warehouse Association (SWA) Location: Southeastern United States Who should join? Warehouse and distribution professionals from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia. What resources do they offer? Annual SWA Convention, educational programs, network of service providers, monthly newsletter, and events. Distribution Management Association of Southern California Location: Southern California, USA Who should join? Warehouse, distribution, and logistics professionals in Southern California. What resources do they offer? Educational seminars, scholarships, networking events, facility tours, and governmental resources. ‍ Warehouse Worker Resource Center Location: Southern California Who should join? Warehouse, distribution, and logistics professionals in Southern California. What resources do they offer? Educational programs, advocacy programs, and action groups. ‍ California Warehouse Association Location: California, USA Who should join? Agricultural warehouse, distribution, and logistics professionals in California. What resources do they offer? Annual CWA Convention, educational programs, membership meetings, discounts, and state legislature task force. ‍ Joining any of these associations is ultimately a great way to stay connected within the industry and learn about best practices. If you’re interested in joining any of them, we’ve linked to each one of them above for you to explore them in more detail and sign up.

Purchases orders (or POs for short) are an essential part of any supply chain. In this article, we break down what a PO is, how it works, and answer other frequently asked questions. ‍ What is a purchase order? ‍ A purchase order (PO) is a legally binding document created by a buyer and sent to a seller. It’s a list of what you want to buy that lays out product SKUs, quantities, payment terms, and delivery details. It is both a form of insurance and a legal commitment by the buyer to the seller that they’ll purchase the goods or services for the agreed amount. Similarly, it’s a form of insurance for the buyer that the seller will invoice them for the agreed upon amount in any case where there might be a discrepancy. How does a purchase order work? ‍ Purchase orders are typically used by organizations purchasing in bulk. For example, if you run a warehouse, you may need to purchase several types of corrugated boxes in different quantities from your supplier. To buy them using a purchase order, the flow of events goes like this: Create a purchase order. You create a purchase order specifying exactly what you need from the supplier (see “What should a purchase order include?”). Supplier accepts the purchase order and ships goods. If your supplier has your items in stock, they’ll accept the purchase order and deliver the goods according to the delivery terms you’ve laid out. Supplier sends a bill or invoice. The supplier will then send a bill or invoice for the items according to the purchase terms laid out in the PO. Payment processed. You pay for the items and the sale is processed by your supplier. What are different types of purchase orders? Standing purchase order : buyer can purchase agreed upon SKUs repeatedly using the same PO number. Blanket purchase order : buyer schedules multiple deliveries at a set price under the same PO, typically at a discount given in exchange for larger order volume. What should a purchase order include? ‍ Purchase order details vary depending on your organization and the type of item being purchased, but it typically includes: Issue date Product SKUs, quantities, and unit prices Delivery date PO number Shipping and billing address Company name and contact information Payment terms ‍ What is the difference between a purchase order and an invoice? Purchase orders and invoices are often confused since they are both legally binding documents exchanged between buyers and sellers. However, they aren’t the same. Purchase Orders are issued by buyers to place orders and created before delivery. Issued by buyer before purchase Specifies goods requested and proposed payment terms Invoices are issued by sellers and created after delivery. Issued by seller after delivery Specifies final payment amount and due date What is the difference between a purchase order and a purchase requisition? ‍ Purchase orders and purchase requisitions are often confused, but they aren’t the same. Purchase orders are legally binding documents created by a buyer and issued to a seller after receiving approval to place an order. Purchase requisitions are internal documents created before receiving approval and placing an order.

Purchase requisitions (or PRs for short) are an essential part of any supply chain. In this article, we break down what a PR is, how it works, and answer other frequently asked questions. ‍ What is a purchase requisition (PR)? ‍ A purchase requisition or purchase request (PR) is a form of approval required before making a purchase. It’s an internal document created by purchasers and sent to the department or individual that controls your organization’s finances. Purchase requisitions are often used to enforce spend controls – such as budget holder approvals or spend limits. Approvals can even differ based on the amount being spent or type of item being purchased. ‍ How Does a Purchase Requisition Work? ‍ Purchase requisitions are often required for purchases about a certain dollar amount. For example, let’s say you’re looking to purchase a forklift that costs over $30,000. If your organization requires a purchase requisition before placing your order, the flow of events could look like this: Create a purchase requisition. You create a purchase requisition specifying exactly what you want to purchase, including information like quantity, price, vendor name, and your location or department. Purchase requisition submitted for approval. Your purchase requisition is then sent to the department or individual that controls your organization’s finances for approval Approval received and order placed. If approved, you can go ahead and place your order. Otherwise, the purchase can’t be made. What should a purchase requisition include? ‍ Purchase requisition details vary depending on your organization and the type of item being purchased, but it typically includes: Issue date Product SKUs, quantities, and unit prices Vendor name(s) Purchase location or department Delivery date ‍ What is the difference between a purchase requisition and a purchase order? ‍ Purchase requisitions and purchase orders are often confused, but they aren’t the same. Purchase requisitions are internal documents created before receiving approval and placing an order. Purchase orders are legally binding documents created by a buyer and issued to a seller after receiving approval to place an order.

As the saying goes, “You can’t improve what you don’t measure.” Key performance indicators (KPIs) are an essential tool used by the world’s best warehouse managers to measure and improve their operation. A KPI is simply a metric that gives you a performance pulse for the most critical parts of your operation that you hope to uphold or improve. Typically, teams will track KPIs in spreadsheets or software designed specifically for automating metric-tracking for you. In the world of supply chain management, there are a 5 main categories of KPI that matter – each representing a different part of your operation: Inventory Order Management Putaway Receiving Safety Here’s a quick cheat sheet for calculating top warehouse KPIs: Inventory Carrying cost of inventory = total carrying costs / overall inventory costs Inventory accuracy = inventory tracked by WMS or IMS / inventory physically present Inventory to sales ratio = average inventory value / net sales Inventory turnover = cost of goods sold / average value of inventory, where Average inventory value = (beginning inventory value + ending inventory value) / 2 Shrinkage = (cost of inventory tracked by system / cost of inventory physically present) / cost of inventory tracked by system Order Management Backorder rate = total # of backorders / total # of orders Cost per order = total cost of fulfillment / total # of orders Fulfillment accuracy rate = total # of orders completed without issues / total # of orders received On-time shipping rate = total # of orders shipped on-time or ahead of time / total # of orders shipped Order lead time = average time from order placement to customer delivery Picking accuracy = (total # of orders - total incorrect item returns) / total # of orders Rate of returns = (total # of items returned / total # of items sold) * 100 Total order cycle time = average time from order placement to shipment‍ Putaway Accuracy rate = total # of items put away correctly / total # of items put away Putaway cost per line = total cost of putaway / total # of items Putaway cycle time = average time to put away a single item Receiving Cost of receiving per line = total cost of receiving / total # of items in each receiving line Receiving cycle time = total time spent sorting received stock / total # of items received Receiving efficiency = total inventory received / number of staff work hours Safety Accident per years = # of accidents per year Time since last incident = amount of time since last incident Ultimately, KPIs are just the first step to monitoring and improving your operation. It can be overwhelming to juggle all of these metrics at once and figure out what to optimize. In a future post, we’ll be discussing a helpful framework for setting OKRs (objectives and key results) – a framework for setting, prioritizing, and achieving major milestones with your team.