Customer Service

In some companies, customer service isn't considered part of supply chain. However, if you look at the scope of supply chain management's definition in the toilet paper industry "From stump to rump" you can see that the supply chain isn't complete until your product reaches the end user (pun intended).

The "stump" in toilet paper manufacturing's supply chain represents Tier II suppliers i.e. the trees that make the pulp that make the paper. And the "rump" well, you get it. And while your supply chain may not reach all the way to a consumer, it should include what it takes to deliver product out your door and to your customer's dock.

Customer service functions as the voice of the customer at your company. What shipping method does your customer want? What size boxes do you need to pack your product in and how many units per pack? Those answers can be driven by your customer, especially if your customer is a big box retailer.

There is not better team positioned to drive your company to deliver what your customers want, when your customers want it than your customer service team. And since on-time delivery both inbound and outbound is one of the primary functions of supply chain management, customer service belongs in supply chain.