Supply personnel determine which parts to stock and in what quantities while transportation personnel are responsible for the movement of these parts between the various components of the logistics system. When a part is broken, another part of the organisation with its own personnel determines how and when to repair items. Adding to the complexity of this structure is the fact that other support areas such as contracting and engineering have their own functional structures and guidelines for operation.
Current force structure, while useful for the control and assignment of personnel, is not aligned to the process of buying and sustaining product support service dispatch of parts required to achieve operational weapons systems availability/reliability.
1. Product Support Contract Type, Length, Cost
Contract type is a term used to signify differences in contract structure or form, including compensation arrangements and amount of product support risk. Wide selection of contract types is available to provide flexibility in acquiring the large variety and volume of supplies and services
2 Product Support Administration Lead Time
Procurement Administrative Lead Time measures the number of days procurement takes from acceptance of a ready procurement request to the day of award. General lead times for commercial acquisition buys are available and may be used as a guideline for product support workload planning
3. Production Lead Time Impact Product Support
Build lead time consists of wait time and throughput time, ie time period between the placement of an order with dispatch service and delivery of the completed order to the customer. A short manufacturing lead time is a competitive advantage since customers want the delivery of product support services as soon as possible following the placement of the order.
4. Parts Product Support Services Agents
Skilled and empowered dispatch agents assist with complex questions and requests, working side-by-side with product support teams, with seat at table in essential decision-making provides round-the-clock support via multiple channels
5. Part Substitute Transfer Product Support
Dispatch checks and controls stocks of spare parts around the clock labeled and valued for reporting and fiscal reasons. Smart product support Logistics models are required to transfer spare parts from warehouse to Job Site. Transport of parts has the same priority as repairs
6. Product Support Service Responsive to Demand
In Demand-Responsive Logistics Model, demand drives supply. Dispatch processes are designed to anticipate changes and flex to empower product support service units plan/configure what it buys, makes, moves, sells, delivers in near real-time demand.
7. Engineer Product Support Quality Control
Plans and directs activities concerned with application, and maintenance of product support quality standards for industrial processes, materials, and products; dispatch initiates standards and methods for inspection, testing, and evaluation
8. Adaptive Supply Product Support Guidelines
Product support supply Logistics designed to be efficient, adaptive and collaborative traits to ensure organisation enters new markets at a scale and pace unmatched by competitors; functions as shared dispatch system
9. Stock Levels Optimise Product Support
Optimisation process addresses selection of Product support logistics models to establish appropriate minimum and maximum stocking levels using dispatch cost assessments considers costs of holding inventory, replenishment, expediting and stock-outs instead of fixed service level approach
10. Product Support Performance Improvements
Field-level customers do not expect products to be perfect, but expect product support dispatch teams to respond fix things quickly when they break down, new service market entrants are succeeding by providing better after-sales services since there is distinct correlation between the quality of after-sales service and customer intent to repurchase.
Top 10 Characteristics of Effective Product Support Dispatch Control Systems
Dispatch controls at every level of product support service focus on inputs, processes and outputs. It is very important to have effective controls at each of these three stages. Effective control systems tend to have certain common characteristics. The importance of these characteristics varies with the product support situation, but in general effective control systems have following characteristics:
1. Dispatch Service Accuracy
Effective dispatch controls generate accurate product support metrics and information. Accurate information is essential for effective decision making while inaccurate controls divert Site Visit Executive efforts and energies on problems that do not exist or have a low priority and would fail to trigger actions to mitigate problems that do require attention.
2. Dispatch Service Timeliness
There are many product support problems that require immediate attention. If information about such problems does not reach Site Visit Executive in a timely manner, then such information may become useless and damage may occur. Accordingly dispatch controls must ensure that information reaches the decision makers when they need it so that a meaningful response can follow.
3. Dispatch Service Flexibility
Operational conditions underpinning product support are always changing. Tech changes occur very fast. A rigid dispatch control system would not be suitable for changing conditions. These changes highlight the need for flexibility in Site Visit Executive planning as well as in control.
4. Dispatch Service Planning
Site Visit Executive must design product support systems that allow for adjustments for unanticipated risks and opportunities. Similarly, modifications must be made in control of dispatcher methods, techniques and systems as they become necessary. An effective control system is one that can be updated quickly as the need arises.
5. Dispatch Service Acceptance
Controls should be such that all dispatchers affected by it are able to understand them fully and accept them into product support service systems. A control system that is difficult to understand can cause unnecessary mistakes and may be met by frustration by busy Site Visit Executive.
6. Dispatch Service Integration
When dispatcher controls are consistent with product support service values, they work seamlessly with organisational policies so they are easier to enforce. These controls become an integrated part of Site Visit Executive attention so they become more effective.
7. Dispatch Service Fiscal Potential Assess
Cost/benefits of dispatcher control systems must be evaluated by Site Visit Executive so product support risks are balanced against its benefits. The system must be worth the cost and reasonable to operate. Accordingly the benefits received must outweigh the cost of implementing a control system.
8. Accurate Dispatch Service Placement
Effective dispatch controls should be placed and emphasised at critical and strategic control points where product support service failures cannot be tolerated and where time and money costs of failures are greatest. Site Visit Executive must determine essential organisational characteristics where deviation from the expected standards will pose the greatest risk. These control areas include production, sales, and product support service.
9. Corrective Dispatch Service Action
An effective dispatch control system not only checks for and identifies product support risks but also is programmed so Site Visit Executive propose solutions to mitigate the risks. For example inventory record keeping can be programmed to establish “if-then” guidelines so if particular item drops below target levels, a signal will be sent for stock replenishment.
10. Dispatch Service Emphasis on Exceptions
A good dispatch control system must work on the exception principle, so that only the must important product support risks are brought to the attention of Site Visit Executive so time is not wasted addressing activities that are running smoothly instead attention is directed towards error and not towards conformity to eliminate unnecessary supervision and marginally beneficial reporting.
Top 10 Components of Product Support Service Buying Structure Plans to Reduce Contract Inefficiencies
Product support plan uses buying power to bring down costs and reduce duplication. Plan takes DoD Schedules to the next level by combining different types of services into one package by creating a single source for both commercial and noncommercial needs – and eliminating the unneeded duplication of contracts.
Product Support plan must offer full and open competition among all interested businesses, function as separate solicitation set aside specifically for businesses of all sizes/products, maximising opportunities to buy products.
Product Support plan is specially designed for integrated professional services, with input from the providers and field-level users of these services. The rigorous application process helps to streamline dispatch activity, and it is designed to provide customers with solution to allow for both commercial and noncommercial requirements and all contract types at the task-order level.
Product Support plan will span the core disciplines of programme services, dispatch consulting, logistics services, engineering services, and budget services. Plan will also allow for additional support components, like Information Technology or dispatch service support to be included as part of a total solution to professional services requirements.
Product Support plan is reliable, flexible and efficient way for DoD to obtain best-value solutions for complex professional services. Dispatch service breaks down barriers in the world of acquisition by providing customers with a total professional services solution across the enterprise allows for both commercial and noncommercial requirements and all contract types
Product Support plan to create/implement new support and dispatch communications programme in the event of crisis and allow the agency to award a single task order to:
1. Predict the scope of product support and dispatch communication service requirements under multiple operational scenarios
2. Consider and recommend alternative methods of delivering product support and dispatch communications services
3. Design product support dispatch programme infrastructure
4. Establish product support and dispatcher communication logistics requirements
5. Determine budget requirements for product support service requirements
6. Establish dispatch product support service control procedures
7. Develop resourcing plan for implementation of dispatch product support programme
8. Determine product support system dispatcher service requirements
9. Establish information tech requirements for product support dispatch
10. Implement programme decisions taken by DoD for field-level product support
Top 10 Dispatcher Quick Check to See all Product Support Work Order Activities Linked to Assist Conflict Checks/Schedules
Dispatcher Procedural Control allows the steps of a common product support process to be programmed as status updates in the each activity, reflecting workflow. These tasks and requirements can be made essential to move the activity onto the next stage. Each step can trigger automated actions, such as reports, emails, pop-up messages or task work order descriptions.
Dispatchers are able to link Multiple Object records to a single activity record, making it easier to perform product support tasks in bulk, such as updating a group of proposed acquisitions to accessioned status.
Dispatchers can link to associated status updates and attach any media descriptions of product support Logistics services work orders. For each activity, tasks are defined, scheduled and assigned.
Dispatchers have enabled search function of all product support metrics/information and can be exported for reporting purposes and work orders generated from Activities List cost/benefits as follows:
1. Multiple Dispatchers involved in status update activities can access Activities records and enter information
2. All information relating to Dispatcher product support metrics collection is recorded in one place
3. It is easier for Dispatchers to perform product support work order tasks in bulk
4. Dispatchers can control sequence of events and set requirements for each step in product support process
5. Dispatchers can route product support service work order information from one activity record to another
6. Dispatchers can save entry time by linking Acquisition Proposal to materiel condition in product support reports
7. Dispatchers can generate status update product support templates with information taken directly from an Activities record
8. Dispatchers can assign/schedule work order Tasks to determine cost/benefit of product support actions
9. Dispatcher access to all product support information relating to collection activities is fully searchable
10. Easy for Dispatchers to check/schedule work order conflict resolutions required for efficient product support services
Top 10 Task Force Recommend Contract Features Set of Standardised Dispatch Action Transparency Provisions
1. Dispatch action transparency provisions encourage an active ‘push’ of information
2. Contracting authorities and suppliers equally committed to dispatch action transparency
3. Dispatcher action transparency provisions should include an absolute obligation of product support service
4. Administrative reporting on product support service contract performance
5. Suppliers must have opportunity to verify product support information before it is released.
6. Dispatcher action transparency provisions must set out how/when contracting authority is obligated to consult with suppliers
7. Track adoption of dispatch action transparency provisions in new contracts test provisions as demonstration project
8. Dispatch action transparency provisions commit contracting authorities and suppliers
9. Provide advice from field-level unit customers on how best dispatch action transparency information can be presented
10. Support simultaneous work orders to examine and where dispatch action transparency provisions should apply to subcontractors