Industries
Distribution & Logistics
Cost to serve, labor hours, and service level in one equation.
What we usually find
- 01Cost to serve rising faster than volume or revenue
- 02Labor plans built on averages that never match actual demand
- 03Peak handled with overtime and temporary labor by default
- 04Service failures whose root cause sits two steps upstream
Distribution operations get measured on service and paid on cost. When those two are managed by different people using different data, the network quietly absorbs the difference.
Where we focus
Where the work concentrates.
Cost-to-serve baseline
A defensible per-order, per-line, and per-customer cost picture that finance and operations both accept.
Flow and labor design
Pick, pack, replenishment, and inbound flow redesigned around demand variability instead of a static staffing model.
Network and process execution
Structured delivery of the changes across sites, with adoption and control plans so performance holds after go-live.
Measures that move
- Cost to serve
- Labor hours
- On-time delivery
- Throughput
- Overtime
Outcome areas only — client figures are published here as engagements are measured, documented, and approved for release.
Rapid improvement
Kaizen event — typically 3–5 days, shaped by scope
A focused, on-site event on one specific process. A cross-functional team measures the current state, redesigns the flow, and implements the change during the event — not a study that ends in a recommendation. Timing is determined by scope, not a prescribed day-by-day schedule.
- One process, one measure, one team — aligned before the event
- Current state baselined with real data, not opinion
- Change implemented and standard work written in the room
- A control plan and owner in place before the event closes
Scope, team availability, process complexity, and site count determine the timing. I do not prescribe a rigid day-by-day schedule; we confirm the right event shape together before anything is scheduled.
Ways to start
A small, defined first step.
Operational diagnostic
A data-led read of the operation ending in a sized, prioritized opportunity set with the assumptions stated.
Value stream assessment
Current-state mapping of one end-to-end flow, with the constraint, the waste, and the quantified gap identified.
Program recovery review
An honest read of where a stalled initiative actually is, and a workable path to a completed outcome.
FAQ
Common questions in distribution & logistics.
Kaizen FAQ
The scope-led event, answered.
Who it is for, how the fluid phases work, and what you should expect to have when it closes.
Request a Kaizen event
One process in distribution & logistics, changed through a focused event.
Scope, team availability, process complexity, and site count determine the timing. I do not prescribe a rigid day-by-day schedule; we confirm the right event shape together before anything is scheduled.
Start the conversation
Let's talk about what needs to move.
A short conversation about the outcome you need, the constraint in the way, and whether we are the right partner for it.