Questions and Answers

Q. Can someone explain what a Digital Content Management System really is?

A. Let's answer that briefly by taking a look at the component words.

"Digital"
This obviously refers to the format of the data. Think of the rapid conversion taking place in consumer photography and some of the features and benefits of digital media become clear. They include, speed of processing, compact storage of massive data files, ease of transmission, flexible editing and a wide variety of presentation formats. All of these attributes play a positive role in modern catalog publishing.

"Content"
Content refers to the elements in your publication. For a catalog this commonly includes text and image records and possibly descriptive information for these records (known as meta-data).

"Management"
Having the content in a digital format is great but it is not enough. Traditional text and publishing files such as Word and PageMaker contain digital content but they lack the structure to make the individual content elements truly useful (manageable). The Management we refer to in the DCMS context implies the use of a database - delivering greater user flexibility for accessing, editing and repurposing content at it's elemental level.

"System"
The system overlays the three concepts above and applies tools whereby users can work with the content - i.e. update it, edit it, and distribute it in various media.

Q. Elements of being best at the Supply Chain game . . .?

A. here are a few characteristics:

• High performers maintain a close level of contact with customers and their supply chain partners. These contacts are multi-level bringing together counterparts from IT, Sales and Logistics.
• High performers are far more likely to get involved with their customers' capacity planning and then proactively setting out manufacturing and distribution strategies.
• High performing manufacturers were much more likely to regularly block time for making their highest demand products.
• Best in Class performers strive to reduce the amount of time their goods sit in inventory. One way to accomplish this is to limit the number of sku's in inventory - focusing on the items that produce the highest volume and most profitable sales revenue.
• High performers monitor and measure key factors. These include inventory turns, customer service factors and other supply chain variables that are pivotal to success.