Overview

The Collaborative Supply Chain team focuses on facilitating information sharing across the supply chain using Internet technologies – this enables effective communication between businesses and suppliers. It also ensures that companies, from raw material suppliers to finished product manufacturers, act as a cohesive unit.

According to industry estimates, participation in a Collaborative Supply Chain partnership can mean sustained savings in administration, materials handling and transportation costs. For a small-to medium-sized enterprise operating on thin margins, savings like these over time can significantly change their revenue results. Although the savings are shared across the supply chain, possibly reducing the ultimate cost reductions, increased volumes should enable companies to grow faster.

ERP and other package vendors provide an elaborate suite of solutions to manufacturers and suppliers, which are generally costly and often barriers to entry for medium-sized enterprises. However, custom application integration provides a way for medium-sized enterprises to leverage their existing internal applications and provide data to the business partners as a way to increase cost efficiencies within their organization.

By enabling enterprises to participate in collaborative partnerships, Arris helps organizations realize the following benefits:

	Retention of the existing customer base as buyers develop partnerships
	Expansion of potential marketplace
	Shorter return on investment
	Cost Management
	Managed exposure of existing data to potential customers
	Enhanced decision-making information
	Minimum infrastructure 'sticker shock'

Mission

The Collaborative Supply Chain practice enables the participation of medium-sized enterprises in a Collaborative Supply Chain using Internet technologies and process-based enhancements. We offer value-added solutions that overcome the barriers associated with entry into the Collaborative Supply Chain. We provide services in two areas:

1) Helping companies define and implement collaborative supply chain strategies that complement their partner’s initiatives, including:

	Implementation of EDI
	Online exchange of orders
	Online exchange of inventory levels
	Order tracking and shipping access

2) Helping companies with existing collaborative supply chain implementations develop and implement the technology needed to support the online component of the overall corporate collaborative supply chain strategy, including:

	Providing analysis, recommendations, and solutions that improve overall performance of the collaborative supply chain.
	Implementing and integrating solutions, such as bar code scanning technology, with existing systems to provide accurate real-time data on inventory and finished goods locations.