Operations Management and Productivity essay
FedEx is the company that I chose to write about and their main line of business is shipping and transportation of mail and packages. FedEx not only ships packages internationally and nationally, but they are also moved into the print and office supply market as well. With the rebranding of their name from Federal Express to FedEx they are growing at an enormous rate. They provide a host of different freight services and products. FedEx’s services include FedEx Express, which is their overnight courier services, providing next day air service within the United States and time-definite international service. Another service they offer is FedEx Ground which guarantees day-definite delivery within Canada and the United States at a cost savings as compared to time-definite FedEx Express. The most recognizable service would be their FedEx Home Delivery service which is a division of FedEx Ground, specializing in residential delivery Tuesday through Saturday and offers delivery options to provide more flexibility for residential recipients.
FedEx’s operation process monitors events that occur throughout the transportation and alerts are generated for events that occur outside the schedule. When an order is created in the Customer’s system rather through telephone, Internet or email, the Customer’s information system sends the order details to the warehouse in order to pick and pack the requested parts. Once the parts are packed, the Customer’s system is updated with the actual weight and dimensions. At this stage all the required data is available and is sent to the FedEx Supply Chain Manager. Based on shipping details the FedEx Supply Chain Manager defines the appropriate carrier and exports the orders automatically to the carrier system. Once this has been done, the FedEx Supply Chain Manager will send the orders electronically to the carrier and provide the warehouse with the appropriate shipping label. The warehouse handler attaches the label to the correct box/pallet. With respect to the agreed pickup times, the assigned carrier will collect the goods. On a daily basis FedEx Supply Chain Manager uploads the Order Status Updates (Proof of Delivery, Proof of Collection, escalation codes, etc.). Based on the shipment status, the responsible agent follows up on escalation orders. The status updates can be sent to the customer’s system or displayed via a customized web site to ensure full order visibility.
Now that I know a little more about this company and all the different things they do, I’m in awe of how vast the company is and the difficulty it would take to oversee a company this massive. To manage a small division of this company could be a daunting task with all the various conditions that could change the way things are done. Weather, location, holidays, and the economy are just a few of the factors that could affect the way you manage a division or department in this company. Productivity in this company has to be frantic given the timelines and amount of parcels being moved at any given time. FedEx is global and has the second largest fleet of airplanes in the world. With a company specializing in the shipping/freight business you have to be able to operate all over the world. As a Sailor in the Navy, I know from experience that some remote locations have very limited staff but they still have a FedEx office.
FedEx is expanding and I don’t see them stopping anytime soon. They are already in the shipping business, the freight business, the customs consulting business and the office supply business. Once looked at as a threat to the Unites States Postal Service, they are now a major carrier for the post office, transporting the bulk of their mail and packages. Before you know it, FedEx will be delivering our mail and they’ll be facing off with the office supply giants such as Staples and Office Depot.
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