Before leading Operations across Greater Cleveland at Veryable, I spent time as an Operations Manager for a major American manufacturer where I worked to balance site level manufacturing execution with the ever changing needs of our customers and the respective inventory to do so. I worked closely with key Plant Managers and several Distribution Center Managers to make sure our customers were properly supplied. Working closely with these Ops leaders on a daily basis as we navigated the extreme volatility on both the supply and demand side during COVID, I’ve seen the impact that volatility can have on operations from a variety of different perspectives.
6 min read
POV: Operations Manager, Controlling the Uncontrollables in Mfg.
By Austin Walker on Jul 20, 2023 11:21:00 AM
Topics: "Point of View" Blogs Operations Management
4 min read
Introducing Veryable's Individual Business User Certification: Your Operations Career's Secret Sauce!
By Derrick Nyakweba on Jul 17, 2023 10:03:18 AM
When it comes to operations, the only constant is change (and your morning coffee, hopefully!). Hard work alone won't cut it anymore. To climb the corporate ladder, you need to keep sharpening your skills. And here at Veryable, we’re not just on board with this idea, we’re driving the train!
That's why we're oh-so-excited to pull the curtains back on our shiny, new on-demand learning curriculum - the Individual Business User Certification. It's like a career advancement catalyst, just without the lab coat.
Topics: Operations Management Professional Development
2 min read
Effectiveness and Efficiency in Operations
By Jared Wehde on Jun 1, 2023 10:52:47 AM
The first formal program with the title “Engineering Management” originated at the University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri S&T) sometime in the 1960s. The University of Missouri describes Engineering Management as the art and science of planning, organizing, allocating resources, and directing and controlling engineering activities. Many other colleges have been focused on the same foundational concepts of Engineering Management for a long time. The principles have been practiced in manufacturing and even military operations for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
Topics: Operations Management Comparison Blogs
2 min read
Demand In Reverse: Team Up To Handle Reverse Logistics
By Carolyn Owen on Dec 28, 2022 1:52:01 PM
Now that the holiday season has passed, many people are taking it upon themselves to get what they really wanted to be gifted this year. Along with year-end indulgence comes year-end returns, with many customers acting now before they forget. Hitting “order” and checking your tracking number every day may come with some anticipation, but how would you feel if you knew your item was safely wrapped under someone else’s Christmas tree before it ever made it to your door?
Topics: Operations Management Peak Season Strategies
3 min read
When On-Demand Labor Is A Good Fit
By Carolyn Owen on Nov 11, 2022 2:38:45 PM
Is your business facing peak sales seasons, a revolving door of full time employees, or projects that seem to pop up out of nowhere?
Topics: Operations Management Getting Started
5 min read
Flexibility vs Agility in Supply Chain Operations
By Pat Dippel on May 20, 2022 2:00:00 PM
Flexibility and agility are two words that are often used interchangeably, but there are important distinctions between them. Knowing the difference can guide how and when you focus your time and energy to strengthen your business.
Topics: Operational Agility Operations Management Comparison Blogs
3 min read
Labor Capacity Fluctuations and How to Respond
By Steven Calhoun on Apr 22, 2022 11:00:00 AM
There are many reasons you might be lacking labor capacity to meet the day’s demand. Workforce burnout, sick employees, religious accommodations, PTO, and a tight labor market are all common causes of labor capacity fluctuations.
Topics: Job Design Operations Management "How to" Blogs
2 min read
How to Calculate Employee Turnover Rate
By Steven Calhoun on Feb 28, 2022 12:00:00 PM
Everyone faces turnover at some point. Knowing your turnover rate enables you to properly manage your labor capacity by taking action to address your labor needs.
Topics: Operations Management "How to" Blogs
5 min read
The Pitfalls of Relying Only on Full-Time Employees
By Rich Tompkins on Dec 1, 2021 10:01:00 AM
If you say “we only want to hire full-time employees,” then you’ve probably been burned by temp staffing or aren’t aware of all the options for finding workers to get work done in your facility. Keeping your labor capacity at the right level is a big problem to solve, and if you expect better results, you’re going to need to change your methods.
Topics: Operations Management Peak Season Strategies
5 min read
Equipment Maintenance Best Practices
By Steven Calhoun on Jun 23, 2021 5:00:00 PM
Maintenance isn’t what most people think of when they think of getting work done. It’s right up there with washing dishes, at the top of the list of things people let slide until they can’t ignore it anymore. However, savvy operations leaders know how important it is to stay on top of equipment maintenance proactively.
Topics: Troubleshooting Operations Management
3 min read
No Call, No Shows from On-Demand Workers and What You Can Do
By Marisa Carmona on May 26, 2021 11:00:28 AM
It’s unfortunate, but sometimes a worker is going to leave you out to dry. When you found them through an on-demand labor platform like Veryable’s, there are a few things you can do in this case.
Topics: Troubleshooting Operations Management Getting Started
6 min read
Understaffing Problems and How to Avoid Them
By Steven Calhoun on May 19, 2021 8:55:57 AM
So you find yourself understaffed. It happens to everyone, especially when it’s hard to find workers and the labor market is competitive.
Topics: Troubleshooting Operations Management
10 min read
Demand Forecasting Problems and How to Solve Them
By Steven Calhoun on Feb 5, 2021 11:46:13 AM
Imagine you are starting your morning on a Tuesday. You’ve got a cup of coffee and everyone is rolling up to work so you can push out a big order by the end of the week. Just as you’re leaving your office, you hear the phone ring. The call is for a big order that’s way above what you forecast for the week.
Topics: Troubleshooting Operations Management "How to" Blogs
9 min read
The 12 Step Guide to Manufacturing Facility Moves
By Rich Tompkins on Jan 20, 2021 3:00:00 PM
It’s a huge ordeal to move into a new facility. Manufacturing leaders have spent many long nights worrying about the details of this kind of project, so we’ve provided a guide on what to do when you’re moving manufacturing facilities.
Topics: Operations Management Peak Season Strategies
5 min read
How to Manage Seasonal Demand in Manufacturing and Logistics
By Steven Calhoun on Dec 11, 2020 1:28:58 PM
No matter how hard you try, it seems like the busy season throws more at your business than you’re prepared to handle. Every year, it’s a scramble to grab the extra cash that’s being thrown your way if you can meet your customers’ seemingly insatiable, seasonal demand for that precious period of time.
Topics: Recession Strategies Operations Management Peak Season Strategies "How to" Blogs
7 min read
Four Ways to Attract Great Workers During the Seasonal Hiring Spree
By Carter Stanley on Nov 10, 2020 10:00:00 AM
It’s that time of year when every business that engages in the holiday retail dash is ramping up operations. Everybody is competing to hire hundreds of thousands of seasonal workers to meet holiday demand.
But some parts of the seasonal hiring are way different in 2020. The coronavirus has expanded the timeline for the holiday dash beyond the traditional timeframe. Scaling up to capture your share of the increased demand during this season is a huge boost for many businesses. If you’re hoping to fill higher order volumes in Q4 this year, you likely find yourself asking, “How can I compete in the holiday hiring spree?”
Topics: Job Design Operations Management Peak Season Strategies
2 min read
Average: You Are What You Plan For
By Adam Rubatt on Jul 20, 2020 8:00:00 AM
When you’re in operations, you're always thinking of the future. Whether it’s for the next shift, next week or next quarter, you’ll need to create a forecast that will help you prepare for the demand coming your way. And for all businesses, there is a common practice of how those operations plans are created. You look at historical demand, take the average, and build your forecasts off that.
Topics: Operations Management
2 min read
Why Veryable? Flexible, Agile and Zero Cost to Scale!
By Jeremy D. Long on Feb 28, 2020 10:08:47 AM
As a General Manager or Operations Manager of a manufacturing plant, warehouse, or logistics/supply chain company you understand the importance of human capital. You also understand that in a low unemployment economy that finding and retaining talented individuals is challenging. In addition to turnover, nonproductive time, absenteeism, overtime, etc. all make it very difficult to drive productivity improvements in a competitive environment that is evolving rapidly.
Topics: Operational Agility Operations Management Cost Reduction
3 min read
Marketplace Dynamics for Larger Companies
By Matt Horine on Jul 29, 2019 9:19:00 AM
Operations leaders know what a great economy can mean for their business – expansion opportunities, bringing in more orders, engaging new projects, and building a lasting model for unexpected variations in future economic climates.
Topics: Operations Management
3 min read
Forecasting vs. Flexibility
By Mike Kinder on Oct 15, 2018 5:49:00 PM
Forecasts, by definition, will always be wrong. The degree to which they are wrong varies widely – the magnitude of the gap is often a factor of demand planning techniques and tools, market factors, changing customer preferences, and operational strategy. In terms of strategy, many businesses seek to find the "sweet spot" between forecasting and operational flexibility; they ebb and flow across the forecasting-flexibility spectrum with changes in leadership preferences, business models, and enabling technology.
Topics: Operations Management Comparison Blogs
2 min read
Low unemployment, seasonal hiring, and your business
By Matt Horine on Aug 27, 2018 4:05:00 AM
A Booming Economy and Seasonal Labor
The US economy continues to roar – unemployment, currently at 3.9%, is at a 15-year low. Strong performance from the retail sector indicates a surge in an industry that’s had a tough decade – with some commenting that retail is entering a “renaissance” era. As consumers continue to be optimistic (a 17-year high), logistics and distribution companies will face constraints that have not been present in the market for more than a decade.
Topics: Operations Management
4 min read
The On-Demand Marketplace for Manufacturing
By Mike Kinder on Apr 19, 2018 10:56:00 PM
The workforce has a once in a lifetime opportunity on its hands as the adoption of IoT and digital operations capabilities accelerates. Digital is the driver that ultimately divorces most of the workforce from specialized and company-specific operational knowledge. The result is an environment where any able-bodied worker should be able to step into most operational environments and be immediately productive. Not only do we think this is nothing for the worker to fear, we believe this is a massive opportunity and the on-demand marketplace is the ideal vehicle by which to form the new labor paradigm.
Topics: Operations Management
4 min read
Is On-Demand Labor Right for Your Business?
By Olivia Dossett on Jul 12, 2017 6:51:00 PM
As anyone in charge of hiring for a company knows, trying to accurately predict exactly when and how much labor your operation will need can be incredibly difficult. Demand will always be volatile, so demand planning can only get you so far, especially for newer businesses that don’t have substantial past data to reference. And even if your business does have the data and budget for extensive demand planning, why risk unexpected fluctuations in demand when there’s a cheaper, savvier way to address your labor needs that eliminates the guesswork?