The Supply Chain Management Principles certification track is a great place to start and is considered to be a ‘launch pad’ to begin your supply chain educational and certification process. It provides a high-level overview of each of the functions in a supply chain.

After completing this task, you will have a broad appreciation for how each of the individual supply chain functions operate and how they are ‘linked’ in a chain to enable organizations to plan and execute product and service delivery in order to achieve customer satisfaction.

Customer service operations is woven into every aspect of the supply chain; therefore, customer satisfaction and customer retention are of paramount importance for every company. When properly implemented, customer service can be an enabling process and strategy to create customer satisfaction which, in turn, creates pleased and loyal customers. Maintaining these relationships is key essential for continued sales and repeat business. To provide customer satisfaction at every level, customer service should be embedded in the culture of the organization and needs to be the responsibility of every employee.

This certification track discusses the basics of customer service; sound communications; advice for dealing with challenging customers; the customer order and return processes (reverse logistics); jobs in customer service; and legal concerns.

The Transportation Operations certification track provides the details for transporting goods. Transportation of goods often requires multiple modes of transportation. The combination of modes can vary depending on cost, values, dimensions, weights, frequencies, time-sensitive delivery requirements, and other special requirements (e.g., hazardous or refrigerated cargoes). Key elements of this certification track include modes of transportation; transportation technology; company roles and operations within the transportation field; the impact of transportation on the overall economy; sustainability in transportation; and how the field is evolving to meet the projected needs of the future. Numerous positions exist in each of the various modes of transportation; rail, water, air, road, and pipeline. Other key positions also exist in customs, freight forwarding, brokering, and transportation security to support the actual movement of goods.

The Warehousing Operations certification track provides the basics of warehousing operations, including distribution centers and fulfillment centers. Key elements of the track include the role of warehousing and distribution centers in the supply chain, and the other key functions of processing goods: receiving, movement, storage, picking, packing, and packaging. Other value-added processes, like cross-docking and kitting, are presented as they are routinely used in warehousing and distribution centers like Amazon and Walmart. Additionally, the Warehouse Management System (WMS) is presented as the back-bone that enables the warehouse to function effectively and efficiently. Warehouses, fulfillment centers, and distribution centers have an ongoing need for personnel in a wide range of functions including material handlers, pickers, packers, forklift operators, and IT specialists for the WMS.

Demand planning is often considered the “engine” that drives a business and requires collaboration and inputs from all departments to be successful. The Demand Planning certification track presents the details necessary to create and utilize a forecast to build an actual demand plan. Forecasting is a process that predicts customer demands. The demand planning process uses the forecast to develop a plan that ensures inventory levels are appropriate to meet the predicted demands. The demand plan is used to create requisitions for the procurement department to obtain the goods and services needed. It is also used to plan manufacturing work orders to turn raw materials and components into finished goods.

Analyst and planning positions in a demand planning organization give individuals with a strong foundation of skills the possibility to be successful in every aspect of the broader supply chain organization.

The Inventory Management certification track provides the details to effectively plan and manage inventory levels to satisfy customer demands and maximize organizational profitability. Inventory management personnel focus on achieving a balance of sufficient supply to meet customer demand. Ineffective planning can result in insufficient inventory levels, resulting in lost sales or excessive inventory and financial write-offs of obsolete stock. This track also covers the importance and use of inventory in the supply chain; exposure to different types of inventory; techniques for effectively managing and controlling inventory levels; the relationship between forecasting and inventory management; and the financial impacts of inventory investments. Since inventory is a critical aspect within any organization, employers have an ongoing need for skilled personnel to plan, analyze, replenish, and safeguard all assets.

The Manufacturing & Service Operations certification track provides a key element of the operations organization in a company. It is chartered to provide and manage resources and to convert raw materials into finished products. This certification track discusses the basics of manufacturing and service operations for effective interface with other elements across a supply chain. This certification track includes the role of manufacturing and service operations; linking market requirements with the selection of manufacturing processes; facility location strategies; facility layouts; the importance of production planning and control in synchronizing operations; the importance of quality management and performance measurement; and the impact of emerging technologies in operations. Some common positions in a Manufacturing & Service Operations organization include assembly operators, machinists, welders, production planners, service technicians, and quality assurance personnel.

The Supply Management & Procurement certification track presents the details of how goods and services are ordered by converting purchase requisitions, created by the demand planning organization, to purchase orders that are issued to suppliers. In this track, specific emphasis is placed on supplier identification, selection and approval, sourcing activities, negotiations with suppliers and the overall systematic selection of goods and services. Technology innovations along with numerous options for transportation modes enable procurement organizations to source items globally to achieve the best value solutions to fulfill their requirements. Numerous positions often exist in procurement organizations and they are referred to as buyers, sourcing analysts, commodity experts, and subcontract administrators.