Menlo Solution Engineering deploys expert personnel utilizing a structured, five-step analytical framework built on lean principles and tools to discover, define, design, implement and optimize transportation operating strategies and solutions. This program also introduces lean continuous improvement processes to further identify and eliminate wasteful practice and activity, improve efficiencies and create effective operating metrics and business intelligence that are used continually to measure and validate savings.
The emphasis of the Solution Engineering team is to engage collaboratively with customers to drive effective redesign and transformation of transportation network process and function, creating faster, more efficient and reliable transportation operations. These goals are achieved through emphasis on strong customer engagement, strategic project planning, value engineering and operational excellence. Typical benefits gained by the customer from these engagements include:
- Reduced cycle times
- Lower overall supply chain cost through more efficient transportation network operating processes
- Improved efficiency and productivity, and lower overall spend for transportation operations
- Optimized transportation network designs, mode selections, core carrier programs and highly efficient standardized operating procedures
- Introducing as a standard operating procedure a continuous improvement framework and methodology for eliminating waste from transportation network processes
Typical services and deliverables provided by the Solution Engineering team vary by customer need, but can include any or all of the following:
- End-to-end benchmarking
- Transportation network analysis, resource evaluation, benchmarking current state
- Lean assessments
- Value stream mapping, identifying material, information flows; cost/waste reduction opportunities
- Re-engineering, solution modeling, network design and analysis
- Testing and optimization of proposed solution designs
- Establishment of “gated” road map for staged implementation
- Institution of standard work instructions for new model
- Measurements, testing and validation of design ROI, uncover and correct shortfalls
