Strategies Supply Chain Collaboration

Question: Discuss about the Strategies Supply Chain Collaboration. Answer: Introduction: Woolworths was established in the year 1924 in Australia with an objective to offer good things at a reasonable price. Currently it operates more than 900 stores across Australia. It works closely with growers and farmers across the country to source fresh fruits, vegetables and meat to ensure quality products are being delivered to its customers. Woolworths have revamped its brand image with its new slogan fresh food people. It offers its services to more than 3 million regular customers and 30,000 business customers across Australia. Woolworths has integrated its offline and online business, thereby offering the customers an opportunity to buy online and collect it from their nearest store. It complies with the Australian Consumer Law and ensures products safety requirements by factory auditing, products testing and inspections. In case a product is found defective, the product is recalled in order to protect the health of the customers and maintain companys reputation for quality products. Woolworths has a loyalty reward program which offers variety of benefits such as fuel discounts, members only deals (offline and online), Qantas frequent flyer points. To attract and retain its business customers, it offers various privileges and services to its customers such as: savings of up to 3% for each order; no contracts for doing business; bulk ordering with 6-7 days advance notice; free delivery, 7 days a week to save customers time on first order and all orders above $300; dedicated support through account linked to business customers for addressing their issues; interest free credit account; flexible invoicing (woolworths.com.au. 2016). Woolworths is committed towards pro viding safe and quality products to its valued customers. The company aims to attract new customers and retain existing customers. It has formulated a three-fold strategy to win over new customers and gain competitive advantage over its rivals, which are as follows: Improve basic offers so that customers puts Woolworths first; Innovate in order to meet the needs of the customers. Create added customer value by executing Lean Model (com.au. 2016). Technological Force Woolworths has always emphasized only bringing the best in technology. They use latest technology such as RFID in all its stores and have launched its own mobile app for the convenience of shoppers to buy products online. It has also introduced beacon technology which notifies privileged customers of special offers and product updates on their phones while they walk in the stores (Theaustralian.com.au. 2014). To reduce carbon emission in its stores, they have introduced reduced emission refrigeration systems which have 75% less potential for global warming. All the stores uses LED lightings and motion sensors to ensure save level of lighting and reduced carbon emissions and takes initiative of recycling of its plastic bags and cardboard boxes to reduce solid waste (woolworthslimited.com.au. 2016). Woolworths have introduced self- checkout technology which facilitates customers to scan, weigh and pay for their groceries via cash or cards (Ausfoodnews.com.au. 2016). Woolworths is known for its supply chain collaboration for a provide customers delight. It works closely with its suppliers and supply chain collaborators to achieve common objective of achieving improved organizational performance and competitive advantage through shared knowledge (Arli et al. 2013). References Arli, V., Dylke, S., Burgess, R., Campus, R. and Soldo, E., 2013. Woolworths Australia and Walmart US: Best practices in supply chain collaboration.Journal of Economics, Business, and Accountancy| Ventura,16(1), pp.27-46. Ausfoodnews.com.au. (2016).Woolworths announces new strategies to win over grocery shoppers, AFN reveals full detail | Australian Food News. [online] Available at: https://ausfoodnews.com.au/2015/05/06/woolworths-announces-new-strategies-to-win-over-grocery-shoppers-afn-reveals-full-detail.html [Accessed 7 Sep. 2016]. Ausfoodnews.com.au. (2016).Woolworths trial self-checkout technology | Australian Food News. [online] Available at: https://ausfoodnews.com.au/2008/04/21/woolworths-trial-self-checkout-technology.html [Accessed 8 Sep. 2016]. Theaustralian.com.au. (2014).Woolies trials beacon specials. [online] Available at: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/woolworths-trials-beacon-specials-in-supermarket/news-story/1fd68222d07c9a7f86195554cc6c3583 [Accessed 8 Sep. 2016]. woolworths.com.au. (2016).Shop/Discover/shopping-online/my-business. [online] Available at: https://www.woolworths.com.au/Shop/Discover/shopping-online/my-business [Accessed 7 Sep. 2016].