In his address at the MDS Annual Clients’ Dinner/Award Night at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos, Mr Ajayi said: “To this end, we have embarked upon major redevelopment and expansion of warehousing facilities, upgrading of operational equipment, process automation and competency building.”
The UACN Managing Director stated that the second phase of the Abuja Regional Distribution Centre would be completed within the next three weeks, adding that the Company has also concluded arrangements for the construction of an ultra-modern Distribution Centre at Aba, Abia State this year.
On the increasing need to access real time information, especially with regard to the distribution business, Mr Ajayi said that MDS has embarked on the implementation of a Wide Area Network (WAN) of its distribution centres to a Central Logistics Cell at the Head Office in Oregun, Lagos. He said: “In today’s viciously competitive environment, value–addition and ability to facilitate speed to the market have become significant drivers of success for the secondary participants (such as MDS) in the value chain. This understanding underscores our choice of the theme: ‘Value + Velocity for the Customer’ as the propelling force of the MDS operations for the year 2005 and beyond.”
In his presentation titled “Value + Velocity for the Customer”, Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran, Divisional Managing Director of MDS said that the Business Unit undertook two Customer Surveys and a Process Audit in 2004 with a view to gaining further insights into the market dynamics, bringing customer’s voice in-house and streamlining the operations to enhance quality service rendition.
He stressed that bringing the “customers’ voice in-house” has highlighted a number of issues such as providing adequate warehousing space, update of infrastructure/operational equipment, operational flexibility (weekend/public holidays), timely rendition of returns, minimal (zero cash/stock) loss, improved speed (velocity) of service, streamlined operations and re-alignment of core/support processes.
He pointed out that MDS has repositioned for improved services through the streamlining of the customer base from 44 to 25, adoption of a hub–based distribution model in addition to customized operations, expansion of infrastructural facilities and ensuring that there are full operating equipment in all MDS depots.
Mr Ogunniran further said that besides embarking on a three-phased Value-Added Information Management strategy, MDS has introduced Complementary Haulage Offering, which will provide superior services in terms of tracking, reliability and higher payload, coupled with professional, well-trained and motivated delivery officers.
The occasion was attended by corporate executives, MDS clients, Directors and Senior Managers of UACN.
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A Division of UACN Plc