Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies

In many other industries, however, companies are not ensuring this backward visibility or are using time parameters that are too large, says [Alan] Schoem [senior vice president of Marsh’s Global Product Risk Practice]. “Some change time codes every month, which means that, at a minimum, they would have to recall a month’s worth of production,” he says. “Changing the date code daily or even hourly can dramatically limit the scope of a recall.”

Another area that companies need to work on is in monitoring calls from customers concerning problems with a product, Schoem says. “Call centers need to be instructed in how to handle these calls and need escalation procedures to get that information to the right people.” In some instances, the company may need to get a product back from a customer for further testing and evaluation. Schoem recommends having a standing relationship with a testing lab. “If you have a testing lab on retainer, which we encourage, you can be assured of getting them to focus on your problem without delay,” he says.

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