Retailers dread having to take back ‘faulty’ goods because of the hassles and costs involved in handling returns – a process called reverse logistics.

However, a forthcoming seminar, billed as NZ’s first-ever reverse logistics seminar, aims to provide a forum for retailers, manufacturers and distributors in the consumer electronics business to meet and discuss issues around reverse logistics.

The one-day seminar is being held at Auckland’s Spencer hotel in Takapuna, on the North Shore, on May 27. Seven speakers from major organisations will describe their ‘best practice’ solutions to this knotty problem, starting with Philips NZ’s Roger Rowley.

Philips has recently installed a web-based goods returns authorisation (GRA) tool. It expects savings of $100,000 a year from implementing the business process management tool, it says.

According to analyst firm Gartner, returned goods typically cost companies four times more to process than do new goods being sent out for sale. A finely tuned reverse logistics system can cut these costs considerably. The seminar will look at how to do this, as well as other problems, such a green issues, surrounding returns – and solutions to turn the potential conflict around returns into a positive exchange with the customer.

Roger Rowley, operations manager for Philips’ consumer lifestyle products, says it has put in place a rules-based system that means shop assistants can now process returns correctly almost 100 percent of the time – and almost instantly over the counter.

ECN is hosting the event, which is for those involved in solving reverse logistics problems so they can share knowledge, network and discuss reverse logistics issues. Cost is $45 for the full day, but registration is necessary.

For more information, go to: www.ecngroup.co.nz/rlseminar.html

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