May 18, 2023
# SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE

# BotswanaPost Supply Chain Resilience

Sabina Moatlhodi, Procurement Manager

Supply chain resilience is the ability of a supply chain to adapt, recover, and withstand disruptions while meeting customer needs. At BotswanaPost, we prioritize supply chain resilience through our procurement philosophy, which emphasizes compliance, proactive risk management, strong collaboration with suppliers, operational flexibility, diversified sourcing, effective use of technology, and continuous improvement. We believe in sourcing products, services, and works in compliance with our national laws and organizational policies, ensuring transparency and fair practices. Critical to this is good supplier relationships that are foundational for resilience, including reliability in service provision, timely communication, prompt payments, and honouring agreements.

Currently, the Ministry of The Ministry of Communications, Knowledge and Technology is hosting celebrations of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day on 17th May in Ramotswa. BotswanaPost, together with Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) and Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) are participating in the event. If, for example, we were to procure water for delegates and sound equipment for the event and yet it arrives on the 18th May in Mochudi, there will be no value to the delivery. It will rather prove to be a costly futile exercise and affect the reputation of the organisation. It is therefore important to adhere to the 5Rights of Supply chain, explained below, when purchasing in order to satisfy and fulfil customer expectations, reduce costs, and ensure operational efficiency.

 

The 5 Rights of Supply Chain Explained:

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Procurement Best Practices:

For reoccurring services, it is essential to have service level agreements with several qualified suppliers to reduce time and effort for stock replenishment, so that procurement professionals can focus on high value and critical products and services. Additionally, it is important to understand the market prices to be able to determine the reasonable prices for the scope of work issued to potential suppliers. Moreover, maintaining optimal stock levels is crucial to prevent product obsolescence, maximize storage efficiency, and minimizing the risk of pilfering.

 

To conclude, we found that building resilience into our supply chain enables us to effectively navigate disruptions, mitigate risks, and maintain business continuity, which ultimately leads to customer satisfaction and long-term success. This resilience has proven instrumental in reducing wastage and optimizing our operations, allowing us to adapt to the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the business environment. By prioritizing supply chain resilience, we have and continue to strengthen our ability to withstand challenges, enhance operational efficiency, and gain a competitive advantage in the market.

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