Here are the top 5 supply chain issues that were top of mind for business aviation companies at this year's NBAA conference.

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make them more efficient and successful. According to their website, the vast majority of businesses in this community – 97 percent – are small- to midsize operations.

Last week, the NBAA held its annual business aviation convention in Orlando, FL. Even though Hurricane Ian blew through town just days earlier, it wasn't enough to knock the show off course. 

Cura Group was there to meet some of these smaller companies and find out what's keeping their aviation supply chain professionals up at night.

Or, what to do when slow-moving inventory takes up too much valuable space in your warehouse.

Inventory is like electricity: you can't run your business without it, but it's rarely top of mind. However, unlike electricity, inventory takes up physical space, it's expensive to store, and someone has to actively organize and track it even when it's not needed.

And why walk-in customer pick-up centers are a gift that keeps on giving.

We thought about posting this blog last month, but the Autumn sun was still warm and it seemed too early to talk about Christmas before we’d even had a chance to enjoy Halloween. 

Retail planners, however, have been thinking about how to prepare for a successful holiday shopping season for months now, and industry analysts have been crunching their numbers for 2021 holiday sales forecasts. 

How Cura Resource Group is Responding to the Coronavirus Pandemic

It's not easy to think of something inspiring to say about logistics when the entire world has been flipped on its head by a pandemic. So after more than a month of working from home — like many of you — I decided to share how my own company is responding. I'm hoping that our experiences provide some comfort either by validating what you're also experiencing or by sparking some new ideas on how to cope.

If you’re a direct sales individual distributor, you realize that time is money. You want to be able to get the fastest moving products while they’re hot, so you can get them into the hands of your customers.

A last-mile distribution center can save you shipping costs, improve order fulfillment and transit time, and help your distributors balance inventory.

It’s a common misconception: A last-mile distribution centers is only for the biggest of retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Home Depot. This simply isn’t the case. If your business does significant amounts of e-commerce, a distribution/sales center where customers can pick-up products could be the right move.

Consider customer geography, transportation infrastructure, the local talent pool, and cost when choosing a location for a last-mile distribution center.

Last-mile distribution centers can help retailers improve the most challenging and important aspect of delivery. These sales centers are not only convenient for customers, but they can be financially beneficial for businesses as well.

Retail is evolving.

Retail is changing so fast, it’s hard to keep up.

• Online merchants are going traditional and buying entire brick-and-mortar chains. (Amazon buys Whole Foods).
• Traditional retailers are buying same-day local delivery companies to compete with online merchants. (Walmart buys Parcel).
• Big-box retailers are encouraging customers to demo products without ever entering the store. (Ikea uses augmented reality to bring the showroom to your home.)

The one thing that never changes, however, is that the customer is always right.  Why? Because they always have the final say on whether to give their business to you or someone else.   

You’ve decided to open a last-mile distribution center. Congratulations! These managed sales centers can be a great way to reduce shipping costs while getting product into your customers’ hands faster than traditional shipping methods. So how can you make your local community aware that your last-mile distribution center is open for business?

Think about your last e-commerce purchase experience. What’s one of the first things you think of? If you said the delivery of the product, you’re not alone.

Regardless of the experience of the actual purchase, the perception of the business — rightly, or wrongly — is often shaped by the circumstances surrounding the delivery.