We know that the shortest distance between any two points is a straight line. So, it’s easy to pick the most logical route when we want to travel from point A to point B. It gets a little tougher if we want to factor in traffic concerns, buying gas at the lowest prices, etc.
Once you factor those concerns, we are into the field of logistics. Something I learned well (the hard way!) during my days with Bicarbolyte. Our medical device firm wanted to provide great customer service, which means we had to deliver our own products. This means we started our own trucking firm to deliver our products to the clinics and hospitals, as well as pick up our raw materials. This logistics knowledge was also critical to transport a vehicle we purchased a vehicle in Charlottesville (VA), where I also had an automobile leasing company, for use in Bicabolyte’s Long Beach (CA) facility.
Oh, you say, that’s simple. Point A to point B. Well, a little history. The year is 1985. We just switched our firm from Osborne CP/M computers to AT&T DOS machines. Which did mean that our computer processing power was trebled. And, we had that other objective (besides transporting the vehicle). We wanted to grow our business (which had just reached its first birthday). Which meant we wanted to visit the most likely candidates to purchase our product, as we transported this vehicle.
Back then, there were about 2000 dialysis facilities in the US. And, we mapped out a route that took us through North Carolina on to Atlanta. From there to Florida and the Panhandle. To New Orleans. To Dallas. To New Mexico. To Phoenix. And, then to Long Beach. This means we had an opportunity to visit about 800 clinics. We left each Tuesday morning, returning each Thursday night or Friday morning. So we could buy ‘Saturday night stay tickets’ (you know, the cheap flights) to be home with our families for weekends. Each travel week, we made appointments with 15 to 45 dialysis centers for those 3+ days of driving the car. And, we sometimes had to change appointments, en route.
It was a heck of an accomplishment. One that took us 8 weeks. Which involved the same kind of logistics planning we provided our truck drivers, who left Charlottesville, Long Beach, Dallas, Kansas City, and Milwaukee every Sunday night to make their deliveries. Each trip was designed to return home no later than Friday (so our truck drivers could be home over the weekend with their families, too), with some drivers returning Tuesday to make a second run that week. A few of our trucks went from facility to facility- with the truck driver flying home (back then, there was no photo ID requirement, so John Doe could fly from Kansas City to Charlottesville and John Doe2 could use the return trip.)
Think that was easy? This kind of optimization is one of the classical mathematics challenges. Like the ‘4 color map’ problem (which, by the way, was solved in 1976, but many are not convinced of that solution), this ‘traveling salesman’ problem is another intensely studied optimization problem. It turns out, if you want to visit the 48 state capitals in one trip, there are about 1.2 X1057 potential pathways.
Maybe, we should steer our kids into a logistics career path?
Thanks, Roy, now I’m going to feel like my brain is exploding all day as I try to sort out the logistics you describe. I’m not terribly good at that kind of thinking. Which is probably why I try to run my life and any business I have been in under the K.I.S.S. method. Keep it simple stupid. Which ,would not have worked in your case. Thankfully, when running a business (if we are smart) we find people who have whatever strength we don’t…sadly, I may not be that smart either 😉 Cheers my friend you are a wonder!
Ah, Lisa, we all build on the innate talents we have. If I provided you with a painting, you would wonder if I stole it from some 2 year old on the playground!
Roy
Good grief. How many of those drivers were sleep deprived or suffered from jet lag (JohnDoe1 and JohnDoe2)? Is the business still in business? It sounds like it was a going concern. It kept going and going and going. Great planning.
Ann recently posted..Elle Tait—My Side of the Fence
The business is no longer around (in the US). And, truck drivers cannot be sleep deprived per se, since they have mandatory “off” periods. They literally must pull over and sleep (and document same) after 11 hours. And, they cannot accumulate more than 60 hours of on-duty time (which includes drop-offs, loading, and pickups) during 7 consecutive days or 70 hours during 8 consecutive days.
This post hurts my head. After I took Operations Management at B-School, I’ve come to believe that whomever is the best at logistics will win. That seems to be bearing out in the marketplace when you consider Amazon, FedEx and PBMs all have logistics-based business models.
Tor Constantino recently posted..Do We Have Ultimate Power Over God?
Those that manage their logistics clearly have the economic advantage, Tor. And, most hospitals (and companies are now joining the fray) are just-in-time deliveries, so it becomes a critical component of customer service, as well.
Thanks for bringing that out…
Roy
My head hurts just reading that! Math definitely wasn’t my speciality. I’m so grateful it takes all kinds to make the world go round!
Nicole Bandes recently posted..Dealing with the Non-Supportive Spouse Pt 2
Wow, I’m sorry, Nicole. I didn’t think I had that much mathematics in the post.
I’ll work harder next time to keep it more basic.
Roy
Roy: Sometimes I think we are on a parallel journey. 🙂 I spent 30+ years in healthcare and now find I have expanded my business writing to logistics in the global supply chain. I got there through a former client who left a healthcare organization for a lead logistics provider. Fascinating new world.
I have learned about mutimodal transportation (air, water, highways and rail) and sustainability practices to reduce the carbon footprint. It is definitely not a simple Point A to Point B. I’m currently working on a case study about transporting goods across the Ice Roads. Fascinating stuff.
Makes my head spin, but I am enjoying the ride. (pun lamely intended) 🙂
Cathy Miller recently posted..No Foolin’ Posts in Friday Lite Review
I love it, Cathy!
But, I should warn you, I have a penchant for traveling at high speeds. It lets me cover more ground in shorter time periods…
Hope you still enjoy that ride 🙂
Thanks for the visit AND the comment.
Roy
Trust me, Roy, I will not even ATTEMPT to keep up with you. 🙂
ROTFL, Cathy!
When it comes to logistics, I really enjoyed it much. It feels good to server other people.