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  • Here at QBP it is a very open environment and they foster a lot of growth. So in that regard, I get to take on projects that I’m really interested in.

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  • I like the nerdy stuff like running numbers and doing analytics and

  • making spreadsheets and models that ultimately lead to action management can take.

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  • So, we can say this is the information that we have if we do this investment of this amount

  • the probability is high that it will improve the business in this way.

  • It is fun to see the results and see things turn out like you expected.

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  • My name is Obaid Ghani and I am a Supply Chain Analyst at Quality Bicycle Products.

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  • Our process starts at really forecasting what our customers will buy and so if we take that forecast and then we pipeline our order with

  • vendors in Taiwan, Europe, other parts of Asia, U.S. and say this is what we need and when do we need it,

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  • our system will make that recommendation.

  • My hours are flexible as long as I get the work done. It is results based company,

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  • sometimes I come in at 7:00; sometimes I come in at 9:00 depending on the day.

  • The typical busier day of the week for me is Monday where I come in and look at everything that changed from the previous week

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  • and plug those into different databases and use that to say this is where we were, this is where we are, this is where we should be.

  • Then I have things that will run exceptions on it and say these are the exceptions you should look at.

  • We have buyers and we have planners, they have slightly different job roles. I primarily work with those guys and management team.

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  • We are always continuing to optimize our inventory investment, both in a dollar, space and transportation, on all those fronts.

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  • As I started here in the warehouse, I was just working in the picking, packing and labeling area

  • just packing boxes and shipping out to our customers.

  • There was a lot of opportunity for participation in process improvement projects and a

  • big project in packing that I was a part of and we were able to save like $100 and some thousand dollars a year.

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  • So, obviously it is technical that you have to be proficient in that is step one.

  • But after that it is really important to have good people skills, interpersonal skills because you are constantly communicating with people

  • and collaborating with people and trying to get them to change their behavior in the way that they are doing their job.

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  • You have to approach it in a way that they can receive it and understand what youre saying.

  • I wanted to move to an analyst role because that is where I really wanted to be.

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  • I was interested in combining business and the healthcare industry. So, I have a custom degree in biology and finance.

  • After that finance incorporates lots of things like statistics and general analysis and that was a good lead in to supply chain analyst.

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  • Most analyst positions regardless if it is financial, supply chain or a business analysis you should be able to get your hands on data.

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  • I use a lot of Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel and SQL (Sequel) server.

  • As the company gets bigger, we are using Microsoft Sequel Server or their Oracle data or Olap database as they call them.

  • It usually has some kind of sequel language where you are writing a query to extract the data that you want

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  • and from there you can take that data and put in Access or Excel and do your analysis on that.

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  • My job particularly and to how it helps the environment is really about optimization.

  • So, we are trying to reduce waste, reduce costs for transportation,

  • storage and also to help our dealers, the independent bicycle dealers, do business as well.

  • If we do our part in supply chain planning our inventory and having the right product for the right time

  • then the shop doesn’t have to worry about carrying a lot more or ordering directly from Taiwan.

  • In Taiwan, we have a contact third party consolidator that will ensure even though we order from 20 different vendors,

  • that person will consolidate all their product into one container so instead of shipping a bunch of half containers or

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  • half empty containers, we got one complete container that is being shipped in.

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  • We are conscious about our impact on the environment so we take a lot of initiatives like our building is gold LEED certified.

  • We have a company goal that everybody volunteers at least once and we throw lots of events throughout the cycling community as well.

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  • A lot of companies are starting to add this position so even though QBP is a pretty progressive company,

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  • I was the first person that was hired in as a supply chain analyst that is true for outside of QBP as well.

  • Now, more and more colleges are offering majors in Logistics and Supply Chain Planning

  • which wasn’t as common when I was going to school.

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  • More and more companies are starting to post for these positions to

  • ultimately optimize their operations and save costs and also help out the environment.

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  • Get good at the technical pieces like software applications like statistics, and Excel and Access.

  • Math is kind of important and youre next step is to really make the recommendation

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  • that is where interpersonal skills come in so really be good at communicating complex terminology.

  • So, it is a growing field, it is becoming a necessity because everybody is trying to reduce waste,

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  • reduce their impact and what is good for the environment

  • also impacts the bottom line so these positions are only going to be growing in the coming years.

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Here at QBP it is a very open environment and they foster a lot of growth. So in that regard, I get to take on projects that I’m really interested in.

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