Table of Contents
Distribution
Streamlined Circulation Management
The Distribution Management System (DMS) enhances circulation by managing agency sales, logistics routes, and returns efficiently, minimizing delays and unsold copies. This streamlines distribution, reduces costs, and ensures timely delivery to customers.
The sector of print media is dynamic, and it is crucial to manage distribution in the best possible way in order to avoid complications and ensure the satisfaction of consumers. This paper aims at identifying how a robust Distribution Management System (DMS) can be developed specifically for the media industry. The system is developed using ASP. NET, C# and JavaScript with the focus on the development of new functionality for circulation, subscription and accounting.
Objectives
The primary objectives of the Distribution Management System are:
- Streamline Circulation Processes: Efficiently manage agency and depot sales, optimize logistic routes and handle returns.
- Enhance Subscription Management: Assist with customers orders, renewals and the follow up on promotional events.
- Improve Financial Management: Proper accounting of unsold copies, agent deposits as well as giving an alert when the credit limit is reached.
- Reporting and Analytics: Generate critical reports to support decision-making processes.
Technology Stack
- Frontend: JavaScript
- Backend: ASP.NET, C#
- Database: SQL Server
Circulation Management
The circulation module is the heart of the DMS to control all the procedures of newspaper and magazine circulation.
- Agency and Depot Sales Management: Track sales through agencies and depots, managing orders and deliveries efficiently.
- Logistic Route Management: Optimize distribution routes to reduce delivery times and costs.
- Label Printing: Print customized labels for easy identification and sorting of copies.
- Agent Deposit Management: Track agent deposits and alert the management if an agency’s credit limit exceeds its security deposit.
- Accounting for Unsold Copies: It will help in accurately tracking and recording the unsold copies that are returned by the agents thus reducing on wastage and costs.
- Sub-Agent and Depot Handling: Supervise a chain of sub-agents or depots and their supply chain and financial operations.
- Transport Payments: Automate transport payment processing based on delivery metrics.
- Accounts Receivable: Control the remuneration of agents, monitor payment terms and create the list of the so-called aged receivables.
- Integration with Press: Work with the press to obtain the information on the state of production and supply.
Subscription Management
The subscription module is intended to simplify the process of customer subscriptions from the time of the order to delivery and further renewal.
- Order and Customer Information: It is important to obtain relevant information on the customers and their orders to have proper records and in order to deliver efficient service.
- Geographic Zones Management: Set up and oversee geographic zones for targeted distribution and localized marketing initiatives.
- Sales Team Management: To watch the performance of the sales team in handling bookings and make the renewal process as easy as possible.
- Gift Delivery Tracking: This will help in monitoring the delivery of gifts to the subscribers to increase on their satisfaction and loyalty.
- Coupon Redemption Management: Ensure that the redemptions of the coupons are done effectively to avoid misappropriation and filing of the wrong reports.
- Billing and Payments: It manage customer billing and payments as well as monitor unpaid balances.
- Multiple Schemes and Packages: Create and manage different subscription schemes and packages to meet the needs of diverse customer segments.
- GIS Reports: Gather data and make use of geographic information systems (GIS) in order to produce reports to explain distribution patterns and target audience.
Financial Management
This module ensures that there is proper book keeping and entry of the accounts of the organization.
- Alerts for Credit Limit Breaches: Automated alerts notify management if an agency’s credit limit exceeds the defined security deposit.
- Accounts Receivable Management: Track and manage outstanding payments, reducing the risk of bad debts.
- Accounting for Returns: Accurately account for unsold copies returned by agents, reducing financial discrepancies.
Benefits
- Efficiency in Operations: It can be seen that the automation of subscription and circulation will minimize on the occurrence of errors and costs.
- Enhanced Customer Experience: Timely delivery tracking smooth billing processes and effective promotion management contribute to customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Instant Decision Making: This enables the management to have an easy way of accessing reporting and analytics in order to facilitate their decision making process.
- Cost Reduction: Efficient means of planning the routes to follow and accurately tracking unsold stock ensures that wastage and transport costs are well managed.
- Flexibility: The system is built to accommodate an increase in subscriber numbers and circulation volume ensuring scalability.
