Oh what a feeling for high flyer Charles Kim

Charles Kim became involved in supply chain and logistics “purely by chance”.

As Manager of Dealer Support Services at Toyota Australia he is now the driving force behind one of the most dynamic supply chain operations in the country.

Charles’ role encompasses three key areas:

• Dealer development in parts operations (focusing mainly on lean inventory and operations improvements)
• Developing the supply area ready for the launch of Toyota’s new parts system (to be launched in May this year) and
• Managing the dealer parts customer help desk

Charles has been largely responsible for Toyota’s highly efficient supply chain operation, but that was not always his ambition. After leaving school Charles was keen to pursue a career in marketing. And while studying Marketing and International Business at university he landed a job in the cash logistics industry. “This is where I was first exposed to supply chain, though I was studying Marketing & International Business,” says Charles.

So what is the key to a successful supply chain and logistics operation?

“I feel the key is to ensure that all areas keep an open line of communication in order to meet customer demand in a timely and efficient manner, says Charles.
“I have also found working with our dealer network that separating ‘actual’ and ‘created’ demand is paramount in a successful supply chain.
“Toyota’s supply chain is fundamentally based upon the Toyota Production System (TPS) which is widely known. Although TPS started in vehicle manufacturing, it is applied to all areas of the business and is important in our parts & accessories supply chain.”

Charles says the secret to his success at Toyota has been to keep an open mind and learn from others.

“There is plenty of knowledge both in Australia and the global Toyota family,” he says. Charles is a strong advocate for dealer education and training. “This is an area I’m very passionate about. Without dealer education and training, it will be impossible to achieve our supply chain aspirations,” says Charles.
“Our supply chain improvements are all geared around changing dealer/customer ordering behavior and ensuring that their operations are improved to support both profit and customer satisfaction.”

The main benefits of a successful supply chain are improved profits and improved customer satisfaction, he says.

By having a highly professional operation a company can react quickly to problems that arise in the supply chain. It also pays to seek advice from leading supply chain optimization and logistics specialists. “Logiworx has been a great partner in enhancing the Toyota supply chain operation, says Charles.

“They provided innovative concepts for us to consider and implement. Further, Logiworx’s post implementation support is also great and continuing to follow up a long time after the project is completed.
“They are a very honest and professional organization.”

And what does the future hold for Charles Kim?

“I’m looking forward to continuing to work in the supply chain area in Toyota and working in Japan at Toyota HQ to get involved in the global supply chain.”
 
High achiever … Charles Kim