Yesterday, Western Growers Trade Practices hosted a webinar to not only discuss the finer points of Walmart’s On Time in Full (OTIF) policy but also some proven shipper best practices to help members cope with retailer compliance requirements and avoid financial penalties.
OTIF is now the direction retailers are going, and all suppliers need to be cognizant and well planned on their handling of retail compliance. The information presented in yesterday’s session provides guidance on how to navigate through the complexities of OTIF as well as provides step-by-step instructions on how to ensure compliance.
During the webinar Bryan Nickerson, Manager of the WG Trade Practices Department, moderated expert shipper feedback from F. Scott Fein, Vice President of the North Region of Robinson Fresh, who has had over a decade of experience perfecting retailer compliance metrics.
F. Scott Fein emphasized how members should “control the things you can control” and spoke about the importance of having a plan for communication, transparency and redundancy.
“OTIF and similar policies impact our member’s bottom line due to the harsh reality of heavy fines imposed if compliance measures are not met,” said Nickerson. “This isn’t about passing the fine onto the carrier, but working cohesively as a team through a consultative process.”
If you’re interested in watching the recording of this webinar or have any OTIF or retail compliance questions, please reach out to Bryan Nickerson at [email protected].
Additional OTIF Resources:
- Best Practices to Avoid Running Afoul of Walmart’s OTIF Policy: Click here to access.
- Walmart’s OTIF Policy – Shipper Feedback Request: Click here to access.
- Regular OTIF updates in Produce Insights: Click here to access.
