The reverse supply chain is often underestimated as a key business component. Whereas decisions over routes, item manufacturing and providers are taken with extreme care, the importance of hardware upgrades, process perfection and end of life product management goes overlooked. However, this isn’t just useful for the logistics of your business; a successful reverse supply chain can have myriad benefits for your business finances, your customers and the environment. But what exactly are the benefits of a reverse supply chain, and how can do these advantages extend further beyond the business itself?
Increased Returns on Investment
The potential for return on investment (ROI) is at the heart of every business decision, and reverse supply chain gives you the chance to increase this ROI. While IT equipment is necessary for the functioning of your business, it is an investment nonetheless. Recycling IT equipment that has reached its end of life, selling metals in redundant devices, before purchasing replacement equipment, ensures maximum ROI.
Reputational Value
In a world where sustainability is key and an environmentally-friendly attitude paramount, using the reverse supply chain to minimise the amount of IT equipment that goes to into landfill can be hugely beneficial to your business reputation. With up to 50 million metric tons of e-waste disposed of each year, businesses playing an active role in the reduction of this type of waste are viewed with high esteem as consumers now ‘expect brands to have not just functional benefits but a social purpose.’
Increased Level of Competition
It’s only natural that you’ll need to upgrade IT equipment with relative regularity, so it’s important that products remain affordable and of high quality. Recycling your end of life IT equipment for manufacturers to use as part of their production processes minimises the strain on resources, which could lead to increased costs. This has an impact on your consumers, as the money you save on investment in competitively priced IT equipment translates to customers saving money on your products and services.
Enhanced Data Protection
Data protection is the number one priority for so many businesses and, in establishing a successful reserve supply chain, you’ll be making enhanced data protection efforts. This comes down mostly to your sustainable approach to ITAD, which involves erasing data completely from all of your redundant assets. An enhanced approach to data protection is beneficial to your business in that it minimises your chances of a data breaches- costly in terms of both business finances and business reputation. Whilst it is possible to erase this data in-house, depending on the equipment in question, the most successful reverse supply chains involve a specialist ITAD suppliers for data destruction.
With over 25 years industry experience, tier1 are proud to be the UK’s most accredited ITAD provider. We possess the skills, accreditations and experience to handle our clients’ data with the care they deserve, and to dispose of it responsibility and legally.
Contact us today on 0161 777 1000 or visit https://www.tier1.com to find out how we can help you dispose of your data safely and reliably as part of your reverse supply chain.
