The efficient processing of returns for Defective Product, Excess Product and MRO Items is very important to many supply chains.  By focusing effort on including best practices in this area many financial benefits can be realized from improved service perception by customers to asset reduction via quicker incorporation of returns back into sellable inventory.

The Return process has all of the components of a typical fulfillment process like these; forecasting systems, transportation planning, back office processing, etc…  This may be a new focus for you but it can have a large impact on how your customers view you, and financially how you perform.  At Level 1 the most important Return metrics are Warranty Cost and Returns Processing Costs.