Fundamentals of Systems Costs

Stop Losing Money to Hidden System Costs in Your Supply Chain

Is your supply chain riddled with hidden costs? Are you considering adding new systems but unsure if it’s the right move?
This course is your game-changer.

In this System Costs Course, you’ll learn how to uncover and eliminate hidden expenses buried within your existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Warehouse Management System (WMS), and Transportation Management System (TMS) — before spending on new tools.

You’ll master the analytical techniques and real-world insights needed to optimize existing systems, drive efficiency, and reduce operational waste.

What You’ll Learn in This System Costs Course

This course dives deep into the financial and operational impact of technology across the supply chain — helping you transform cost visibility into strategic action.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the true cost of your current supply chain systems

• Identify hidden cost drivers across ERP, WMS, and TMS platforms

• Apply real-world case studies to uncover cost-saving opportunities

• Learn to maximize system ROI before investing in new solutions

• Build a framework for ongoing system cost management and governance

By the end of this course, you’ll have a proven methodology to quantify, optimize, and justify every technology cost across your supply chain.

Why System Costs Matter in Supply Chain Management

In today’s data-driven operations, system costs often account for one of the largest — yet least visible — portions of the supply chain budget.

Without proper analysis, companies overspend on systems they already have or underutilize existing tools.

Managing system costs helps you:

• Reduce unnecessary system investments

• Maximize ROI on existing software and infrastructure

• Improve collaboration between IT, procurement, and supply chain teams

• Align technology spending with business performance goals

• Increase profitability by optimizing system usage and integration

Optimizing system costs isn’t just about saving money — it’s about building a smarter, more connected supply chain.

Why Learn with Benjamin Bloch:

Benjamin is the Supply Chain Manager at ITRON in Karlsruhe. He is currently leading the global functions for order scheduling, production planning, and inventory management. He is in charge of 8 manufacturing plants and oversees 30 buyers and 20 production planners.

Benjamin has 20+ years of experience in Supply Chain, Purchasing, logistics, and Operations Management. He led several multi-customer warehouses acting as 3PL, managed outsourcing projects, implemented S&OP, and standardized the planning and buying process in more than 20 factories to get to a stage where automation could support the overall functions.

He started his career at Schenker Deutschland AG, where he owned several roles until he reached the Logistics Manager position. After that, he led the Supply Chain for ITRON at first for one site and expanded to area responsibility for EMEA/APAC until he got the Global responsibility.

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is designed for supply chain and procurement professionals seeking to identify, measure, and reduce hidden system costs — and make confident, data-backed decisions on technology investments.

Perfect For:

• Procurement Professionals – Analyze and negotiate tech investments

• Supply Chain Managers – Optimize system performance and cost efficiency

• Operations & IT Teams – Identify integration gaps and underutilization

• Business Leaders – Build stronger business cases for technology investments

Suitable for the following roles:

• Entry-Level: Procurement Assistant, Procurement Coordinator, Purchasing Clerk, Sourcing Specialist
• Mid-Level: Procurement Specialist, Sourcing Analyst, Contract Specialist, Supplier Relationship Manager, Operational Buyer, Buyer, Inventory Contoller
• Senior-Level: Senior Procurement Specialist, Senior Sourcing Analyst, Lead Buyer, Procurement Manager, Category Manager, Strategic Sourcing Manager, Commodity Manager, Regional Commodity Manager
• Executive-Level: Director of Procurement, Chief Procurement Officer (CPO)
• Specialized Titles: Commodity Manager, Global Sourcing Manager, Indirect Procurement Manager, E-Procurement Manager

Requirements

• Access to Internet
• Computer / Laptop / Mobile Device

What Is Included?

• Immediate unlimited access to course materials
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Exercises and quizzes to help you put theory into practice
• English Closed Captions
• Full transcripts in PDF for each lesson
• Suitable for mobile or desktop
• SCMDOJO Certification when you pass the course quiz (accessible from Learning Center post-sign-in)

What Are System Costs in Supply Chain Management?

System costs refer to the total expenses associated with implementing, maintaining, and upgrading digital systems across the supply chain.

They include both direct and indirect costs throughout the system’s lifecycle — such as:

• Initial setup costs: software licenses, integration, and configuration

• Operational costs: user training, maintenance, and data management

• Downtime costs: inefficiencies due to errors, delays, or poor adoption

• Upgrade & replacement costs: hardware renewal, support, and scalability

By accurately identifying system costs, organizations can prioritize investments, prevent cost overruns, and achieve sustainable digital transformation.

Learn more about how you can optimize and reduce logistics costs

Systems Cost Optimization: Key Strategies You’ll Learn

• How to analyze total ERP, WMS, and TMS costs

• Methods to eliminate redundant licenses and underused modules

• Techniques to optimize automation and integration for better ROI

• Frameworks for system performance benchmarking

• Steps to align technology costs with strategic procurement goals

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ 1: What are Systems Costs in supply chain management?

Answer: Systems Costs encompass the expenses associated with implementing and maintaining information systems used in supply chain operations.

FAQ 2: What are some examples of Systems Costs in supply chain management?

Answer: Examples of Systems Costs include software licenses, hardware costs, maintenance fees, and employee training costs.

FAQ 3: How can companies optimize Systems Costs?

Answer: Companies can optimize Systems Costs by carefully evaluating their technology needs, selecting cost-effective solutions, and maximizing the return on their technology investments.

FAQ 4: What are the benefits of investing in technology to reduce overall Systems Costs?

Answer: Investing in technology can reduce overall costs by improving efficiency, automating tasks, and eliminating manual processes.

FAQ 5: How can companies justify the investment in Systems Costs?

Answer: Companies can justify the investment by demonstrating a clear return on investment (ROI) through improved productivity, reduced costs, and enhanced customer satisfaction.