Lieferfähigkeit
Also: Lieferbereitschaft, Verfügbarkeit, Fulfillment-Rate, Lieferfähigkeit Definition, Lieferfähigkeit Logistik
AI-generated
Delivery capability refers to a company's ability to fulfill customer orders in the agreed quantity and by the agreed date. It depends on the interplay of inventory levels, production capacities, procurement, and transportation processes.
Key facts
- Delivery capability measures whether customer orders are fulfilled completely and on time – it therefore goes beyond mere stock availability.
- Typical KPIs for measurement include fill rate, OTIF, and perfect order rate, with no industry-wide standard for their precise definition.
- Bottlenecks arise at different points – inventory, capacity, or transport – and each requires different countermeasures.
- Purchasing, demand planning, and warehouse logistics all contribute jointly to delivery capability; managing it through any single function in isolation is insufficient.
- Early warning indicators such as rising backlogs or declining inventory coverage enable proactive action before delivery failures occur.
What is delivery capability?
Delivery capability describes whether and to what extent a company is able to fulfill customer orders completely, on time, and to the required quality. It is not an isolated metric, but the result of an entire chain of decisions and processes – from procurement and warehousing through to dispatch. In the B2B context, it is a central criterion for customer retention and directly influences competitive positioning.
Delivery capability must be distinguished from delivery readiness: delivery readiness typically refers to the immediate availability of items from stock – i.e., whether an item is physically on hand at the moment an order is placed. Delivery capability is the broader term – it also encompasses orders that can only be fulfilled through production, procurement, or stock transfer.
How does delivery capability work in practice?
Delivery capability depends on several levers that are closely interconnected:
- Inventory management: Adequate safety stock buffers demand fluctuations and delivery delays. However, excessively high inventory levels tie up capital and warehouse space.
- Procurement and supplier management: Reliable suppliers with agreed capacities and lead times are a fundamental prerequisite. Alternative suppliers reduce the risk of supply disruptions.
- Production capacity: In make-to-order manufacturing, available capacity determines how quickly orders can be processed.
- Transport reliability: Dependable carriers and realistic transit times are essential to meeting committed delivery dates.
- Process stability in the warehouse: Picking and dispatch processes must be error-free and sufficiently high-throughput to handle order volumes without backlogs.
Delivery capability is measured using KPIs such as fill rate (the proportion of order lines fulfilled in full), OTIF (On Time In Full), or the perfect order rate. Which metric is appropriate depends on the business model and customer requirements – no universal industry standard exists.
What matters when managing delivery capability?
For logistics and warehouse planning, it is critical to identify bottlenecks early. Early warning indicators such as growing backlogs, declining inventory coverage, or increasing supplier failures signal the need for action before delivery failures occur. In each case, it is important to assess which measure will take effect more quickly: building up inventory, activating an alternative supplier, or using express services.
Responsibility for delivery capability rarely lies with a single function. Purchasing, demand planning, warehouse logistics, and transport planning must act in a coordinated manner. IT systems such as WMS, ERP, and planning software play a central role, as they provide the data foundation for well-informed decisions. However, how well these systems are integrated and how current the underlying data is varies by vendor – this warrants careful scrutiny during system selection or brownfield projects.
Related terms
- Absatzplanung
Sales planning refers to the systematic forecasting of future sales volumes for defined products, regions, or channels. It forms the foundation for all downstream planning processes in production, procurement, and logistics.
- Absatzprognose
The sales forecast estimates future demand for products or items over a defined period. It forms the basis for inventory, capacity, and procurement planning in logistics and purchasing.
- Bedarfsplanung
Demand planning refers to the systematic process by which a company determines what quantities of materials, goods, or resources are needed and when. It forms the foundation for inventory management, procurement, and warehouse planning.
- Bestandscontrolling
Inventory controlling refers to the systematic monitoring, analysis, and management of stock levels using defined key performance indicators. It connects logistics and procurement to reduce tied-up capital and ensure delivery capability.
- Bestandsführung
Inventory management refers to the system-supported administration and continuous updating of all warehouse and material stocks within a company. It forms the basis for planning, procurement and accounting – and ensures that the book inventory and physical inventory are in agreement at all times.
- Bestandsmanagement
Inventory management refers to the systematic planning, control, and monitoring of stock levels across the entire supply chain. The goal is to ensure delivery capability while keeping capital commitment and warehousing costs within economically viable limits.
- Bestandssicherheit
Inventory accuracy refers to the degree to which the book inventory and the actual physical stock in the warehouse match. High inventory accuracy prevents shortages, excess stock, and faulty replenishment decisions.
- Bestellpunktverfahren
The reorder point method is a replenishment procedure in which an order is automatically triggered as soon as the current stock level falls below a predefined reorder point.
- Bottleneck Analyse
Bottleneck analysis identifies the process step with the lowest capacity in a logistics system, making the limiting factor for overall throughput visible.
- Disposition
Disposition refers to the operational planning and control of resources, quantities, and orders in logistics – for example in transport or materials disposition. It encompasses capacity assignment, scheduling, prioritization, and response to disruptions.
- Dispositionssoftware
Dispatching software is a software solution for the operational planning, control, and optimization of transports, routes, and resources in logistics. It helps dispatchers efficiently coordinate orders, capacities, and time windows.
- Distributionslogistik
Distribution logistics encompasses all processes that move goods from the manufacturer or warehouse to the end customer – from network planning through storage and transportation to order fulfillment.