Manufacturers' choice: branding or efficiency, says KPMG exec

NEWS Manufacturers have just two options when it comes to electronic commerce, according to principal consultant at KPMG, Chris Read. They can either focus on brand or on efficiency but not both, Read said at the Computers in Manufacturing conference in Birmingham this week. "Manufacturers that fail to gravitate to one of these two extremes will find themselves beaten at every turn as their resources become split between both developing the brand and minimising costs," he explained. Read said being all things to all people is not an option in a global market where customers will increasingly expect personalised services seven days a week, at the lowest price and highest available quality.