Reverse Logistics Analyst

The flow of goods in a business is like an ocean. Products flow out in waves to the consumer. When the consumer is done with it, it washes back to the company that made it.

Reverse Logistics Analysts monitor what happens to products once they trade hands from business to consumer. Working as a Reverse Logistics Analyst lets you improve a company’s methods for allowing customer returns and promoting recycling when customers upgrade to a newer product.

The Analyst part of a Reverse Logistics Analyst’s job looks at how a company focuses its efforts to deal with the end of an item’s lifespan. Does a computer company allow customers to recycle old computers? Is it easy for customers to return damaged items? Asking these questions lets you evaluate the company and its efforts.

On a daily basis, you interview Managers and tour the company you’re evaluating. You find out what happens once an item is sold, and what options a customer has for returning it. You ask what steps a company takes to recover products when the customer buys a newer version. For example, the company could recycle or reuse parts instead of letting the customer throw them away.

Once your evaluation is complete, you present your final report and suggest changes. An efficient reverse logistics process saves companies money, improves customer satisfaction, and can even save the environment from metal parts and wires ending up in landfills.