WDG Consulting proposes a structured decision process on selecting the appropriate site location. The process consists of four phases which are The Building Blocks, including the development of profiles for locations; Location Screening, including the examination of locations according to criteria and ranking; Location Selection, including the evaluation of the area; Site Selection (WDG Consulting, 2015). The last phase includes such processes as the assessment of the access, taxes, and utilities and negotiations. The site selection process needs to be discussed in detail in order to describe and comment on all steps that are proposed in this phase by WDG Consulting.
When a company has completed a list of sites from which it is possible to choose only one, the next step is the assessment of access, as it is recommended by WDG Consulting (WDG Consulting, 2015). The assessment of access to the site can include discussing from which directions the easy access to the site is possible for clients and suppliers, and whether or not it is appropriate for the company (Russell & Taylor, 2013). The assessment of roads allowing the access, a distance from other sites, and availability of the public transport is also important to be conducted. The next issue to assess is taxes. This step means the evaluation of the available benefits such as attractive rates of taxes adopted in this state or region.
Such assessment can also include the focus on available grants and subsidies provided by the authorities, as well as possible restrictions associated with taxes (Russell & Taylor, 2013). The assessment of utilities or infrastructure is important to guarantee that operations of the company will not be interrupted. Conducting the utility assessment, WDG Consulting can mean the focus on assessing the availability of water, electricity, and gas in the amount that can address the demand of the company for these resources. Thus, the focus on the resources’ capacity, as well as costs, is important. In addition, such aspects as the availability of a sewer and the quality of roads should also be assessed at this stage.
The other group of steps is associated with conducting incentives negotiations. The final stage of negotiating on choosing a site, buying a facility, and signing a contract means focusing on resolving legal and other corporate affairs, as it is noted by WDG Consulting, and the company proposes its services to improve the process (WDG Consulting, 2015). The important steps are decisions on what sites are the best ones and what offers to receive. This step means analyzing the site appropriateness according to the previously set criteria. The other important step is revising multi-year savings (Russell & Taylor, 2013). It is important to assess the costs and benefits associated with the selected site, plan the budget, and predict possible savings. The next stage is ensuring that all details are clear and agreed on, and the final step includes the process of closing the deal by discussing the incentives package and signing the documents.
The steps included in the site selection process are important to be taken in order to ensure that sites are evaluated properly, and the best possible location or facility was selected. In this context, the quantitative and qualitative assessments are equally important in order to guarantee that the selection was made appropriately and with references to the necessary evaluations.
References
Russell, R., & Taylor, B. (2013). Operations and supply chain management. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
WDG Consulting. (2015). Site location decision process. Web.