Navigating the Unseen: The Power of Supply Chain Visibility

At the core of any successful supply chain operation is the ability to obtain timely and relevant data at each stage of the supply chain. This information is crucial for businesses to identify the causes of operational delays and take proactive actions to mitigate subsequent delays and prevent disruptions in services. Consequently, businesses are investing substantial time and resources to enhance Supply Chain Visibility.

Biggest challenges that companies face today in tracking the real-time movement of products across the supply chain, and hence in Supply Chain Visibility, include:

1. Scattered Data: Supply chain data is dispersed across various systems and software products, hindering a comprehensive yet manageable view of the entire supply chain.

2. Communication Gaps: Inter-departmental communication often relies on phone calls and emails, resulting in a loss of traceability within the system.

3. Disruptions: Supply chain disruptions can arise from weather conditions, changing geopolitical situations, and regulatory changes.

4. Data Abundance: The problem of data abundance arises when there is a lot of data available for businesses, but it is not in a format that is actionable.

Key benefits of improved Supply Chain Visibility include:

1. Identify Disruptions: With visibility into the real-time movement of products across the supply chain, businesses can identify potential disruptions at an early stage and take actions to mitigate these issues.

1. Happy Customers: Improved Supply Chain Visibility enhances on-time delivery, leading to higher customer satisfaction.

2. Inventory Optimization: Increased visibility into the inbound supply chain aids in inventory allocation, especially during potential product shortages caused by delays in manufacturing or logistics execution.

3. Transportation Efficiency: Delays in shipping and delivery due to issues such as traffic congestion and vehicle breakdowns can be mitigated through resource reallocation and re-routing.

Supply Chain Visibility can be enhanced by:

1. Investing in Technology: Utilizing technologies such as RFID, Robots, Drones, IoT sensors, and Blockchain to obtain real-time data from customers, suppliers, manufacturers, distribution centers, and logistics partners.

2. Using Enterprise Tools: Implementing enterprise tools to gather data from various stages and systems of the supply chain and present it in a simple, actionable format.

These tools help companies:

>> Make informed decisions by analyzing comprehensible data

>> Save time spent on inter-departmental communication to gather the current order status

>> Empower employees to contribute more effectively to the success of business operations