Defining the “Responsive Supply Chain Executive”

Earthquakes, political uprisings and unforeseen every-day disruptions are just some of the stressful events that supply chain executives face daily. For any supply chain exec – especially those managing networks that span diverse geographies and markets – having visibility into the extended supply chain is a key component to staying on top of issues, improving responsiveness and meeting SLAs. All told, a lot goes into being a responsive supply chain executive in today’s environment. Here are two main must haves:

Real-time Visibility

Many businesses suffer from supply chain blind spots, impeding their ability to quickly recover from unexpected events and efficiently re-sequence their extended supply chain. A responsive supply chain executive must have real-time visibility throughout the entire network. This visibility allows managers to effectively “light up” those blind spots and proactively monitor the entire chain (no matter how dispersed it may be) to ensure that all processes are running smoothly through every touch point along the way. It also empowers executives to spot disruptions early, at any point in the system, and respond to them before they snowball and affect end deliverables and SLAs. Which brings us to our next must have…

Actionable Insight

Being able to see the disruption is all well and good, but if you can’t react to it and address it, all benefit is lost. Responsive supply chain executives must have actionable insight, meaning they must be equipped with the ability to correct disturbances rather than simply acknowledge their existence. The ability to quickly respond to out-of-plan events allows execs to rapidly re-sequence their extended supply chain, meeting every SLA.

Until the day when we can correctly predict the future, supply chains will always be hindered by unexpected, uncontrollable events. When confronted with such an event – whether it be a natural disaster, geo-political issue or simple human error – the ability to quickly identify and respond is critical. In the absence of a crystal ball, advanced technology arms us with the ability to sense trouble and respond so we can keep supply chains active and flowing, despite what the world may throw at them.