We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » It’s time to get real
PERSPECTIVE

It’s time to get real

Real-time data can help resolve many of the supply chain issues the industry faces today.

February 15, 2022
David Maloney
No Comments

Supply chain congestion. Rampant inflation and rising costs. Shipping delays. Labor shortages. We certainly face a lot of challenges at the outset of 2022. Doing things the same old way may not be enough in this new environment. It’s time to get real.

Today’s business problems underscore the need for supply chain players to accelerate their digital transformations. Solid data will be needed to resolve many of the issues with our broken supply chains. Real-time information allows us to be proactive, rather than reactive. With the delays we already face, we can’t add further delays while humans stop to identify and research problems before they can respond.

Proper real-time information combined with business intelligence can “anticipate” problems and alert users before these problems occur. Rules can be set so that when a particular situation arises, a predetermined solution can be immediately set in motion, saving valuable time and utilizing available resources to their fullest.

Real-time information also allows you to mitigate risk. With proper visibility, users can deploy assets and optimize scheduling to spread risk so that bottlenecks in a particular area or operation can swiftly be cleared before crippling damage is done.

Another benefit of good data is the ability to model and map operations. Digital twins rely on accurate data to run models and predict system behavior. A digital twin can incorporate machine learning and artificial intelligence to make assumptions about future events, while offering alternative actions based on conditional rules.

Of course, real-time information is only as good as the data acquired. Companies should examine how they collect data. Sadly, many organizations still rely on paper and spreadsheets to track their inventories. Both are highly inefficient and prone to error. Bar-code scanners, RFID (radio-frequency identification), voice-directed systems, vision systems, pick-to-light systems, and robotics are just a few of the many technologies that can be good sources of data.

On the transportation side, real-time locating systems can track vehicles and the cargo they carry while in transit on roads and rails. The new infrastructure bill will add to the value of these technologies by funding the expansion of internet and cell service along lonely stretches of highway. Satellite-based systems are also available for those areas where cell service remains spotty.

Of course, the overall goal of real-time technologies is to enhance operations in ways that improve customer service. In this age when customers have high delivery expectations, being able to deliver on-time is crucial. Keeping customers informed of order and delivery status in real time is no longer the competitive differentiator it once was; today, it’s simply the table stakes required to remain in the game.

Strategy
  • Related Articles

    High-flying bird: interview with Keller Rinaudo

    Right on Target

    Kohl's fights back—with its stores

David maloney headshot
David Maloney is group editorial director of CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly.

Recent Articles by David Maloney

’Tis the season to be patient

Managing supply chains in a time of runaway inflation: interview with Paul Lord

Maintaining good maintenance practices

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • Forecasts call for freight rate slumps in 2023

  • Projected U.S. recession in early 2023 will soften freight market

  • Inflation drops again as interest rate hikes hit home, NRF says

  • How to avoid the next crisis: A new approach to supply chain agility

  • New Jersey truck fleet says Freightliner tractors will deliver safety as well as freight

Featured Video

20221107korber large vs

Enhancing Customer Experience with Your Supply Chain Strategy

Viewer Contributed
With the rise of e-commerce, many businesses have had to transform their warehouses to handle online orders in addition to regularly scheduled inventory shipments. This means warehouses need more information than ever before to ensure they can meet customers' needs. As a result, companies need to select warehouse...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Guide to Pallet Rack Safety

  • 3PLs: Complete Orders Faster with Flexible Automation

  • A shipper's guide to navigating post-pandemic holiday freight

  • THE NEW WAY TO WAREHOUSE: 4 Innovations in Automation & Robotics to Boost Warehouse Productivity

View More

Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

Get Your Subscription
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • E-NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2023. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing