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32 episodes with retail supply chain
6 episodes with retail supply chain
2 episodes with retail supply chain
2 episodes with retail supply chain
2 episodes with retail supply chain
2 episodes with retail supply chain
3 episodes with retail supply chain
2 episodes with retail supply chain
Retailers today face a world of constant change—from supply chain shocks and tariff fluctuations to climate disruption and consumer unpredictability. In this episode, we unpack insights from The Future of Commerce's latest report on how scenario planning has evolved into a must-have capability for navigating this volatility.We explore how smart retailers are integrating AI, predictive analytics, and dynamic collaboration into their planning processes. This isn't about forecasting averages—it's about building resilience through adaptive thinking and data-driven simulations. Drawing lessons from industry leaders like Walmart and Clorox, we reveal how long-term vision, real-time visibility, and strategic flexibility are helping companies not only weather disruptions—but emerge stronger.Whether you're a supply chain leader, retail executive, or strategy planner, this episode offers tangible ways to turn uncertainty into a competitive advantage.What You'll Learn in This Episode:
What's happening with retail automation in 2025? Investment in supply chain technology appears to be flattening out as retailers shift focus from large new projects to optimizing existing infrastructure. Anne and Chris sit down with Kim Baudry from Dematic to explore what this means for AI in logistics, warehouse automation, and the future of retail distribution. ⏳ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction & welcome to Kim Baudry 1:03 - The current state of automation investment in retail 3:00 - Why supply chain automation is slowing down in 2025 5:45 - How economic uncertainty & interest rates impact investment 7:33 - Where retailers are focusing automation budgets now 10:05 - The role of AI & machine learning in warehouse optimization 12:50 - How digital twins help simulate supply chain changes 15:17 - Retailers "sweating their assets" & maximizing existing infrastructure 18:00 - The impact of tariffs & global trade shifts on supply chain strategies 22:05 - The future of supply chain efficiency & retail distribution 25:30 - Final thoughts #supplychain #warehouseautomation #retailtrends #retailinnovation Music by hooksounds.com Sponsored Content
In this episode, we explore the challenges and opportunities in modern retail supply chain management, inspired by the article Retail Supply Chain Management: 4 Strategies to Keep Shelves Stocked. From labor shortages to climate disruptions, we delve into how businesses are responding to an increasingly complex global landscape. Tune in to discover actionable insights and solutions designed to build resilience and efficiency in the supply chain.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The Supply Chain Challenges of Today:Why 34% of U.S. business leaders now cite supply chain disruptions as their top risk.The ripple effects of labor shortages, geopolitical instability, and climate-related disruptions on global trade.How rising costs and a lack of supply chain visibility are complicating inventory management and pricing.Key Strategies for Supply Chain Resilience:Diversifying Suppliers and Friendshoring:Moving beyond cost-focused sourcing to prioritize stability and shared values.Examples of companies building resilient, ethical, and sustainable partnerships.Nearshoring and Reshoring Production:The benefits of manufacturing closer to home, including shorter lead times and reduced carbon footprints.Why rising transportation costs are driving this trend.Attracting and Retaining Skilled Talent:The critical role of tech-savvy problem-solvers in navigating supply chain complexities.How soft skills like communication and adaptability are as vital as technical expertise.Embracing AI for Supply Chain Optimization:Leveraging AI for demand forecasting, inventory management, and transportation routing.Real-world examples of businesses achieving efficiency and cost savings with AI-driven insights.The Consumer Impact:How supply chain transformations may influence product availability and pricing.The balancing act between managing costs and leveraging technology for efficiency.Stay ahead of supply chain trends by subscribing to our podcast. Explore more in-depth insights by visiting The Future of Commerce. Share this episode with your network to spark conversations about the future of retail and global trade.
ABOUT THE GUEST:Bill Gibson is a seasoned executive in the technology and supply chain industries. He earned his MBA from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Gibson's career began in 1993 as an account executive at Manugistics, a leading supply chain software provider. Over the years, he has held significant positions, including Managing Partner at The Albermarle Group, a venture capital firm, and leadership roles at Grotech Ventures. Gibson is currently the CEO of Deposco, a cloud-based supply chain software company that offers solutions for retailers, distributors, and 3PLs. Under his leadership, Deposco has grown significantly and has been recognized multiple times, including making the Inc. 5000 list for several years. Notably, Gibson was honored as one of the Top 50 SaaS CEOs by The Software Report, highlighting his influence and success in the software as a service (SaaS) sector.HIGHLIGHTS:[00:03:00] Inception of Deposco and the gap in the market.[00:07:00] Evolution of e-commerce and 3PLs, noting how brands struggled with operational challenges.[00:19:00] The importance of real-time, cloud-based solutions for 3PLs.[00:28:00] Peak season preparation and the common pitfalls brands face during this time.[00:33:00] Importance of forward-looking planning vs. driving operations based on historical performance.QUOTES:[00:28:00] - "Mike Tyson had a quote at a point in time about ‘You got to plan until you get punched in the face,' right? It's the same at peak seasons—it's the punch in the face for everybody every year." – Bill Gibson[00:31:00] - "How do you not have your real-time fulfillment system tied into your front-end commerce system? If you can't supply the order, why are you booking the business?" – Bill Gibson[00:22:00] - "The future is about how we as practitioners make it easier, faster, and less expensive to achieve the outcomes. It's not just about the software, it's about aligning strategy and operations." – Bill Gibson[00:25:00] - "We're co-creating. It's not about the AI toolkit, it's about how we apply AI to solve real problems in commerce." – Bill Gibson[00:36:00] – “In logistics, the digital and physical sides of the business need to be joined at the hip. When they're not, you get failures that damage customer trust.” – Ninaad AcharyaFIND MORE ABOUT THE GUEST:LinkedIn: Bill GibsonWebsite: DeposcoTwitter: @Deposco
Ameba takes the unstructured data in a retailer's supply chain systems, sprinkles in some generative AI, and makes the whole thing more efficient. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Tony Thrasher talks about SPS Commerce; the landscape of retail supply chain; collaboration; and the importance of meeting consumers where they want to buy.
How are Retail CFOs planning to deal with the fallout from supply chain strains that have left them at times with not enough inventory, and at other times too much? What vulnerabilities can be negated simply by going back to the basics with your supply chain strategy? In this episode of our 60-second Retail podcast, Ted Vaughan, Assurance Managing Partner and Retail and Consumer Products Leader of the Southwest region at BDO USA, unveils some of the key findings from the 2023 Retail CFO Outlook Survey.
With shipping charges decreasing on the international front, and last-mile delivery companies announcing poor performance predictions on the domestic front, what's really going on with the retail supply chain? In this episode we are joined by R.J. Romano, Managing Director, Business Advisory Services & Supply Chain Advisory Practice Leader at BDO USA, who helps us sort through all the mixed signals.
This week, we welcome Mark Burstein who is the EVP, Industry & Market Development for Logility. Logility is a supply-chain-focused solution vendor that is accelerating the digital sustainable supply chain by helping retailers seize new opportunities, sense and respond to changing market dynamics, and more profitably manage their complex global businesses. Mark is also a Contributing Member of the Forbes Technology Council. Joining Mark is Parker Avery Partner Randi Nolan. The two industry experts recently attended the American Apparel and Footwear Association's Traceability and Sustainability Conference held in beautiful downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In this episode, we discuss their key takeaways from the AAFA conference, as well as why retailers need to start now with a clear roadmap that includes sustainability in the supply chain. They also touch on where other retailers are in their sustainability efforts, as well as critical first steps retailers must take to achieve sustainable supply chain maturity. Learn more about Logility: https://www.logility.com/ Learn more about the AAFA: https://www.aafaglobal.org/ Featured on the Best 60 Retail Podcasts Introduction music: On My Way by Kevin MacLeod | Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4163-on-my-way | License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Cover image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay.
A slew of variables including the pandemic, inflation and increased interest rates have wreaked havoc on the retail supply chain. But troubled times often provide the right environment for innovation and growth. In this episode we talk to Ted Vaughan, Assurance Managing Partner & Retail and Consumer Products Leader of the Southwest at BDO USA, to find out if retailers have evolved their supply chain game to keep pace with these hectic times.
What really goes on behind the scenes to ensure you get the things you order on-line or in person? To find out more, I spoke with Wayne Snyder, Vice President of Retail Strategy for EMEA at Blue Yonder.Wayne has worked in retail for more than 20 years and is a recognised expert in planning and supply chain operations.Wayne argues that with recent advances in technology, we've opened a digital window to the consumer, allowing us to go online, and see real-time availability of products in stores.Because we're making any flaws in the supply chain very visible to the consumer, the need to solve issues becomes even more important, because as consumers we are fickle, and will go anywhere that can help us best.Wayne makes a point that there is an even greater challenge for retailers to make sure the supply chain is not only delighting but exceeding the expectations of customers.We covered many topics related to retail and the supply chain including:Covid's impact on the supply chainThe 2021 Fuel CrisisThe retail industry's impact from the pandemicKey lessons for retail from the pandemicIs there a need for open data in retail?Navigating retail dataThe role of regulation in the retail spaceSharing dataIntermediaries sharing high-level trendsThe change in consumer behaviour due to the pandemicWill consumers shop closer to where they live vs where they work?The move to online shopping as the defaultWhy stores are still dominantDifferentiating between store and online popularityWhat part does technology play in the supply chain?Why Excel shouldn't be running your supply chainThe importance of IoT for the supply chainThe Golden Quarter & Christmas in RetailThe 2022 challenges for retailers?Building resilience into the supply chainThe need for data literacyM&S example of digital enablementThe use of real-time control towers in retailThe move from when things happened to why things happenedWhat's the future for supply chain technologyThe impact of Christmas on the supply chainWhy the supply chain will be holistic, connected & real-timeOpening the digital window to the consumerThe need for the supply chain to exceed customer expectationsUS Retailer inventory accuracy exampleException based reporting focusing on what's importantThe role Blue Yonder plays to help with supply chain fluctuationsThe need for shorter technology deployment cyclesShould consumers care about what goes on behind the scenes?3 Actionable things to do todayMore on WayneWayne on TwitterWayne on LinkedInBlue Yonder WebsiteBooks Wayne is readingUnsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn't, and Why It MattersFactfulness Illustrated: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World - Why Things are Better than You ThinkYour Host: Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and replays of recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.comfollow @AndrewGrill on Twitteror @andrew.grill on Instagram.
In this Deep Dive Loadstar Podcast, Mike King explores how and why the acceleration in e-commerce trade due the Covid-19 pandemic is changing retail and the world of international freight. How are supply chains being transformed? What does this mean for planning and procurement? And, as integrators, trucking companies, forwarders, 3PLs and retailers seek out new supply chain profit centres, who will win this Battle Royale? Guests: Cathy Roberson, President of Logistics Trends & Insights Tom Enright, VP, Retail Supply Chain, Gartner Peter Sand, Chief Analyst at Xeneta Lee Klaskow, Senior Analyst for Transportation and Logistics at Bloomberg Intelligence Neel Jones Shah, Flexport Executive Vice President and Global Head of Airfreight. Jason Miller, Associate Professor of Logistics, Department of Supply Chain Management, Michigan State University — Eli Broad College of Business Created, Produced and Hosted by Mike King
Sync: Mr Supply Chains' Podcast - Straight From the Engine Rooms Of The Global Supply Chains
This episode is also available as a blog post: https://globalscgroup.com/will-digitization-of-retail-eventually-lead-to-balkanization-of-online-retail/
In the absence of a robust digital strategy, and abundance in un-operational brick and mortar stores, Landmark Group India, one of the largest retail and hospitality companies in India had to pivot rather quickly for survival when the Covid pandemic hit. In this episode, Maria Villablanca uncovers how Landmark Group India embraced e-commerce, rethought it's inventory management strategies, and leveraged new technology and processes to serve its customers during the worst of the pandemic. Dr. Anil Chinnabhandar, the Senior Vice President of Omni-Retail Planning & Supply Chain at Landmark Group India helps us uncover this story, and shares with us the strategy that won him the Chief Supply Chain Officer of the Year award for the Retail Supply Chain sector. About the Speaker Dr. Anil Chinnabhandar is an engineering and retail planning & supply chain professional; passionate about transforming businesses into more value driven, innovative and profitable organizations. His specialisms include manufacturing, omni retail and supply chain management. He's worked with a number of global and Indian organizations like Landmark Group, Future Group, Woolworths, Coles Myer, DHL-Exel, Super Cheap Auto, Corporate Express, Harper Collins, LG, Samsung, Schering Plough, Eli Lilly, BAX Global and Tupperware. He is currently the Senior Vice President of Omni-Retail Planning & Supply Chain at Landmark Group India.
As online shopping rates remain high due to the impacts of COVID-19, sustainability is more important to Australian consumers than ever before. I caught up with Daniel Osborne, Marketing Director APAC at Manhattan Associates, Tom Ferrier, Founder, Greener, and Rob Hango-Zada, Co-Founder & Joint CEO, Shippit to get the inside scoop on a new research report ‘Sustainability in the Australian Retail Supply Chain' commissioned by Manhattan Associates, Shippit and Greener. This research was run in partnership with both the National Retail Association (NRA) and National Online Retail Association (NORA). Manhattan Associates, Shippit and Greener undertook this exciting research study with the broad goal of looking at the key challenges Australian retailers and their customers face, when it comes to sustainability, and to investigate the associated invisible costs on the environment due to increasing efforts by retailers to get orders out the door faster. Challenges & issues across the industry included: + Split shipments result in more trucks and vans on the road + ROI on Sustainability, how do businesses achieve this + Consolidate Deliveries with smarter technology + Carbon Reduction across the entire supply chain + Placing dollar values / costs on the likes of Packaging, Labour, Transport and more.. Key findings from this research included: + 63% said they would pay extra for more environmentally friendly delivery options + 60% stated they would be willing to receive deliveries at a later date if it delivered in a more environmentally friendly way + 69% of Australians shopping online now prefer home delivery over click and collect or curb-side pick up. + 81% said they would prefer to receive their order at a later date if that meant it would arrive as a single consolidated delivery + 60% indicated they occasionally to most of the time receive their online orders in multiple shipments + 81% of them said that they think this is unsustainable way of delivering online goods For the full conversation push PLAY and tune-in to this amazing discussion with three leading thought leaders from the supply chain and retail industry as they share the background and rational for this project, their approach, and amazing insights into what they learned in the process. This podcast was made in partnership with Manhattan Associates, Shippit and Greener. For more information download your free copy of the final report and findings here: => https://bit.ly/sustainability-in-the-australian-retail-supply-chain For further information about Manhattan Associates, Shippit and Greener visit them via: Manhattan Associates => https://bit.ly/manhattan-assocaites-website Shippit => https://bit.ly/shippit-website Greener => https://bit.ly/greener-website .
Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:22) > How can retailers ensure strong sales this holiday shopping season amid continuing supply-chain problems? Two McKinsey experts share their insights.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
How can retailers ensure strong sales this holiday shopping season amid continuing supply-chain problems? Two McKinsey experts share their insights. Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:22) >
In this episode of the Supply Chain Buzz on Supply Chain Now, hosts Scott Luton and Greg White welcome Jordon White with Crisp and Jerry Stephens with Outlier to the podcast, as they discuss the top news in supply chain this week. Additional Links & Resources: Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now and all other Supply Chain Now programs: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribe (https://supplychainnow.com/subscribe) Register for the 2021 Supply Chain Insights Global Summit: https://lnkd.in/dMYq3Rv (https://lnkd.in/dMYq3Rv) Register for the OMNIA Partners Connections Conference: https://bit.ly/3jHlwdv (https://bit.ly/3jHlwdv) WEBINAR- Mini-Master Class: Tips & Tools for Optimizing Professional Development & Job Seeking: https://bit.ly/2V0lTFy (https://bit.ly/2V0lTFy) WEBINAR- What You Can Learn From a Digital-First DTC Brand: Quip's Omnichannel Evolution: https://bit.ly/2TFPS5j (https://bit.ly/2TFPS5j) 2021 Supply Chain and Procurement Awards: https://lnkd.in/gxp7bQy (https://lnkd.in/gxp7bQy) Download the 2021 Q2 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://bit.ly/3f1LO6S (https://bit.ly/3f1LO6S) This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Greg White. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/supply-chain-buzz-crisp-outlier-691.
Retail and e-commerce consultant Richard Umbers (former CEO Star Track, Executive General Manager Parcel & Express Services at Australia Post) joins me to discuss: The rise of e-commerce and the importance of last mile distribution What COVID changes in e-commerce, including online grocery How e-commerce went from discretionary spend to spending on necessities Impact of pandemic on capacity (including cold chain capacity) Innovation in logistics and other parts of e-commerce The hallmarks of omnichannel supply chain Identifying individual parcels in the network, and how that tracking triggers actions Seamless flow of data between order management, CRM, and logistics Interactive Digital Management (IDM) Postal operators and digitisation - giving customers visibility of their shipments Shifts in technology that enable D2C e-commerce E-commerce returns and the omnichannel supply chain Last mile trends in online grocery (speed and type of delivery) Increasing sophistication of the supply chain - and the viabilities of models that rely on that supply chain How data and exchange of data enables modern delivery - including superfast local delivery Future innovation in the last mile and the supply chain
In this podcast, Jeff Berman, Group News Editor for Logistics Management and the Peerless Media Supply Chain Group, interviews Jonathan Gold, Vice...
Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I'm your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.In this episode we get the podcast on the rails with our special guest Dan Bresolin – Vice President – Intermodal, CN. With 20 years of experience in international and domestic supply chain, and with the movement of goods around the world and through our vast nation a top priority for retailers coast-to-coast, never a better time to be delving into the insights, details and product movement trends that retailers need to know todayDan Bresolin: As Vice President of Intermodal, Dan is responsible for all Sales and Marketing components of CN's International, Domestic, Supply Chain Sales (Regional), CN Worldwide, and CN's Asia Marketing Teams. Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Consumer Product Supply Chain, Dan's primary role is to enable CN's customers to win in their markets and help create CN's next generation of Railroaders.Prior to this role, Dan was responsible for the full scope of the Sales and Marketing areas of CN's International book of business including managing all relationships with Ocean Carriers and Port Stakeholders on the three coasts that CN serves. Before that, Dan was the Director of Marketing, Intermodal International, accountable for all aspects of pricing, strategy, new product development, & contract analysis for CN's entire Intermodal International business.Dan has also held leadership positions in Sales at CN including Director of Sales in International and Director of Strategic Sales in Domestic Intermodal. Dan joined CN in April, 1999 as a Domestic Intermodal Account Manager based in Toronto ON.Dan takes great pride in his knowledge and experience in rail operations and has taken full advantage of CN's Management operations training programs. During his 20 years at CN, Dan has qualified as both a Rail Conductor and an Intermodal Crane Operator. Dan is a Graduate of Brock University in St. Catherines Ontario and currently lives in Stoney Creek ON with his wife and two children.Thanks for tuning into today's episode of The Voice of Retail. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show. I'm your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you're looking for more content, or want to chat follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co! Until next time, stay safe and have a great week!
Real Talk Series #29 : Retail Supply Chain Today's guest is Andrew Cox, Senior Retail Analyst at FreightWave. Chris and Andrew take a deep dive into the world of freight and logistics as they discuss The Top Trends in The Retail Supply Chain. 1. Divergence in Delivery Strategies 2. Supply Chain Strategies (BOPIS, Curbside PickUp) 3. Low Inventory Levels
We first met Charu Thomas when she was a student (and aspiring CEO) at Georgia Tech. On this episode of Supply Chain is Boring, Chris sits down with Charu as she shares her story and pick up tips on successfully navigating a college career and starting a business. Show Notes: Subscribe to Supply Chain is Boring and all other Supply Chain Now programming: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribe https://armoneyandpolitics.com/augmenting-reality-charu-thomas/ Podcast https://iamnorthwestarkansas.com/episode-75-through-the-looking-glass-with-oculogx-founder-charu-thomas/ https://cyborgcharu.com/ Q's Tech Talks: AR, BOPIS + Micro-fulfilment, with Special Guest, Charu Thomas, CEO at Oculogx https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITkLXugLfPw Facebook https://www.facebook.com/techsquareatl/videos/introducing-oculogx/1264524737013751/ Startup Junkie Spotlight: Charu Thomas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8VPfUyufPc BOLPIS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsBhmH-t5pw This episode was hosted by Chris Barnes. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/supply-chain-is-boring-22.
In this episode, we're talking about the retail supply chain and how it's changed over the last 10 years. Discussing the evolution of omnichannel and rapidly changing consumer trends. Including the impacts of COVID and the supply chain solutions to adapt to the new normal. I am pleased to join James Fry, the head of solution design at Zencargo, who has worked with Europes biggest and fastest-growing retailers over the last 10 years. This episode provides some great insights into: The evolution of the retail supply chainTypical areas of opportunity discovered in most solution design workThe supply chain as a competitive advantage
Susy Schöneberg and FreightWaves’ Andrew Cox discuss waste management, greenhouse gas emissions and social sustainability for retail supply chains. Flexport.org provides customers with usable data to help them make informed decisions regarding sustainability and other metrics such as costs and shipment times.WatchApple PodcastSpotifyMore FreightWaves Podcasts
Susy Schöneberg and FreightWaves’ Andrew Cox discuss waste management, greenhouse gas emissions and social sustainability for retail supply chains. Flexport.org provides customers with usable data to help them make informed decisions regarding sustainability and other metrics such as costs and shipment times.WatchApple PodcastSpotifyMore FreightWaves Podcasts
On this week's Drilling Deep podcast, Chris O'Brien of C.H. Robinson joins host John Kingston to talk about CHRW's recent announcement of a sweeping data partnership with SAS that is targeted at a freer flow of information up and down the retail supply chain. The partnership, announced this week, was described by both companies as "unprecedented." It is yet another step to bring more transparency from retailer to carrier and all the parts in between.Also on Drilling Deep, Kingston discusses the 10th consecutive weekly increase in the DOE/EIA average retail diesel price and how two important numbers are signaling different directions for diesel markets going forward.More FreightWaves podcastsApple PodcastsSpotify
On this week's Drilling Deep podcast, Chris O'Brien of C.H. Robinson joins host John Kingston to talk about CHRW's recent announcement of a sweeping data partnership with SAS that is targeted at a freer flow of information up and down the retail supply chain. The partnership, announced this week, was described by both companies as "unprecedented." It is yet another step to bring more transparency from retailer to carrier and all the parts in between.Also on Drilling Deep, Kingston discusses the 10th consecutive weekly increase in the DOE/EIA average retail diesel price and how two important numbers are signaling different directions for diesel markets going forward.More FreightWaves podcastsApple PodcastsSpotify
In this episode, guest Dr. Yossi Sheffi, a professor of engineering and director of the Center for Transportation and Logistics at MIT, discusses his new book, The New (Ab)Normal. Dr. Sheffi looks at which companies have been successful during the pandemic and which have failed, as well as what the future holds for our supply chains.We also examine the growing demand for warehouse automation. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated automation projects. What's driving the demand and how are distributors responding?And we discuss the latest iteration of MHI's Roadmap series. A panel at the MHI virtual conference shared details of the Roadmap 3.0, Transformation Age: Shaping Your Future report and shared how robotics and augmented reality will be commonplace by 2030 and what the workforce of the future will look like.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:MIT Center for Transportation and LogisticsWarehouse automation market set for long-term gainsMaterial handling sector starts to woo generations Z and AlphaDownload the free State of the Retail Supply Chain report DC VELOCITY's Covid-19 coverageVisit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast sponsored by DCV-TVOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts
A SEAT at THE TABLE: Leadership, Innovation & Vision for a New Era
Everyone is looking for ways to be more sustainable. The challenge is to find ways that are practical and actionable for both the industry and for consumers.Without this, sustainability will be often talked about, but seldom implemented.Today I'm speaking with David Horlock, managing director of Global Food and Retail Supply Chain at the British Standards Institute.David has spent 30 years working with companies on Organizational Resilience and Supply Chain Compliance across a wide range of industries.During that time he's worked with global brands on quality, process and supply chain behaviour issues to help them comply with regulatory, performance and modern-day consumer requirements.David began his career as an Agriculturist, so you could say that he knows the supply chain from the ground up.David will be sharing his perspective on how manufacturers and brands can incorporate sustainability into their total quality equation. And bring consumers the products they want in a way that is meaningful.Learn more about the British Standards Institute: www.bsigroup.comDo you have something to share? You can contact us at: https://insidefashionlive.net/contact or visit our website at https://insidefashionlive.net
Troy Varness, general manager of Spokane-based retailer Fred's Appliances, shares his experience running an appliance shop during COVID-19 and the challenges they've had to overcome in recent weeks. He also shares his experience as an early adopter of the NMG-exclusive Assortment Rationalization Tool.
Today on Uptime Logistics Doug Draper interviews Brian Kilcourse with RSR Research about retail logistics and the use of RFID in Retail Supply Chain. While some of the technology has been around for years, overall the technology has been coming a long way in recent years. As a former technical-level developer, innovator, and implementer and now as a systems level advisor, Brian has unique skills and perspectives to share with everyone on RFID technology for retailers, including both challenges, and opportunities. The video podcast can be found on the full show post: www.caplogistics.com/cap-logistics/2020/5/18/rfid-amp-retail-supply-chains-uptime-logistics
Guest Name :Mike Mortson, Founder and CEO at Supply Chain Game Changer. Language : English, Publication date: May, 07. 2020 Mike is a founder and CEO at Supply Chain Game Changer. It is Supply Chain Blog for Transformative Change. A Forum for sharing experiences and expertise in Supply Chain, Operations, Business Management, Logistics, Distribution, Procurement and Change Leadership. Prior to this role, he was a Vice President, Supply chain at Indigo and then Celestica. Visit the website on: supplychaingamechanger.com His specialties focus on: All Aspects of Manufacturing, Warehouse Operations, Aftermarket Operations, Retail Supply Chain management, as well as Supply Chain, Inventory and Freight/Logistics Management Key takeaways : How do you see the disruptive technologies with respect to supply chain? What're a major changes looks like in the next 5 to 10 years from now? What are the biggest risks facing supply chain leaders with regards to the digitization in supply chain? What skill mix required to overcome the challenges in digital supply chain ? Connect him on LInkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-mortson-5864511/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bicarasupplychain/message
Brent Schrimsher started his career in Supply Chain Management and Operations. However, for the last 10 years he has been managing employee development for major retail companies such as Stage Stores, Amazon, Kohl's and Target. In this interview we will be discussing: * How to deal with lay-offs amid the current COVID-19 crisis * Strategies for career development and transitioning * Talent Management - what does it mean and where is it going?
McKinsey ได้ทำการสำรวจผู้บริโภค ว่า 2 สัปดาห์ต่อจากนี้จะใช้เงินในเรื่องอะไรเพิ่มขึ้นและลดลงบ้าง ซึ่งอาหาร ยา และของใช้จำเป็นเท่านั้นที่จะตรงกับ Demand แต่ความต้องการที่จะไปซื้ออาหารที่ร้านค้า หรือ Quick Service Restaurant ก็กลับลดลง รวมถึงเฟอร์นิเจอร์ เสื้อผ้า เครื่องประดับ ดังนั้น Supply Chain จึงต้องมี 5 เรื่องสำคัญ ที่ต้องปรับตัว
McKinsey ได้ทำการสำรวจผู้บริโภค ว่า 2 สัปดาห์ต่อจากนี้จะใช้เงินในเรื่องอะไรเพิ่มขึ้นและลดลงบ้าง ซึ่งอาหาร ยา และของใช้จำเป็นเท่านั้นที่จะตรงกับ Demand แต่ความต้องการที่จะไปซื้ออาหารที่ร้านค้า หรือ Quick Service Restaurant ก็กลับลดลง รวมถึงเฟอร์นิเจอร์ เสื้อผ้า เครื่องประดับ ดังนั้น Supply Chain จึงต้องมี 5 เรื่องสำคัญ ที่ต้องปรับตัว
Just about every shopper has an out-of-stock story to share, and the upheaval of COVID-19 still hasn’t run its course. Join IRI’s Theresa Scheingraber and Scott Love, Principals, Retail Client Solutions to learn the supply chain realities and opportunities presented by the pandemic – now, as the virus recedes, and what life will look like as we emerge from COVID-19.
Business Day TV — Governments around the world are battling to figure out the right trade response and supply chains to consumers and industries, as the COVID-19 pandemic escalates. Supply chain players have had to be innovative during the first week of lockdown in South Africa, where the battle to get essential goods on shelves has been a balancing act between demand, supply and health considerations. Michael Avery speaks to Mohammed Akoojee, CEO of Imperial Logistics, Sam Ngumeni, Chief Operating Officer at Woolworths and David Logan of the SA Association of Freight Forwarders.
Welcome to the The Voice of Retail, I'm your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.This is a special edition podcast focussed on the coronavirus, COVID-19 and the outbreak of the novel coronavirus as a business risk. Beyond the human cost to people around the world, the disruptive potential to retailers in Canada is real. At this early stage for most it can best be described as a “known-unknowns”, but for some retailers they are feeling the early impacts calling down sales for international locations, late shipments, missed buying trips and perceptible decreases in Chinese tourist-oriented sales in their outlets.In this episode I'm going to focus on the the Supply Chain Delays and Cost Increases. For most retailers this is a 90day+ issue; the goods on offer made or sourced in China between now and spring at retail are mostly already on the water or in warehouses domestically. Continued delays however mean bottlenecks at shipping ports or air freight, both of which mean more delays and cost, including promotional plans and long-lead marketing programs (e.g. flyer production). To help us get our arms around this I brought together three experts for this podcast.First, I welcome Frank Lavin, Founder and Chairman, Export Now back to the podcast to set the stage. With decades of the most senior experience in Asia, including U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore and working in the White House as an undersecretary of commerce for Asia, he brings a unique and rare voice to the current state of affairs.Second, Sarah Barnes-Humphrey, retail supply chain expert and host of the most excellent podcast, Let's Talk Supply Chain. Sarah helps us zone in on the retail issues and scope and scale of the issues.Lastly, Audrey Ross, Logistics & Customs Specialist for Orchard customer beauty, a Canadian based global supplier and maker of cosmetics with offices in China and with a global sourcing footprint, brings it all together and gives us a day-to-day perspective dealing with this crisis in their work supplying retailers in North America and around the world.But first, let's jump right into my conversation with Frank, live from Singapore.******Thanks to Frank, Sarah and Audrey for being my guests on this episode. Well Now let's hit the highlights of the retail news in Canada and around the world with Retail This Week for the week of February 17th, 2020That's a wrap on this edition of The Voice of Retail. If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple iTunes or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.I'm Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedInUntil next time, have a great week!
Our guest is Gary Newbury, a retail supply chain strategist and serial transformation executive with an exceptional track record of clarifying mission critical challenges within the retail supply chain. We explore why some retailers need to reimagine the backroom, hire a Chief Supply Chain Officer and get back to basics to optimize fundamental processes — not the latest SCM product. Episode 36 of RETHINK Retail was recorded on October 11, 2019. Hosted by Julia Raymond Researched, written and produced by Gabriella Bock Edited by Trenton Waller
"The Buzz: Retail Supply Chain Challenges, Green Shipping, and Logistics Tech Spend” The Supply Chain Buzz Series Supply Chain Now Radio, Episode 175 The Supply Chain Buzz is this week's supply chain news in less than 15 minutes! Scott W. Luton is the founder & CEO of Supply Chain Now Radio. He has worked extensively in the end-to-end Supply Chain industry for more than 15 years, appearing in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Dice and Quality Progress Magazine. Scott was named a 2019 Pro to Know in Supply Chain by Supply & Demand Executive. He founded the 2019 Atlanta Supply Chain Awards and also served on the 2018 Georgia Logistics Summit Executive Committee. He is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and holds the APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) credential. A Veteran of the United States Air Force, Scott volunteers on the Business Pillar for VETLANTA and has served on the boards for APICS Atlanta and the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance. He also serves as an advisor with TalentStream, a leading recruiting & staffing firm based in the Southeast. Follow Scott Luton on Twitter at @ScottWLuton and learn more about SCNR here: supplychainnowradio.com/ Upcoming Events & Resources Mentioned in this Episode Help with Hurricane Dorian Relief: https://www.alanaid.org/ Rent the Runway Supply Chain Challenges: https://tinyurl.com/y4fl5pr4 Bed, Bath & Beyond Supply Chain Challenges: https://tinyurl.com/yyplq2ag Transport America Settlement: https://tinyurl.com/y6xa5nbe Ocean Shipping Going Green: https://tinyurl.com/y3osf52o Logistics Tech Investment: https://tinyurl.com/yy6lhted Coyote Logistics Research Report: https://tinyurl.com/y68mzkha Connect with Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwindonluton/ Follow Supply Chain Queen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/supplychnqueen Follow Tim Dooner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TimothyDooner Georgia Manufacturing Summit on October 9th: https://www.georgiamanufacturingalliance.com/annual-summit SCNR to Broadcast Live at SC Logistics 2019 Fall Tech Talk: https://tinyurl.com/y2mttrg8 eft Logistics CIO Forum in Austin, TX: https://tinyurl.com/y5po7tvw Reverse Logistics Association Conference & Expo: https://rla.org/calendar/1 SCNR to Broadcast Live at MODEX 2020: https://www.modexshow.com/ SCNR on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/scnr-youtube Check Out News From Our Sponsors The Effective Syndicate: https://www.theeffectivesyndicate.com/blog APICS Atlanta: https://apicsatlanta.org TalentStream: https://talentstreamstaffing.com/ Verusen: https://www.verusen.com/ Georgia Manufacturing Alliance: https://www.georgiamanufacturingalliance.com/ ProPurchaser.com: https://tinyurl.com/y6l2kh7g Supply Chain Real Estate: https://supplychainrealestate.com/ Vector Global Logistics: http://vectorgl.com/ For more information, please visit our dedicated show page at: www.supplychainnowradio.com/episode-175
Flowcasting has been previously described as 'The Holy Grail of demand-driven supply chain planning'. But just what is it exactly? 'Flowcasting the Retail Supply Chain', a book published in 2006, presents a series of techniques that were intended to revolutionize the retail industry. In this episode of LokadTV, we learn a little more about this concept and debate why a technique that was published in 2006 is still of interest today.
The Commerce Marketer Podcast: Talking eCommerce, Email Marketing, Retail, and More
Have you ever checked a store's site to confirm an item is in stock, only to get there and find that it wasn't? Or maybe went to order something online but found it will take more than one week (gasp!) to reach you? What's the next move… wait a week or shop elsewhere? Consumers today expect speed and efficiency with online purchases, and inefficient supply chain management can not only create a poor customer service experience but also unnecessarily increase retailers' costs. In this episode of The Commerce Marketer Podcast, I'm joined by Bob Carver, the VP of Cloud Inventory Solutions at DSI. We're going to talk about current supply chain trends, the evolution of supply chain management, why omnichannel is still difficult for retailers, and what to expect in the years to come. While it may not sound like a sexy topic, the supply chain matters to business success. And don't worry, we'll keep you entertained! You'll hear about: • The evolving landscape of the supply chain and how it's impacting retailers. • How global commerce has disrupted the supply chain. • When you should reassess your supply chain infrastructure. • How last-mile delivery is impacting the traditional supply chain. • Why retailers should look at last-mile as a revenue opportunity. • The biggest obstacle for transitioning supply chain management systems. • How one retailer successfully removed a distribution center to increase efficiency. Learn more about DSI: Bob.Carver@DSIglobal.com | https://www.dsiglobal.com/ | Twitter: https://twitter.com/dsimobile I welcome your feedback, invite you to share any topics you'd like to hear more about, or let me know if you're interested in becoming a guest. Greg.Zakowicz@Bronto.com | https://twitter.com/WhatsGregDoing | #TCMpodcast #BrontoPodcast SPONSOR: This episode is brought to you by: Oracle Bronto The Bronto Marketing Platform powers personalized multichannel content that generates the higher engagement needed for retail success. Keenly focused on the commerce marketer, Bronto continues its longstanding tradition as a leading email marketing provider to the global Internet Retailer Top 1000 and boasts a client roster of leading brands, including Rebecca Minkoff, Timex, Lucky Brand, Theory, Brooks Sports, Ashley Homestore and Christopher & Banks. For more information, visit http://www.bronto.com
One topic rose above all else at this year's RILA Retail Supply Chain Conference: the customer. In this episode, Matt Gunn and Guy Courtin recap how supply chain is evolving to keep the customers happy and retailers in business.
Winning $1m on Jeopardy! wasn't good enough for IBM's Watson. Now it wants to predict your buying behavior. Having racked up a victory in the game-show arena, Watson is moving on. It has already been applied to clinical decision support for healthcare, with a focus on treating lung cancer. Now, it's venturing into the world of retail. Introduced in November of 2015, the Watson Trend App is turning its computing power to the identification of buying trends in three key areas of retail: consumer electronics, toys, and health and fitness. With its ability to understand natural language, the app monitors the sentiments of tens of millions of online conversations, drawing on some 10,000 sources across popular social media sites. And it goes beyond merely identifying sales trends to reveal why and how consumers are buying. (It has already predicted the initial success of the Apple Watch, Star Wars-themed Lego sets and a high-tech version of Barbie.) On this episode, we speak with Watson Trend App product strategist Justin Norwood, who explains how it works today, and how it might be deployed in future to create personal interactions between consumers and their favorite brands. We also learn how the app could help retailers and consumer-goods manufacturers to devise more accurate demand forecasts.
Online shoppers are ready for a new wave of innovation in the e-commerce experience and retailers had better be ready, too. The P.R. and social marketing agency Walker Sands Communications recently conducted its second annual study on the future of retail. The effort zeroed in on the technology aspects of online shopping. Key findings focused on three major developments: the use of delivery drones, the shift to mobile payment, and the deployment of virtual reality to create an in-store experience for home-based buyers. Interestingly, a large percentage of respondents declared themselves ready for some of these trends, especially drones. Two-thirds said they expect to receive their first drone-delivered package within the next five years. But are these cutting-edge technologies really practical? How will they transform the face of e-commerce? We get answers from Dave Parro, senior account director and retail technology practice lead with Walker Sands. He also talks about which e-commerce giant will likely prevail in the technology race. And he outlines some of the obstacles that might delay full deployment of these innovations.
Can playing a game help supply-chain managers cope with the uncertainties of the real world? Experts would say yes. As far back as the early 1960s, professors at MIT's Sloan School of Management developed the Beer Game, which despite its frat-friendly name was a sober attempt to demonstrate the principles of supply-chain management. Since then, academics and practitioners have developed a number of so-called ''serious'' games and simulations to address the complexities involved in achieving the proper balance between supply and demand. The latest version is SCI Impact, developed by Sterling Simulation in partnership with Supply Chain Insights. It extends the concept of the Beer Game to encapsulate the realities of entire supply chains. Pairs of teams compete to see who can dictate the most effective inventory and ordering policies in response to shifts in demand. On this episode, we get an introduction to SCI Impact from Paul Rohrbaugh, president of Sterling Simulation. He talks about the history of gamification in supply-chain management, what his new game hopes to accomplish, and how it might evolve in future.
Commercial delivery drones are in our future or so we're told. What will it take to make them a reality? Drone technology is advancing quickly. Amazon.com is well along in its development and testing of drones for delivery of packages. And now Wal-Mart says it wants to start testing drones as well. Soon, it seems, the skies will be filled with these futuristic flying machines. First, though, there are some practicalities that need to be addressed. Chief among them is a proposed ruling by the Federal Aviation Administration that places onerous restrictions on commercial drone operators. And there are economic factors to be considered. Can online merchandisers really operate drones in a profitable fashion? On this episode, we get answers from Lisa Ellman, partner in the law firm of Hogan Lovells. A former advisor to President Obama on drone policy, she fills us in on the progress of retailers' efforts to make drones an everyday part of our online shopping experience.
The race is heating up over who will dominate the world of ''last-mile'' delivery of online retail orders. It's a crowded field, to be sure. Competitors range from internet giants such as Amazon.com, Google and eBay to traditional brick-and-mortar retailers such as Walmart, Macy's and just about every major department store imaginable. The nature of the service is up for grabs as well. In addition to home delivery, retailers and e-tailers are offering options such as secure lockers, in-store pickup and postal service locations. Finally, there's new technology to be considered. Will drones and driverless vehicles play a part in the delivery model of the future? What about on-demand passenger services such as Uber and Lyft? Our guest on this episode is Rob Howard, founder and chief executive officer of Grand Junction, Inc. He runs down the multitude of players that are jockeying for position in the modern-day delivery market, and discusses their various strengths and weaknesses. Who will make it to the finish line? And what do consumers really want?
It's enough to scare the daylights out of retailers: $1.75tr in lost revenue due to overstocks, out-of-stocks and preventable returns. Welcome to ''The Ghost Economy.'' The term comes from new research conducted by IHL Group on behalf of OrderDynamics. It looks at the costs that retailers rack up by failing to understand what's happening in their businesses today. The problem rests in large part with the additional challenges posed by e-commerce and the advent of the omnichannel. Many retailers have yet to coordinate their efforts across all channels, resulting in pockets of inventory that drag down the bottom line. They just can't seem to match supply with demand. On this episode, we speak with Kevin Sterneckert, chief marketing officer with OrderDynamics, who explains how retailers got into this mess, and how they can escape it. No need for an exorcist: just a comprehensive approach to customer and inventory data, updated far more frequently than it is today.
In the world of fast fashion, social media can be both bane and salvation for manufacturers and retailers. Clearly, they are hoping it's the latter. Much press has been devoted to the negative impact of social media on products and brands. But there's a significant upside as well #150; provided that companies know how to exploit it. Handled properly, social media can be a rich source of intelligence on ever-changing consumer tastes, helping to determine products, styles and quantities that are right for the marketplace. On this episode, we speak with Peter Akbar, vice president and chief customer officer for fashion with SAP. He says companies need to be paying close attention to social media, which have the power to influence every step of the merchandising supply chain, from forecasting through manufacturing, distribution and final sale. Fashion companies, he says, ''are likely highly tuned race cars.'' Even the slightest edge can prove instrumental to a product's success. He also discusses how companies can integrate social media with their traditional forecasting and planning methods. Bottom line: ''Companies need to start believing in social media.''
Will we ever cut off the flow of contaminated product from China and other offshore manufacturing sites? The recent revelations surrounding Lumber Liquidators, which faces criminal charges for the alleged presence of the carcinogen formaldehyde in flooring made in China, are only the latest example of serious slip-ups in manufacturing quality control. It's tough enough to police one's overseas suppliers for violations of human rights in the workplace and even more challenging to detect the use of unauthorized and potentially hazardous ingredients in toys, apparel, home furnishings and consumer electronics. On this episode, we speak with Ron Keith and Mark Medlen, executive chairman and chief operating officer, respectively, of Riverwood Solutions. They discuss the challenge that companies face in monitoring their suppliers' production lines, given the presence of 22 million factories in China alone, and the $40bn worth of goods imported by the U.S. from China each month. And they propose an answer to the question: Why does this keep happening?
Retailers are scrambling to offer free shipping for online orders. Is it a money-losing proposition? E-tailing has become so competitive that many online sellers today consider it essential to provide free shipping on many, if not all, of their shipments. At the same time, they are speeding up delivery to the point where customers have come to expect a one- to two-day turnaround on orders. How can both of those perks be sustained, in a business where margins are so thin? Is it simply a game of chicken, with rivals racing one another to the edge of the cliff? Our guest on this episode is Tom Barone, vice president of North American operations with eBay Enterprise. He explains why free shipping has become the price of admission to e-commerce and why it might not be so free after all. And he discusses how traditional retailers are balancing the cost and speed of peak-season shipping, while embracing all possible channels for getting product to the consumer. ''The omnichannel,'' he says, ''is quickly evolving from nice to have to need to have.''
Are cryptocurrencies like bitcoin gaining legitimacy in the retail and services sector? And what impact might they have on the supply chain? Bitcoin is an online, peer-to-peer payment system that sidesteps traditional currencies. The virtual instrument has had a rocky existence since it was invented in 2008 by the mysterious ''Satoshi Nakamoto''. Among its setbacks was the U.S. government's seizure of assets of the Tokyo-based bitcoin exchange known as Mt. Gox, followed by the FBI's shutdown of the Silk Road website, accused of being a marketplace for the sale of illegal drugs funded by bitcoin. Now, however, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are beginning to gain acceptance as legal tender by a number of online merchants. One of them is eGifter, the seller of digital gift cards, whose founder and chief executive officer Tyler Roye joins us on this episode to explain why he believes bitcoin is an idea that's here to stay. He also speculates about the currency's possible impact on supply-chain transactions.
Traditional retailers aren't taking the challenge from pure e-tailers lying down. They can deliver on same-day orders, too. Amazon.com, Google, eBay and others have been ramping up their same-day delivery capability in select cities. Now brick-and-mortar retailers have a way to match that service. Deliv is a provider of same-day delivery on behalf of major retailers. Drawing on a pool of independent drivers - much like the business model of crowd-staffed taxi services Uber and Lyft - the company can consolidate multiple orders from stores and meet consumer demand for time-specific delivery. Our guest on this episode, Deliv founder and chief executive officer Daphne Carmeli, explains how the service works, and why she believes that it's economically feasible to provide this premium option at a reasonable price. She also refutes arguments that the model isn't scalable, or might run into reliability problems because of its contracted workforce. As for whether consumers will embrace the innovative idea, she quotes Steve Jobs: ''A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them.''
Manufacturing and distribution executives love the idea of slashing inventories. But it's distribution-center managers who must deal with the consequences. Lean is the watchword in supply-chain management today, and inventory isn't immune. All that merchandise sitting around on warehouse racks seems like a prime candidate for cost-cutting. And most of the time, the practice makes sense. Who wants a lot of unneeded product dragging down the bottom line? Unfortunately, D.C.s aren't always involved in the high-level decision to cut inventories. On this episode, we hear from Jeff Primeau, senior manager in the supply chain practice of management and technology consulting firm West Monroe Partners. He talks about how distribution operations can cope with sharply reduced stocks, and keep product flowing efficiently.
Coming soon to a city near you an Amazon.com store? Don't look now, but the king of e-tailing is inching into the land of brick-and-mortar retailing. Amazon has confirmed plans to open two or three small physical stores in San Francisco, New York and possibly Sacramento in time for the 2014 holiday shopping season. They won't all be performing the same role New York will host a kind of mini-warehouse for same-day fulfillment, while San Francisco apparently will offer Amazon's own range of branded products, including Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets and smartphones. Still, the move represents a radical step for Amazon, and raises all kinds of questions about how the company will support a traditional retailing venture, and what it means for the entire sector. Offering her views of the development is Maria Haggerty, chief executive officer of Dotcom Distribution, a provider of warehousing and e-commerce fulfillment services for retailers large and small.
3D printing is one of the hottest technology developments in supply chain today. Is it for real? The answer is a qualified yes, according to Shashank Narain, vice president of account development with The Smart Cube, a professional services firm. He has seen a 3D printer create a component with 20 moving parts, all on different axes. Today, 3D printers are being touted for everything from food to medical devices to complex aircraft parts. (They can even turn out guns.) The advantages are many: cheaper manufacturing, lower cost of entry into markets, the ability to tailor products to individual consumer tastes. Still, the technology has a ways to go before becoming a routine aspect of many production environments. In this episode, Narain discusses how far 3D printers have come (surprisingly far, it turns out), and how far they have to go, in both the consumer and industrial sectors. More specifically, he predicts how 3D printers will impact global procurement strategies.
Delivery drones are on their way to your doorstep. And regulators are right on their tail. Amazon and other e-commerce retailers are preparing a fleet of drones that can rush product to the consumer. The craft are already in the testing stage, but the legal ramifications of their use are far from clear. Issues to be addressed include privacy, security, safety and environmental impact. The Federal Aviation Administration insists that it has jurisdiction over drones today, but others disagree, and the matter is currently being litigated in the courts. This episode features attorney Joshua Dalrymple, a professor in the School of Legal Studies at Kaplan University. He offers his view on how regulators and lawmakers will address the coming of commercial drones, and what it means to businesses and consumers alike.
In zombie parlance, the retail supply chain is all but dead except for that little piece of the brain that runs on instinct. You know, it's the one that thinks it's a good idea to eat humans... One of the bigger implications of our new mobile world is the hurt it is putting on the retail supply chain. There used to be a day when the only way a consumer could get a product from a specific brand was to find it in a store. That isn't true anymore. With so many brands now reaching the consumer directly and the expectations of the consumer reaching orbital requirements, what will happen to the legacy supply chains still being used by most retailers today? RSR released a report on the impact that mobile is having on the supply chain and, in case you didn't know, it has been disruptive and destructive. More change in retail = more opportunity for differentiation.
Decades after its debut, radio frequency identification technology is finally poised to realize its potential in the retail sector. The key is item-level RFID something that hasn't been possible up to now, thanks to high tag costs and the reluctance of many retailers to expend limited resources on its development. Finally, though, there's real progress being made Macy's, Kohl's and Marks Spencer are just a few of the major retailers to have taken big strides toward the adoption of item-level RFID. Joining us on this episode to tell the story is Joseph Andraski, former supply-chain executive with Nabisco and founder of Collaborative Energizer LLC. He talks of his groundbreaking efforts in this area, including work on a new paper that outlines, for the first time, the benefits of item-level RFID for suppliers. The goal: timely access to accurate information all along the supply chain. ''That's coming,'' Andraski says. ''I'm absolutely convinced of it.''
Small or medium-sized suppliers looking to get their products into Walmart needn't fear the beast. Deserved or not, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has a reputation for dictating terms to its suppliers both large and small. Assuming the latter can even get a foot in the door, it would seem unlikely that they would get much personal attention or desirable shelf space. There is a way to work with Walmart, however, regardless of your size. In this episode, we speak with Hari Ganapathy, vice president of business development with Dun Bradstreet Credibility Corp., and Jeff Clapper, chief executive officer of 8th Walton. They discuss how small and medium-sized suppliers can approach Walmart, as well as deal with the consequences of success: pricing pressures, access to capital and a continued presence on the retailer's shelves. There really is a way to become a trusted advisor and partner of the worlds largest public corporation. Find out ''why the best and worst day of your life may be getting into Walmart.''
Manufacturers like the U.S. They really like it! So says the latest edition of the Manufacturing-Sourcing Outlook Study from AlixPartners. Believe it or not, the U.S. has become the number-one choice for companies seeking to reshore production back to the West, after decades of favoring China and other low-cost parts of Asia. Not to overstate the case, of course manufacturers are a long way from bringing back all those jobs that fled the country over past years. But they're clearly giving thought to at least a partial return home. In this episode of the podcast, Russ Dillion, director in the Supply Chain Group of AlixPartners, reveals the factors that are responsible for the shift.
Demand forecasting would be a snap if only people weren't involved. Retailers and manufacturers struggle to match forecasts with actual purchasing patterns. Much of the time they fail and, despite the growing sophistication of software and analytics tools, they don't seem to be getting much better at the task. One problem is the growing complexity of markets, products and consumer demand. But the biggest obstacle might be one that's simply part of human nature: bias. In this episode, we hear from distinguished planning and forecasting expert Dr. Chaman L. Jain, professor of economics at St. John's University. He lays out some of the pitfalls that cause forecasters to deviate from the truth. And he offers some tips on how they can be avoided.
Every business has its rock stars. In the world of supply chain, you might call Joseph C. Andraski the lead singer. Joe Andraski has truly had an ''incredible supply-chain journey,'' to steal a phrase from the title of his new book. In this episode, he relates how he got started in the business, learning some valuable early lessons about working with fellow employees, both above and below his level of responsibility. Later, Joe piloted his team through the merger turmoil at Nabisco and R.J. Reynolds. And more recently, he has helped to pioneer innovative uses for radio-frequency identification technology. We get the story in a nutshell or as briefly as this captivating raconteur can tell it.
Deck Same-day service: It's the ultimate goal of e-commerce retailers and the ultimate desire of consumers. But is it really feasible? A number of players have already jumped into same-day delivery in select markets, or announced their intention to do so. Amazon.com is vying with Google and eBay to get orders to buyers within a matter of hours. FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service are also potential forces in that effort. But what's the real prospect for same-day? Steve Banker, service director of supply chain management with ARC Advisory Group, joins us on this episode to discuss the challenges of serving impatient buyers. And he explains how same-day service could help brick-and-mortar retailers to compete with internet-based sellers.
Humankind is forever striving for perfection. When it comes to the job of demand forecasting, however, perhaps we ought to be a tad less obsessive. Nobody's arguing that the forecast is irrelevant. Suppliers and retailers need some way to get a handle on what the customer's going to buy. But the all-consuming quest for the perfect number is bound to fail. Reality has an annoying way of refusing to cooperate with expectations. Lora Cecere, founder of Supply Chain Insights, joins us on this episode to prescribe a way out of the dilemma. She proposes to redefine the discipline of forecasting and demand planning, with an eye toward embracing probability. In the event, companies can move closer to what ought to be their real goal: crafting an agile supply-chain with end-to-end visibility, and the power to respond to actual demand. ''We've gone about it all wrong,'' Cecere says.
Is trade compliance nothing but a headache? Or can it be good for business? Some international trade regulations force importers and exporters to sharpen their knowledge of suppliers across multiple tiers, as well as the status of products in transit. Others are just a burden, and do nothing but drive up supply-chain costs. So what can traders expect from the ''unprecedented wave'' of new regs that are due to take effect over the coming year? We get a perspective from Susan Pomerantz, senior director of global trade management consulting with customs broker Livingston International. She runs down all of the new initiatives on food safety, customs automation, security and other aspects of trade compliance.
Will we ever get rid of those dreaded spreadsheets? In a recent survey by Logility and APICS, 47 percent of respondents said they were still using manually produced spreadsheets to support their demand-planning process. Change is tough in any organization, and it can be a challenge to convince planners to give up something that's worked so well for years. But there's evidence that spreadsheets today ''could be sabotaging your supply chain,'' says Karin L. Bursa, vice president of marketing at Logility. She oversees the company's strategy development and marketing programs for Logility Voyager Solutions, the company's suite of supply-chain optimization software. Bursa talks about how spreadsheets are holding companies back from engaging in critical activities such as the creation of multiple planning scenarios and ''what-if'' evaluations. Time to get out of the ''firefighting'' mode, she says, and into proactive management of demand planning to the point where marketers can even begin to shape demand.
If you're a supply-chain executive, there's a good chance that the next tsunami, hurricane, flood or other disaster will take your organization by surprise. Again. For all their talk of the importance of good risk management, companies just can't seem to tackle the issue effectively. In a survey by the American Productivity and Quality Center (APQC), 83 percent of respondents said they were caught off guard by an unexpected supply-chain disruption in the prior 24 months. What's going on here? Two APQC experts Andrea Stroud, research program manager for supply chain management, and Mary Driscoll, senior research fellow for finance and risk join us to offer a perspective on the global risk-management landscape. They outline the scope of the problem, then propose a number of concrete solutions.
What's really going on in Chinese factories? Founded in 2000, China Labor Watch is an independent organization dedicated to monitoring labor conditions in Chinese factories producing a wide range of consumer products. Over the years, the group has uncovered multiple instances of labor abuse, insufficient wages, safety and health violations, and poor living environments. It relies on undercover informants to disclose the practices of factory management. Program coordinator Kevin Slaten talks about how China Labor Watch operates, what its investigations have revealed, and whether conditions are really getting better, at a time when factory wages are on the rise.
How is your demand forecast like a tabloid psychic? Their record for accuracy is just about the same. Rob Byrne, chief executive officer of Terra Technology, says big consumer-products companies typically have an average weekly forecast error of more than 50 percent. He joins us in this episode of the podcast to explain why. Byrne lays out all of the challenges that affect the retail forecast: corporate silos, individual bias, old technology and the massive number of SKUs that have to be tracked, to name a few. He also introduces the concept of demand sensing a technique he says can help to improve the forecast, although no company will ever get it 100-percent right. Get used to it.
All hail the omni-channel. But how can logistics providers possibly keep pace with an explosion in the number of delivery points within a city that must be served? Bob Farrell, president and chief executive officer of Kewill, has an innovative proposal. He'd like to see the construction of shared logistics centers, occupied by multiple service providers, feeding shipments into retail stores and private homes located deep within urban centers. It's one way to combat the gridlock that can only get worse as cities continue to grow, and consumers demand same-day delivery to the doorstep. Listen to Farrell's idea about how we can combat a problem that gets ''worse and worse, day by day.''
What's eating the American transportation infrastructure? Corrosion. Even the strongest structures eventually fall victim to natural law, but the process is accelerated by human neglect. When will the next bridge collapse? Absent regular care and maintenance, ''it's not a question of whether it's a question of when,'' says Richard Grant, a principal with Russell Corrosion Consultants. He pinpoints the crisis that's affecting every metal-based structure in the nation's transportation network, and talks about what we must do address it. It's time to ''shift our mindset from reactive to proactive,'' he says.
Is the reshoring trend for real? Sean Adkins, managing director and operations practice leader with West Monroe Partners LLC, a business and technology-consulting firm, talks about the factors that are making China a less attractive place to source manufacturing for consumer markets in the western hemisphere. Wages in China are on the rise, he says, and importers must shoulder additional costs such as the need for buffer stock and longer supply lines. But will the U.S. be the main beneficiary of this trend? What about Mexico, and other low-cost sources of production closer to home?
Examining the the importance of a well managed supply chain for big business.
Ebusiness technologies: foundations and practice - for iPod/iPhone
Transcript -- Examining the the importance of a well managed supply chain for big business.
Ebusiness technologies: foundations and practice - for iPad/Mac/PC
Transcript -- Examining the the importance of a well managed supply chain for big business.
Examining the the importance of a well managed supply chain for big business.
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