Everyone is talking about the backlog of ships at the ports and when it will be resolved, but is that the right question? NO! Of course we will eventually resolve the current backlog; however, there are continual disruptions in the extended supply chain, and so who knows what disruption will be next. Instead of reacting to these situations, rethink your situation from the vantage point that your supply chain is strategic. Watch our video on just this topic.
One Tip to Implement This Week:
Instead of running in circles to resolve the ever increasing number of issues in the supply chain, back up and rethink your approach.
- Customers: What will it require to build market share and keep up with changing customer conditions?
- Resiliency: Have you built resiliency into your supply chain?
- Total cost of ownership: Are you looking at purchase costs or the total cost of ownership? There is a BIG difference.
- Strategic: Which customers, products, materials or partners are strategic and vital to your success?
- Control: What level of control do you have vs. what you need?
- Risk: How much risk is baked into your supply chain design? You are likely to have different answers for strategic vs. non-strategic elements.
- Forecastable: How forecastable is your business?
- Capital & cash: Definitely levers that relate to determining your supply chain strategy
- Partners: Do you have partners or suppliers for critical items?
- Insource, outsource, near-source: What best supports your business needs?
- Vertical integration: Is it an option worth considering for key items?
- Regional clusters: What advantages might a regional cluster provide?
- Reconfigure: Should you reconfigure your supply chain?
Please keep us in the loop of your situation and how we can help your organization emerge above and beyond. Several of these types of ideas are included in our new eBook Emerging Above and Beyond: 21 Insights for 2021 from Manufacturing, Supply Chain & Technology Executives. Download your complimentary copy.