Articles
Good Question
What supply chain insight would you share with your younger self?
Supply chains are more straightforward than they appear. All the acronyms and industry-specific terms seem confusing, but they’re all in service of moving things from origin to destination. —Ethan Frisch Co-founder Burlap and Barrel Take emotion out of your decision making and always be forward thinking with your long-term strategic plan in mind. Take care […]
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GOOD QUESTION | What Supply Chain Terms Do People Sometimes Confuse?
Carrier vs. broker or 3PL. Shippers often don’t recognize the value difference—and motivations—of an asset owner versus a non-asset player. We’re measured the same, but when the rubber meets the road, it’s the asset provider who has to deliver. The key is to understand where a broker brings value. Greg Orr President, CFI Savings vs. […]
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Good Question: Will the Supply Chain Management Function Be Obsolete in 10 Years? Why or Why Not?
Zero chance. Supply chain success is dependent upon human relationships, collaboration, partnerships, leading and influencing, servicing customers, and the like. Robots, algorithms, and other new technologies will make certain jobs obsolete, but not the function of supply chain itself.
Read MoreGOOD QUESTION | When choosing a logistics provider, what’s more important: cost or customer service?
With a tumultuous global economy and trade uncertainties, the most important consideration is value. Can they provide global visibility to your supply chain? Can they help you effectively navigate the ever-changing regulatory landscape? Park Williams VP, North America Sales BDP International Customer service. Simply put—you can win and lose with cost, but you will always […]
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GOOD QUESTION | Popeyes chicken sandwich shortage: Supply chain fail or marketing savvy?
All marketing strategy in my humble opinion. Like a limited release of Jordan sneakers and then a re-release at a later date. Milton O’Quinn III National Operations Manager, RPM It’s a great lesson—companies should do more data analytics to better understand how consumers respond to social media marketing and build up supply chain agility and […]
Read MoreGOOD QUESTION | What’s the 2020 supply chain buzzword or phrase?
GIG WORKER. Embracing this growing segment of workers is the key to helping companies handle variability—from last-minute orders to seasonal swings—while remaining agile. Robert O’Dwyer Logistics Industry Principal Kronos Incorporated AI. It has only just begun to transform freight and logistics. With innovation comes new services and opportunities for cost savings or efficiency gains. Oren […]
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GOOD QUESTION | What’s the first thing to look for when selecting a logistics partner?
Common goals and transparency.
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GOOD QUESTION | How Can Brick-and-Mortar Retailers Compete with Amazon?
Don’t try and compete with Amazon. Identify what your customers want most and over deliver. Optimize the supply chain to provide flawless execution.
Read MoreGOOD QUESTION | What’s the quickest way to improve return logistics?
Make sure information systems, distribution networks, and transportation capabilities work together seamlessly. Perry Belcastro Senior Vice President, Fulfillment Services Saddle Creek Logistics Services Leverage artificial intelligence to identify key drivers causing returns/claims. This can provide insights that can be used to optimize delivery, reduce volume, and provide critical information to engineering to improve products. Tom […]
Read MoreGOOD QUESTION | What’s the most neglected part of the supply chain?
Reverse logistics is usually an afterthought. Heather Jarvis-Gann Logistics & Dispatch Crestwood Midstream Partners LP Defining what supply chain management is for your company is key to writing the right job description and attracting the right talent. Tyler Chamberlain, MBA Supply Chain Manager Capital One Compliance is often viewed as a cost center and is […]
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GOOD QUESTION | What’s one supply chain myth you’d like to debunk?
Myth: Reducing labor costs is the best way to improve a supply chain operation. Much bigger gains can be made in reducing total supply chain cost by improving service levels and reducing lead times.
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GOOD QUESTION | What’s the first thing you would do to address the supply chain talent gap?
Cast a wider net. Recruit graduates with non-traditional degrees. Work with vocational schools to create two-year-degree supply chain programs. Perhaps even create near-shore supply chain centers of expertise.
Read MoreGOOD QUESTION | What advice would you give someone just starting out in logistics/supply chain?
Ask every question you can. Figure out the "why" and not only will you learn more about the overall process, you’ll understand how a seemingly small change could create significant problems for someone else. Mary O’Connell Pricing Analyst Sunset Transportation Make what it means to be emotionally intelligent a priority and embrace the principles as […]
Read MoreGOOD QUESTION | Should the United States Postal Service be privatized? Why or why not?
Readers weigh in on whether the USPS should go private.
Read MoreGood Question: What’s your best supply chain tip?
Industry professionals share their best supply chain tips.
Read MoreGood Question: What are your top supply chain predictions for 2019?
Uber Freight and other new platforms will power increasingly connected truckers and LTL providers into the gig economy. Steve Dowse SVP, Product Management Blume Global Supply chains will continue their evolution from the traditional lean standard strategy to more of a flexible and elastic supply chain to meet market and logistics fluctuations. These changes will […]
Read MoreGood Question: What was your first job in logistics and what did it teach you?
Summer seasonal order picker. It taught me an order is only as good as its accuracy; without it, all you would have is empty pallets. James Stone Client Sales Representative Echo Global Logistics Manually tracking and tracing previous-day LTL pickups. It taught me every missed pickup has three stories: why the carrier says it’s the […]
Read MoreGood Question: What recent supply chain development will have the greatest impact on your job
Tariffs create global challenges. The United States has taken a strong position in dealing with fair trade, but we have felt the same strong efforts by many governments around the world. Michael Ford Chief Compliance Officer BDP International The digitalization of the supply chain will provide the single biggest boost to transparency in what is […]
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Good Question: To address the truck driver shortage, should we lower the minimum driver age to 18?
I agree with lowering the age restriction for getting an interstate CDL to 18. Currently, commercial drivers between 18 and 21 can operate with a CDL as long as they don’t cross state borders. Think about that—a 19 year old can legally operate a commercial rig between Miami and Pensacola, Florida (670 miles apart), but […]
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Good Question: What’s your best time-management tip?
The Eisenhower Box has had the largest impact on my time management. People have a tendency to put everything in the “urgent/important” bucket, which dilutes their focus. It has helped me more confi dently delegate or eliminate tasks altogether.
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