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Good Question
GOOD 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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Why do you use a third-party logistics provider?
We use 3PLs in regions where it is too costly for us to perform services in-house at the service level we require. 3PLs tend to have more density in the regions we use them in, and they can leverage their other partnerships to give us the service level we need at the best possible cost. […]
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If you could speed the development of a supply chain-disrupting technology, what would it be and why?
Heavyweight drones that move ocean containers from a port to a distribution center within 50 miles are well into development. Once integrated into air traffic control systems, this technology becomes a game changer for road congestion and cost containment.
Read MoreGOOD QUESTION | What’s the first thing you would do to solve the warehouse labor shortage?
Make the job dynamic to attract and retain workers. Often, a warehouse role is one-dimensional. Operators can create job enrichment by cross-training workers and rotating them through all the functions required to run the warehouse. Also, connecting their specific job and function to the success of the company, and to the benefit of the customer, […]
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What’s the most fun or interesting part about working in the supply chain?
Knowing I work in an industry that touches every aspect of everyone’s life. I like knowing that if we do our job well and someone goes to the shelf for something they need—the shelf is full.
Read MoreWhat Advice Would You Give Your Younger Self About Supply Chain Management?
Sometimes improving on the establishment is right and sometimes disrupting it is. When people have pain using the leader’s solution, improve. Otherwise, disrupt. Stay on the pulse of the supply chain. There is always an opportunity to improve and innovate. Evan Garber CEO, EVS I would encourage my younger self to embrace a forward-thinking attitude, […]
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What’s the Supply Chain Buzzword for 2018?
Expect mistakes in the early stages, but by the end of the year I bet we have blockchain results with some serious, long-term impact. Leif Olson Sales Account Manager, Navegate The wider adoption of blockchain technology across other industries indicates that it is time for us to take the leap and start reshaping our industry […]
Read MoreGOOD QUESTION | What’s the difference between supply chain visibility and transparency?
Supply chain visibility is what you actually know; transparency is what you are willing to share with your partners. Don’t assume a supplier or customer is deliberately obscuring information when, in fact, they don’t have that information in the first place. Amy David Clinical Assistant Professor of Management Purdue University Krannert School of Management It’s […]
Read MoreGOOD QUESTION | What is the best business book you ever read and why?
One of the best quick-study books I have read is Winning Every Day by Lou Holtz. Catering to the sports enthusiast, the book reminds readers the fundamental element of business is that people are led, not managed, to success. Defining the differences and connection between talent, motivation, and attitude, Holtz lays out a game plan […]
Read MoreGOOD QUESTION | What is the best piece of leadership advice you ever received?
Treat ’em like family. Sean Ford Operations Manager Home Depot Stay humble and lead by example. Never ask members of your team to perform any task that you would not perform yourself, and remember that your plans, actions, and decisions have a direct effect on the team members that you depend on. Tom Poduch Director […]
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What would you put in a logistics time capsule for people to open 50 years from now?
I’d put in a bunch of data such as the average weight of a truckload, the price of fuel, transit times, etc. so that people in 50 years could compare it to what they are doing and wonder how we survived. Kyle Merop U.S. Air Force Veteran Logistician I still have a few air waybills […]
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What’s the most interesting or unusual supply chain problem you’ve solved?
How to ship toy motorcycles made out of magnets and tubes to retail stores around the country without them falling apart. They were used as a display for a toy kit. Our solution was to put them in a small cooler, fill the cooler with water, freeze the entire contents of the cooler, and ship out. Upon arrival at the retail store, they were thawed, dried, and displayed. It worked beautifully.
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