Articles
Technology
CX in the Era of Supply Chain Impatience
Whether your customer is the end consumer or B2B buyer, supply chain and customer service performance expectations are converging. Providing an excellent customer experience (CX) requires super-expedited and sometimes free delivery. E-commerce customers increasingly choose to pay for same-day delivery, according to a DHL survey. Here at Inbound Logistics, we call that supply chain impatience […]
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Better Routing Takes Root
By switching from a manual to an automated routing and scheduling system, flowering plant seller Weatherford Farms puts the petals to the medal.
Read MoreCan Your Supply Chain Keep Up With Technology?
New technology has rapidly impacted our everyday lives. Consumer technology advances are having a profound impact on the art of supply chain management, requiring constant evolution and rethinking of the way products are marketed, sold, produced, and delivered. The Tesla Effect In the automotive industry, customers will soon expect to be able to configure their […]
Read MoreIndustrial Companies Map Data Gap
Eighty-four percent of industrial companies face a disconnect between data from connected devices and strategic decision making and operations, limiting the Internet of Thing’s (IoT) digital transformation potential, according to a research study conducted by IFS, a global enterprise applications company. Only 16 percent of survey respondents consume IoT data in enterprise resource planning (ERP) […]
Read MoreHow AR Can Take the Sting Out of Seasonal Surge Training Costs
Every holiday season, warehouses expand their workforces two times or more to handle peak retail demand that can make or break the entire year. Time spent training and upskilling temporary employees is typically under two weeks for 90 days of work, while many warehousing organizations rehire a good portion of the same seasonal workforce year […]
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A Single Point of Contact Offers A Dynamic Supply Chain Solution – SEKO
The Challenge TruGolf’s rapid growth drove them from being a niche within a niche to becoming a staple in the industry. As the leader in indoor golf simulator technology, TruGolf’s award-winning software recreates the artistry of the game by bringing an outdoor sport indoors. Offering a wide range of options, TruGolf’s simulation software, E6Golf, provides […]
Read MoreFacts About Friction
The average U.S. business loses $171,340 per year through clunky payment practices causing friction in their supply chain, according to new research by Tungsten Network. This equates to almost 6,500 man hours spent chasing purchase order numbers, processing paper invoices, and responding to supplier inquiries. Businesses estimate they spend an average of 55 hours per […]
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Manufacturers Take to Technology, Automation
Driven by globalization, intensifying competition, and rising customer demand for more options and higher quality products, a connected plant floor has become a necessity. As a result, manufacturers are adopting the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to enhance visibility and improve quality, with the number of organizations achieving a fully connected factory expected to rise […]
Read MoreWater Works
Unmanned surface and underwater vessels will dominate maritime activity in the United Kingdom and across Europe over the next decade, according to a new report on the future of autonomous maritime systems. Networks of autonomous surface and underwater vessels are set to radically change the nature of maritime operations, according to the follow-up to Global […]
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Artificial Intelligence to Their Advantage
Artificial intelligence (AI) now touches almost every industry and walk of life. Driverless cars are chauffeuring themselves through Pittsburgh’s roads, robots dominate the activity within Amazon’s warehouses, and increasingly sophisticated algorithms for demand planning and design have gone digital. Personalization and machine learning continue to improve customers’ experiences and open countless doors for the tech […]
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Purchasing a Cloud-Based WMS? Get Grounded
Warehouse management systems (WMS) run the gamut from sophisticated and flexible standalone options to supply chain execution suites to enterprise resource planning tool extensions. As with many data-driven functions, cloud-based solutions have grown in prominence and mindshare. One of the biggest misconceptions, however, is that adopting a cloud solution naturally drives cost savings. But hidden […]
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Visibility Fills the – Amber Road
Q: Is supply chain visibility really a problem in today’s high-tech, connected world? A: In today’s technologically advanced world, a lack of data is not the problem. We are currently inundated with information from various sources. Rather, we need tools that consolidate this information, normalize it, and predictively notify users of potential risks. This enables […]
Read MoreFood Transportation: Missing Ingredients to FSMA Compliance
Sanitary transportation compliance is currently mandatory for many and will be required for all shippers, loaders, carriers, and receivers in April 2018. While the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) of 2011 set the guidelines and rulemaking for the Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food (STHAF) in process, there are still gaps in compliance. […]
Read More4PLs Will Benefit Most from Supply Chain Digitalization
Will digitalization reshuffle the deck in the marketplace of logistics services? Yes, say the IT experts at cloud-based supply chain management solutions provider AXIT, a Siemens company. A new paper published by the firm highlights how the digital transformation is affecting the industry. The authors believe that the fourth-party logistics (4PL) provider model will be […]
Read MoreSupply Chain Commentary: The Future of Blockchain in Ocean Shipping
The potential for blockchain goes hand in hand with digitization. Blockchain will require digitization and can also help drive it with the goal of minimizing the manual processes that many shipping industry participants still use today. Blockchain’s added value to digitization is authentication, non-repudiation, immutability of data, improved business process support through smart contracts, and […]
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Next-Generation TMS Can Move Your Organization Into the Future – Transplace
In the ever-evolving world of drones, autonomous and electric vehicles, and a myriad of other emerging technologies, it’s important for organizations to still keep management in mind. While new technology is thrilling and can provide enhanced supply chain efficiency, lower a company’s carbon footprint and provide meaningful, actionable business intelligence, proper management of that new […]
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From Nervous to Chill: Unlocking IoT’s Value Across the Cold Chain
One-third of the world’s food goes to waste, with most of the losses coming from spoilage on its way to being consumed. Much of the waste is due to lack of proper refrigeration. Broadening and improving cold chain efficiency would extend shelf life and increase the supply of perishable foods such as meat, fruits, vegetables, […]
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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 […]
Read More3 Signs of a Siloed Supply Chain—and How to Fix Them
To keep up with the speed of mobile commerce and the impatience of consumers, supply chains must be faster and more agile than ever. Today’s consumers expect items to be delivered to them quickly and seamlessly no matter how, when, or where they made the purchase. Siloed supply chains can slow down the process, causing […]
Read MoreThe Ins and Outs of Deploying Mobile Devices Across the Supply Chain
How do you use mobile devices and apps in your distribution center or warehouse? What costs do you incur? Does your entire organization use mobile technology properly and securely? Is your voice-picking system up and running at all times? IT and line-of-business managers have a hard time getting answers to these and many other mobility […]
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