Customer experience matters more than ever because today’s consumers expect greater responsiveness in their daily lives. A much-quoted study by experience management services firm Walker Information predicted that by the end of 2020, customer experience will have overtaken price and product as the key brand differentiator. This reality also is reflected in expectations in the…
The supply chain industry, for better or for worse, has been largely defined by its recent challenges and the ability of businesses to handle those challenges. From pandemic to vendor disruptions, managing a modern supply chain comes with its fair share of obstacles. Fortunately, however, strengthening your supply chain to withstand changes and challenges is…
Supply chain management is facing its own pandemic of outdated processes. As many as 85 percent of workers state that they could handle their duties more efficiently with enhanced workplace tech. Fortunately, this tech is available and already transforming supply chain management in the fight against Covid-19 challenges. From enhanced tracking and logistics capable from…
Expansion of U.S. manufacturing growth that began trending upward last summer is expected to continue through 2021, along with growing capital spending and rising capacity utilization, according to the Institute for Supply Management. ISM’s semiannual economic forecast predicts U.S. manufacturers will record a healthy net increase in revenues totaling 6.9 percent this year, reversing a…
Technology has been the leading weapon in brand owners’ arsenal for fighting counterfeit components and products. Big data and analytics, automated monitoring and removal services, blockchain, modular customization and intra-component communication are currently generating interest among industry leaders and their supply-chain partners, according to the Alliance for Gray Market and Counterfeit Abatement (AGMA). Counterfeit components…
While the traditional supply chain does exist — a chain of suppliers, distributors and customers all linked together linearly — the reality is that most supply chains are multi-tier. For the uninitiated, this means they are multiple single-level collaborations linked or stacked within a seamless chain. There are many benefits to building a multi-tier supply…
On December 31, Texas Instruments Inc. and Avnet Inc. formally end their 40-year distribution relationship. Avnet’s success in replacing that business – estimated at 10 percent of Avnet’s sales — will be evident in the future, said Phil Gallagher, who was named Avnet’s CEO on November 23. Avnet’s fiscal 2020 sales reached $17.6 billion. TI…
KMC Systems Inc. isn’t just surviving the Covid-19 pandemic — it’s thriving. The medical equipment it manufactures is, of course, in critical demand. But the proximity of KMC’s suppliers – 90 percent are within 200 miles of the Merrimack, NH, electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider — enables it to fulfill surging orders. The supply chain’s…
U.S. manufacturing activity cooled a bit in November as a resurgence in Covid-19 cases pressured factory employment and production levels. The Institute for Supply Management’s PMI declined by 1.8 percent — to 57.5 — from October’s level of 59.3. Although workforce limitations are being felt across the supply chain, the PMI remains above 50, indicating…
Though the holidays are considered “peak season” for parcel shipping every year, unprecedented increases in e-commerce look to bring a new level of intensity in 2020. According to a recent report from Salesforce, businesses relying on parcel shipping face a likely capacity crunch this holiday season. Covid-19 transformed the holiday landscape Although the Covid-19 pandemic hit retail hard, not all retailers have struggled.…