In the wake of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain experts have recognized the pressing need for real-time visibility to ensure the smooth movement of goods and services. This article explores the importance of supply chain visibility, the challenges faced by companies in achieving it, and the strategies that can be employed to enhance supply chain transparency.
Supply Chain Visibility Defined: Supply chain visibility extends beyond internal data insights and involves the accessibility of interconnected data from manufacturers to the final delivery of products when and where needed. Many companies have found themselves reacting to the uncertainties of a disruptive environment without crucial information. McKinsey & Co. reports that 93 percent of procurement and supply leaders are reevaluating their supply chains to enhance resilience. As they work towards establishing long-term supply chain visibility, they confront six major challenges:
- Rapid Adaptation to Unforeseen Changes: Companies are responding to unexpected supply chain changes on a weekly (43%) and daily (36%) basis, according to Quickbase’s Supply Chain Resiliency Survey.
- Timely Deliveries by Suppliers: Delays in deliveries can lead to significant manufacturing disruptions and shutdowns.
- Quality of Materials or Goods: Challenges such as unanticipated demand, limited workforce, and rapid production can result in mistakes affecting the final product’s quality.
- Swift Corrective Actions: The ability to take quick corrective actions is crucial, especially when dealing with issues like low-quality raw materials that could lead to product returns.
- External Disruptions: A wide range of external factors, from import tariffs to labor strikes and container shortages, can disrupt supply chains.
- Siloed Systems: Lack of data sharing among siloed systems and poor understanding of ERP data or workflows managed outside core systems are common visibility challenges.
Achieving Supply Chain Visibility: To ensure that goods and materials are in the right place at the right time and adequately budgeted for, supply chain managers need real-time insights to manage every aspect of the chain effectively. A major challenge in achieving this visibility is disparate and siloed technology systems.
Kayla Mackay, Solutions Marketing Manager at Quickbase, emphasizes this challenge, stating, “When your data is stuck in core enterprise resource planning (ERP) or legacy software systems, effectively managing supplier relationships is a major challenge.”
Quickbase, with its no-code solution, can assist supply chain managers in enhancing supply chain visibility, including:
- Customizable Dashboards: Offering transparency into supplier performance, capacity, compliance, contact information, risk management, and more.
- Easy Access to Supplier Data: Minimizing supplier risk by tracking multi-tiered supplier information, costs, and disruptions.
- A Single Source of Truth: Eliminating disparate systems, silos, and legacy systems to provide real-time data aggregated into a single, highly customizable application.
- Flexible Workflows: Enabling companies to build and adjust workflows rapidly as changes or disruptions occur.
- Short Implementation Times: Quickbase offers implementation times as short as a few days, allowing companies to gain visibility quickly.
For instance, a medical device manufacturer utilized Quickbase to gain visibility into its supply chain information, ultimately avoiding late deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Conclusion: Maintaining control over the entire supply network through clear visibility is essential for organizations. This clarity ensures efficient functioning, profitability, and excellent customer satisfaction, especially during times of extreme disruption. Investing in supply chain visibility technology is the most reliable way to achieve this level of control and transparency.
By embracing solutions like Quickbase, companies can enhance their supply chain visibility, adapt to changes swiftly, and maintain a competitive edge in the ever-evolving global business landscape.
