17 December 2015

The new age of supply chain management

Author :


Most online retailers across Australia realise that successful supply chain execution is the strategic heart of their business. However, meeting the multichannel consumer’s increasing expectations for speed and convenience is causing unprecedented sector disruption globally.

Recent surveys by Nitin Chaturvedi, Mirko Martich, Brian Ruwadi and Nursin Ulker have found that more categories of retailers are migrating online and channel boundaries are blurring as consumers are demanding a wider spectrum of options such as ordering online with in store pickup, endless inventory and free return across all channels.


Traditionally, supply chain management involves the level of speed, accuracy and efficiency from order to delivery, with technological advances, companies are now expected to provide real-time data of their customers’ purchases, which includes the status of their goods, when it has left the warehouse, when it is out for delivery and the estimated arrival time the package will land on their doorstep.

This has changed the way companies operate, as customers are now able to read extensive reviews online about the level of service before deciding to purchase an item, thus setting a new standard for online customer service. Companies that are able to meet or exceed the expectations of this delivery standard can use this as their competitive advantage.

To help supply chains with the efficiency of their orders, there are four main areas where SCM notification technology can help:

Global Trade

Due to the ever-changing regulations automated notification can help companies keep up-to-date with international laws for trading. This could help companies avoid hefty fines for not inadvertently side-stepping regulations.

Supply Relationship Management

When there has been a fault in the supply chain, the company needs to work backwards to see find out how it happened. With a notification system, this communication could be automated, therefore making this process more efficient and provide a more reliable audit trail.

Reverse Logistics

Reverse logistics is the process of managing the return of goods. Notifications can help the communication with recyclers on when they are able to remove redistributed goods.

Supply Chain Execution

This notification will make the delivery cycle more efficient as staffs are already notified to be on stand by for when a delivery arrives.



“Any supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link. A company can move a product from China to the United States, clear it through Customs, move it to a distribution center, and fulfill it in record time. But if it doesn’t deliver the product to consumers quickly enough, they are not happy, and the company’s supply chain has failed.” — Inbound Logistics Magazine


Being brought up in a typical Chinese family in Australia, Vivian takes pride as an ABC (Australia-born Chinese) where she happily embraces both the Chinese and Australian cultures. 
In high school, Vivian wanted to become a fashion designer, however she has developed a passion for running events after working backstage for multiple live shows. Prior to starting at Akolade, Vivian worked 4 years in the wine industry and she misses the wine tasting sessions and openly drinking on the job. As the Marketing Coordinator, Vivian enjoys using her creativity to design unique and fun campaigns for each event. In her spare time, Vivian loves to spend time with her two adorable cat and dog. 

No comments :

Post a Comment