Supply chain is the process of getting raw materials, packaged goods and services to the right place at the right time. The supply chain field is always changing with the market. A lot of challenges and trends are facing the supply chain in 2022, which will play a key role in shaping the future development of this industry.
The five major challenges faced by supply chains in 2022 are:
Exceeding customer expectations on delivery
Customers expect a higher level of service now. They want their purchase delivered to them as fast as possible, which means the supply chain and logistics systems need to be able to react to that demand.
One of the reasons for this is that we are expecting more from our goods and services than ever before. In the past, people were content with goods that had an average level of quality. Nowadays, even if it’s something as simple as a toothbrush, people expect it to be innovative and advance.
We have also become more individualistic because of social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram where we can see what other people are doing or have done in their lives and compare ourselves with them.
Keeping up with demand
Supply chain management is a complex process that can be very challenging. Managing inventory, transportation, and demand can be tough in a fast-paced world. However, companies are adopting new tech to make their supply chain more efficient. The robots and drones will help them to keep up with the demand for their products.
One of the latest trends in supply chain logistics is machine learning algorithms that can optimize inventory and schedules automatically to match demand patterns. This will provide more accurate forecasts so they don’t have to worry about running out of stock or overproducing items.
Ensuring that products are affordable in light of rising costs
In recent years, the prices of some products have been rising despite the increase in wages. We often hear that inflation is inevitable, but we are not entirely to blame. There are various reasons for this happening and they all tie back to one central challenge that manufacturers face when it comes to pricing: the cost of production.
There has been an increased demand for shipping services and raw materials over the past few years. This means that manufacturers may have to spend more on their supply chain and logistics, which leads to a rise in their production costs as well. So now there is a tradeoff between making profits by increasing prices or maintaining profits by absorbing the cost difference themselves. Either way, consumers will be affected by any price changes resulting from this dilemma.
Maintaining a high level of quality and sustainability
The supply chain and logistics industry is full of challenges. From the lack of visibility in processes to the lack of sustainability, there are many hurdles to overcome as an organization. The key to overcoming these challenges is partnering with a company that specializes in optimizing these processes for you.
One company that specializes in these optimization processes is Tracey International, who has over 500 years of combined experience in the SC&L industry.
Tracey International has helped organizations like Walmart and Nike significantly improve their costs by over $700 million each year through its surgical approach to solving logistics problems.
Attracting new customers
The supply chain is a big part of the global business, and it is even more important than ever since companies are outsourcing more of their operations. With such a complex organization, however, there are always challenges some new customers may face. One challenge is that companies will want to keep the costs down and so they might not advertise as much as they would if they were selling products closer to their manufacturing plant. This could lead to issues with acquiring new customers in these areas of the supply chain.
The goal of this topic was to show you how complicated and intricate supply chains can be at times which can lead to some issues with attracting new customers without expensive advertising or other marketing strategies.