Four Questions To Ask As You Future-Proof Your Supply Chain

Barcoding, Inc. President, Shane Snyder, was recently featured on SupplyChainBrain, where he discussed future-proofing the supply chain. Keep reading to learn the right questions to ask on your journey to becoming more efficient, accurate, and connected.

Adaptation is Essential
In light of the effects of COVID-19 on businesses, modernization is essential to survival in these rapidly changing times. Retailers who primarily operate brick and mortar locations must now navigate e-commerce, grocery stores are unable to keep shelves stocked to meet increased demand, and shipping supply chains are facing an overwhelming increase in transactions.

“Adaptation and modernization are no longer optional—they are vital to a company’s survival and ability to remain competitive in an evolving marketplace,” writes Snyder.

Developing strategies to future-proof processes and adapt is key, now more than ever.

Four Questions To Ask
Snyder has four key questions that you can ask in order to evaluate your current situation and identify workable solutions to move forward.

1. Where are the gaps?

The first step to finding solutions is identifying any problem areas that might exist. Consider topics like your reliance on manual versus digital tracking, how frequently you lose time due to device issues, whether your team uses an integrated system and similar topics. You want to determine if there are pieces of your supply chain “puzzle” that are affecting your bottom line.

2. Who are the key players?

Next, think about who the key players on your team are. Each employee taking part in your operations—from the warehouse to the executive office—has an impact on your efficiency. Try seeking out perspectives from employees in all departments to uncover any potential pressure points and get ideas on improvement from the people who will be applying them daily.

3. What is your timeline?

Currently, some businesses are slowed down while others are experiencing an unexpected increase in speed. Where do you lie on that spectrum? Assess your current pace and decide if you need to sustain it or change it, and what needs to happen in order to do so.

4. What are workable solutions?

The last step is to consider workable solutions for continuous improvement. There is no one-size-fits-all, so what specifically will your organization need to strengthen your supply chain? Migrating to Android, modernizing devices, establishing integrated systems, increasing agility, and implementing data capture and analysis are all popular potential solutions.

Looking to future-proof your supply chain?
Barcoding, Inc.’s GoLive and StayLive programs can help you get new devices up and running and stay operational.

Learn more about the many benefits of Android by heading to our Android Resource Center — be sure to download our all new report on how to future-proof your supply chain with Android while you’re there. As always, feel free to contact us with any questions—we’re here to help you create a more efficient, accurate, and connected supply chain.

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