When we think about the future of an industry, several things come to mind. We can almost always say that there will be technological advances, more automation, and a more global approach. Those things are all likely to be true for the future of Supply Chain, but they aren’t the only certainties that we can look to. In a year that has inevitably changed the world, there is no doubt that supply chains will focus on technological advances and cutting-edge ideas, but we will also see changes in attitudes and strategic planning in the upcoming years.
Supply chains across the world were shocked by the COVID pandemic in the early part of 2020, but in time they adapted and are running smoothly again. As we look forward, any organization with a sophisticated supply chain knows that it can’t run in the same fashion as it did in previous years. Pandemic planning will become an integral part of training and implementation in order to prevent bullwhip effects as well as drastic losses due to unforeseen circumstances. We may not have seen it coming the first time, but we now know that we must be prepared for anything in future forecasts.
A more positive takeaway from the COVID crisis is that there has been an increased focus on collaboration and relationship building. Shippers who had strong supply chain partners were better equipped to handle the pandemic than those who didn’t, and smart shippers will continue to pursue these partnerships. The ad-hoc model of simply matching freight to a random truck when it is needed is already losing favor among many customers, and we can expect that trend to continue. If we’ve learned one thing from 2020, it’s that we are all in this together and that we need to build strong relationships in order to succeed in the future.
At Zip Xpress, we understand what the future supply chain looks like. Our focus on communication and collaboration allows us to provide the best service possible to our supply chain partners and provide the custom carrier solutions they need to ensure their products arrive undamaged and on time. Shippers who collaborate with their carriers will find themselves far ahead of the competition and able to adapt to new circumstances quicker. To see how a custom carrier solution can be applied to your business, start today with Zip Xpress!
