Many have falsely attributed the recent supply chain evolution to the turbulent events of the past few years. While they may have served as a change catalyst, these events are in fact not the root cause of shifting logistics and supply chain practices. The actual underlying factor spurring a reimagining of the supply chain is the rise of online options for purchasing and support.
Modern consumers frequently browse for products, research goods, and make purchases all from the comfort of their own homes. When they encounter a product concern, they are much more likely to seek support via chatbots or online interfaces as opposed to going to a brick-and-mortar store.
Understanding and adapting to the factors driving supply chain evolution is key to maintaining your growth momentum in 2023 and beyond. With that in mind, join us as we examine how online options are changing logistics and supply chain management. We also highlight why you should lean into these changes and discuss how a third-party logistics (3PL) partner can help.
How Online Options Are Reshaping the Supply Chain Evolution
E-commerce has become a massive industry. Today, consumers can place an order and have it shipped to their door within a matter of days. In some cases, they can receive their shipment in hours.
To keep pace with giants like Amazon and Walmart, businesses must rework their supply chains to support online purchasing and rapid shipping. This means relying on regional distribution centers and a nationwide network of reputable carriers.
You also need to support your online store by equipping your website with self-service tools such as chatbots. Providing customers with the ability to seek support online can improve their overall experience and reduce the number of customer service agents that you need to hire.
Why Businesses Must Lean into the Digital Supply Chain Evolution
Viewing supply chain challenges through the lens of e-commerce can help you identify new ways to serve customers. Ultimately, revamping your supply chain to keep up with supply chain evolution and better accommodate digital transactions will also allow you to:
Cut Costs
Optimizing your supply chain for e-commerce is a great cost-saving measure. You can eliminate sources of waste, optimize shipping routes, and free up capital to pursue other growth opportunities. Proactively reducing costs has become essential in the midst of ongoing market volatility.
Investing in robust self-service tools and automation technology will yield further cost savings. You can use these solutions to reduce your reliance on manual inputs and empower customers to be their own support agents.
Expedite Delivery Times
Today’s consumers are no longer willing to wait weeks to receive a product — especially if your competitor can deliver a comparable item in a few days. Reworking your supply chain and logistics processes will pave the way for expedited delivery times. Offering fast, efficient, reliable deliveries will help you keep customers happy and enable you to retain a strong market share.
Adapt to Consumer Demands
An ever-increasing number of consumers want to shop and interact with brands online. Optimizing your supply chain and logistics processes to accommodate online shopping will help you connect with a larger audience and maximize your reach. Expanding your digital presence also increases your ability to adapt to unexpected market changes.
How 3PL Services Can Help
3PL services are designed to address the logistics and distribution needs of manufacturers and help you stay in step with supply chain evolution. 3PL services providers use their industry connections, technologies, and supply chain management strategies to expedite distribution, accelerate delivery processes, and reduce the costs associated with getting goods into the hands of consumers.
If businesses want to adapt to shifting consumer habits, they have two options. The first approach involves going it alone, which means seeking out warehouse and inventory management tools, implementing that software, and revamping their logistics strategy.
Working with a 3PL service provider enables manufacturers to accelerate this process. In particular, it allows them to tap into the expertise and resources of a third-party organization.
As you work to keep pace with the supply chain evolution by modernizing your organization’s supply chain and logistics processes, consider working with a 3PL services provider. Doing so can help your business gain an edge over its competitors, protect organizational continuity, and thrive amidst changing marketing conditions.
