Not all innovations are capable of making a supply chain stand out from the rest, unique and different. For a supply chain to have potential for movement, be dynamic and therefore more competitive, it is necessary to know the needs of the business in depth, the perspective of consumption that the user has and address the issue of technology in a rational way to find a consonance between desire and reality.
Considering this, the keys to knowing in which technology to invest to enhance this dynamism of the supply chain are:
The company not only has to invest in a technological project because it is novel or creative, it has to add value , otherwise, however promising it may be, it will not help it at all. Therefore, the preference for one technology or another must be based on integrated planning and a thorough study of the organization, the competition and the environment.
It is also necessary to reflect on other important issues such as sustainability and social responsibility , as these issues have an impact on the consumer much greater than any other factor that this innovation can contribute.
In addition, the level of technological requirements is different in one company than in another, so it is essential that the organization knows itself, its customers, its suppliers and what they expect from it.
Therefore, at the moment of choosing the technological innovation that a company wants to present to its supply chain, advanced analytics will play a key role, its bases are:
- Inexcusable speed to cope with the continuous changes in the markets.
- Support in the search for balance and volatility management.
- Opportunity to gain an advantage when certain circumstances arise (weak competition or opening of new markets, for example)
- Decreased uncertainty.
- Productivity optimization.
The forecasts and basic predictions are not enough. It is essential to contextualize, obtain a complete picture of all possible alternatives and what impact their effects will have.
Technology Trends For The Coming Years
Relying on analysis is the best alternative when you want to innovate in the supply chain. In addition, it is convenient to be up-to-date and find out about the latest news and news. Some of these novelties are the lack of employees with the necessary skills and capabilities, the highly volatile aspects of demographics, or the increased capacity of current markets, which act in the composition of a new supply chain.
Therefore, among the technological trends that will be followed over the next few years are:
- The micro segmentation : will be key to success. Know what is the exact part that makes the consumer make a purchase decision or another. In order to have information on this data, it is necessary to be aware of the micro user or consumer segments, in order to know them individually. With this information, the company will be able to effectively serve each and every one of its clients.
- The RRSS : Key part for feedback. Through social media and thanks to feedback with customers, the supply chain will be able to respond proactively, dynamically and quickly.
- Artificial intelligence : integrated into the main activities of the supply chain will be achieved fundamentally influencing the technological changes that will occur in the coming years, such as is now happening with the Internet of things.
