Supply Chain Transformation

Supply chain transformation refers to the technological innovation and digitization of an organization’s supply chain.

Having a proficient supply chain operation is an integral in business success. The faster and more cost-effective you can make your supply chain, the better the business result. By transforming your supply chain to digital, or automating certain elements, businesses are able to more effectively see where gaps require attention, as well as get a stronger read on customer demand. Gartner can work with you on a supply chain transformation strategy that will deliver fast, effective business results.

As with most digitization strategies, agility is at the heart of the business decisions to move in that direction. By creating agile work functions, businesses are able to more effectively pivot when needed, as well as scale projects or teams as per need.

Supply chain management is no different, and by digitizing elements on the supply chain or automating certain services, organizations are able to implement agile functionality to improve efficiencies further. Gartner can work with you on a supply chain transformation strategy that focuses on agility and improvements to your digital capabilities.

There are several key drivers behind an organization’s supply chain transformation; however, the key to digitizing and automating your supply chain should lie in your customer demand. Some key supply chain transformation drivers are:

• Service over product. With the rise of online retail and consumerism, delivering a service-over-product experience to your end-user will see you succeed.
• Real-time logistics transparency. By delivering real-time logistics on purchases and goods, organizations can better service their customers as well as vendors.
• Cost-efficiency. New technologies such as the cloud, process automation and warehouse robotics provide efficiencies at every level of the supply chain via reliable and time-sensitive deliveries.

Successful supply chain transformations are not accomplished by top-down executive mandates. They are driven by business model dynamics, the need for cross-functional collaboration and technology forces. Successful CSCOs sell and sustain transformations up, across and down the organization by building a transformation business case that is linked to key strategic forces.