It’s easy to vilify corporations for their inattention to eco-friendly or green initiatives. As consumers, we often use commitment to sustainability as a key factor in making buying decisions. However, these large organizations exist for one primary purpose: to deliver goods to us, the consumers.

These corporations can optimize sustainability in their efforts to get product to us, but when it’s time to return a product, consumers have very little control over the shipping process beyond dropping a box off at a shipping point.

Listen now to learn more about how manufacturers can help consumers out by providing better, more accurate product information from the beginning, and hear Diana’s take on what happens when what’s on the website doesn’t quite match what’s in the box.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

See you in the next episode.

After a brief discussion about vaccine distribution, John and Diana explore all the factors that can contribute to sustainability efforts in supply chain--emissions, raw materials, fuel costs, distribution of product, and more. Consumers tend to focus on ethically sourced raw materials and fair trade standards when making determinations about sustainability, but there are other factors in play.

John shares a unique example about how climate change is impacting the way companies warehouse goods and forcing them to consider alternative energy sources to heat and cool warehouses. He also reminds us that while supply chains are generally optimized for goods from manufacturer to consumer, the process of returning purchased goods is wildly inefficient in comparison.

Listen now to hear John’s perspective on why a big part of sustainability is simply giving consumers enough information to make the right purchase the first time.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

See you in the next episode.

In this episode, Diana notes that there are some out there who believe blockchain is overrated and won’t live up to the hype when it comes to deploying this technology in supply chain.

John disagrees with this notion for several reasons. First, as of today, blockchain has a very narrow use case in supply chain. Blockchain has an abundance of potential, but we’re still very early in the process of developing tools to leverage it effectively.

Why is it important to not underestimate the power of blockchain? Many technologies that have foundational elements to them are difficult to imagine at scale. John remembers how back in 1990, HTML was in its early stages of testing and development. At that time, it was difficult for many to see how this type of technology could be applicable in a range of circumstances.

Given that we still have websites today, clearly the hype was not misplaced. The same can potentially be expected of blockchain. It’s still new, and still difficult to imagine how it could potentially impact all types of companies, jobs, and processes.

Listen to this new episode to hear more about how groundbreaking technologies can transform over the years into something we all know and use every day, and for John’s predictions for how blockchain might begin to take hold in supply chain strategy.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

See you in the next episode.

John takes a few minutes to review the nature of online transactions historically - for many years, nearly everything could be audited and traced. Every device on the internet has an identifier. You can even track web traffic in your own home with the right software.

In terms of supply chain, John discusses how virtually all of global trade today is based on the possession of physical things. Companies are responsible for items they possess, such as when those items are on company-owned trucks or stored in a company’s warehouse.

Blockchain technology has the potential to change the way supply chain and logistics practitioners use this type of data by providing visibility to the movement of a product beyond physical barriers.

Listen now to learn more about how blockchain can be a disruptive force in supply chain, and why it’s so different from the physical supply chain as we know it today.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

See you in the next episode.

As Phil shared in that episode, nobody really builds a “just in case” or secondary supply chain. It seems reasonable if not obvious that organizations should have a backup supply chain, but how does that look in reality?

John agrees. He and Diana discuss the myriad of reasons why a “just in case” supply chain never really works. When existing relationships with vendors or service providers suddenly become unavailable, it’s nearly impossible to simply pick another vendor and keep things moving.

This hasn’t stopped supply chain and logistics teams from dreaming up secondary supply chains for the benefit of executives who want them, but unless those paths are routinely exercised and active, they will fall short in the event of a major disruption (much like we’ve seen with COVID-19).

Listen to this new episode to learn new strategies for building flexibility and resiliency into the supply chain. Some are easy enough for you to implement today, such as using multiple vendors for similar tasks.

In the midst of a global pandemic, it’s easy to assume we never saw this coming. In fact, many of us didn’t… but those of us in supply chain did. In the latest episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, John Abrams, CEO of Venzee, and Diana Chen discuss how different organizations plan for the unexpected.

The problem isn’t a lack of planning. Rather, John believes, the problem is that plans don’t necessarily incorporate the level of resiliency and flexibility required to cope with even the most fundamental challenges.

For example, many organizations made the massive switch to work-from-home relatively smoothly. Others were suddenly faced with what to do about desktop computers that couldn’t be moved, missing contact information for key employees, and even access to documents or files that were only available on company networks.

Listen to this episode to learn the difference between planning for the unlikely vs. the absurd, how John’s experience at the Chicago Herald changed his expectations for “disaster planning,” and why companies should address flexibility in their internal operations first.

Unfortunately, we’re not quite there yet. In this episode of Rethinking Supply Chain, John Abrams, CEO of Venzee and Diana Chen continue unpacking the challenges associated with digitizing the supply chain.

John identifies common ways entities at varying stages of the supply chain work to optimize their own processes. For example, a simple barcoding system might transform the operations of a singular warehouse, but if that data doesn’t factor in what happens to that product before it arrives and after it leaves, we’re missing huge opportunities to create more efficient logistics systems and better experiences for the end consumer.

There is no quick fix, but John assures us we’re in the exciting early stages of what will be a rapid transformation. Listen now to hear John’s recommendations on how companies can take small steps toward digitization and work toward better business outcomes.

In this episode, John Abrams, CEO of Venzee, and Diana Chen take a minute to reflect on what the global pandemic has taught us about supply chain management in unprecedented circumstances. John discusses how even backup plans for worst-case scenarios may have accounted for weeks-long disruptions, but year-long? Unimaginable.

John and Diana also continue their conversation on digital vs. physical supply chains. John addresses the deep fragmentation that exists within the supply chain as a result of individual entities optimizing their own footprint without full visibility into the end-to-end process.

Listen now to hear how end-to-end digitization in the supply chain can help reduce losses from unexpected downtime and what the future of a digital supply chain might look like.

In this episode, John Abrams, CEO of Venzee, and Diana Chen continue their discussion of how organizations can derive the most value from implementing digital solutions to age-old supply chain problems.

John identifies the need for a massive paradigm shift in the way supply chain leaders and doers think about common challenges. For example, companies shouldn’t just take losses from product recalls for granted. There are technological solutions that can help mitigate those costs and improve the customer experience.

Listen now to find out why digitization isn’t really about moving the stuff (or taking it back!). It’s about how streamlining other functions like marketing and communications can better support supply chain disruptions.

Consider this piece of trivia: Why is Chicago such an important logistics hub?

John provides the answer--railroads. As a rail hub, Chicago didn’t only provide an important home to early catalog retail giants like Sears. It also spurred the growth of adjacent industries like photography studios and printing presses.

Listen to this episode to take a closer look at why some industries tend to cluster in certain geographic areas and how those clusters can affect how organizations attract and retain talent.

Diana recalls the example of a large company still using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets manually to communicate product data to distributors and retailers. John explains the inefficiencies associated with such a system and then dives deeper into how the entire selling process goes on. Once a seller receives their barcode, any product on sale should be able to be digitized, but we still don’t see it going on. 

Finally, John goes through what the ideal process could be today. Manufacturers should still meet face to face with their customers, but the next step in the process should be digitized. Once quantities and prices are determined, the paper processes should take the back seat to technology. Information should be held in master data management systems so product information is organized efficiently.

Greg begins by addressing the misconception that most aspects of the supply chain are already digitized and identifies key areas where even small-scale disruptions in manual efforts (such as labor strikes or work-from-home orders) can impact processes far down the road.

Greg and John identify a common mistake organizations make in their digitization efforts--they digitize in silos. They implement various software platforms at different stages of the supply chain, and often these platforms don’t integrate. There is no visibility between stages of transport.

Why is this important? Greg believes that the supply chain isn’t just about moving product. It’s a vehicle for communication. It’s how companies build brand equity, satisfy consumer demand, and deliver a positive customer experience whether it’s buying, repairing, or returning. Without digital integration and transparency between each step, companies can miss out on delivering even more value for the consumer.

[Follow on Social] Listeners can connect with Greg on LinkedIn.

What to do next:

• Discover more resources including podcasts and webinars by visiting SupplyChainNow.com or follow SCN on social to keep updated on new episodes and content: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn
• Learn more about Kubera Venture Capital, Greg’s VC firm, by visiting Kubera.vc
• Learn more about Venzee, John Abram’s organization, by visiting Venzee.com
• Turn yourself into a thought leader with Content Allies

Subscribe to this podcast:

Don’t forget to subscribe to Rethinking Supply Chain on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

See you in the next episode.

As a result of the global pandemic, supply chain challenges and innovations are making headlines around the world. Greg explores this new phenomenon by first reflecting on his early career investing in supply chain technologies and how his perspective has evolved over the years. As an investor, he built his early career looking for the “next big thing,” only to realize that few new technologies will have that level of impact. Why?

Greg advises that the strategic goals of the business are key to choosing the right technologies. Supply chain is far more than moving something from Point A to Point B. It’s a critical facet of brand identity, customer experience, and organizational values such as sustainability and fair trade. Can organizations accomplish all this with just one platform? Listen now to find out.

[Follow on Social] Listeners can connect with Greg on LinkedIn.

What to do next:

• Discover more resources including podcasts and webinars by visiting SupplyChainNow.com or follow SCN on social to keep updated on new episodes and content: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn
• Learn more about Kubera Venture Capital, Greg’s VC firm, by visiting Kubera.vc
• Learn more about Venzee, John Abram’s organization, by visiting Venzee.com
• Turn yourself into a thought leader with Content Allies

Subscribe to this podcast:

Don’t forget to subscribe to Rethinking Supply Chain on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

See you in the next episode.

John explains the basics of physical supply chain logistics, beginning in the warehouse. He describes cross-docks and how pallets get broken down for distribution. Traditionally, pickers scan deliveries in the cross-docks and then take them to the truck that will continue the supply chain. With swarm robotics and dark factories, the entire process can be automated, allowing for continuous turnover at lower energy levels and less cost to human capital.

John and Diana then shift the conversation by reviewing some previous episodes. John noticed that some younger guests from previous episodes were surprised at how low-tech most of today’s supply chain models still are. He shares some anecdotal evidence of the simple models that are still being used despite the technology available today.

John introduces a group called the Futurists that leans into supply chain management and consults companies to help them integrate the Internet of Things (IoT) into their operations. The Futurists are explaining how IoT allows automation across all links in the supply chain, improving efficiency. 

People studying the future of supply chain management are focusing their research on demand patterns, QR codes, dark factories, radio frequency identification (RFID), swarm robotics, and real time transportation visibility. John gets into some of the details of dark factories -- factories that are machine-based that don’t need lighting. He explains how factories operating with automation can better operate at their ideal capacity based on demand patterns.

John ends on a high note with an optimistic feeling of hope that working culture in the United States will embrace the new trends in supply chain logistics. While the U.S. labor culture is somewhat behind other countries when it comes to supply chain automation, there are people who are working to change attitudes and increase efficiency at home. 

John starts the episode by bringing up three points that stood out to him while participating in a global conference that Phil’s organization hosted. First, resilience matters, second we’re generally lacking when it comes to planning for low-probability events, and third, nobody builds ‘just-in-case’ supply chains.

In most cases, companies outsource portions of the supply chain, and generally, it is to a single service provider. In this conversation, John asks Phil about how to develop the ‘just-in-case’ contingency plans to stay ahead of the game.

Phil shares his experience working in retail to provide some ways in which supply chain stakeholders can plan for one-off disruptions. He describes some of the difficult conversations that executives may need to have when it comes to discussing the fragility of supply chain networks. Although the cost has gone down, companies tend to rely on a single distributor, and that model may need to change as unique disruptions continue to occur.

Contact Phil and The Ohio State University Risk Institute at http://fisher.osu.edu/risk.

John opens the discussion by referencing a conference that Phil organized and John attended that was focused on the topic of risk. Planned before the pandemic’s effects on the supply chain, the only real change to the conference speakers’ content was to introduce Covid-19 as a geopolitical risk.

They then shift the conversation to the future of how they will handle risk management. Phil suggests that low-probability risk will remain a factor when it comes to global distribution planning. He also discusses how organizations should structure themselves to remain resilient in the face of adversity, rather than planning for low-probability risks.

John and Phil wrap up their conversation by talking about how to prepare both business and political leaders to face continued risk. Phil’s experience at DHL taught him that embracing risk and putting it on the table at the highest organizational levels can be positive. Engaging top leadership in conversation surrounding risk will lead to ongoing resilience.

Contact Phil and The Ohio State University Risk Institute at http://fisher.osu.edu/risk.

In their last discussion, Scott talked about supply chain fragility, which led John to muse over the importance of flexibility and resilience in supply chain. Flexibility is the key to remaining salient in the face of crisis. However, given today’s environment, flexibility isn’t enough. It needs to be fast, intelligent flexibility. The good news is that digitization is already making this a reality for many organizations. 

John and Scott then get into the details of end-to-end supply chain visibility. Today, there is no way to provide product data directly to the consumer, and the only way to make that possible is to make the entire supply chain digital. Scott gives some insight into the intersection of artificial intelligence and supply chain visibility and how technologies like sensors and blockchain are improving visibility.

The pandemic has proven to be an opportunity for supply chain management industry players to ask why there were failures. While they don’t necessarily need to plan for the next pandemic, we need to plan to make the supply chain itself more resilient. John and Scott remain optimistic that the supply chain will improve due to the lessons learned from a global difficult situation.

Scott got into discovering supply chain management when he completed his service with the United States Air Force. He loved the team mentality integral to end to end manufacturing, which led him to a full career in logistics operations. 

The pair discuss how every executive is a supply chain manager in this day and age. Keeping track of the last touch when it comes to getting goods to consumers is key. People remain a huge component of the logistics equation, but now they have a different role. If people are willing to adapt and embrace technology, they can be key players in the supply chain.

Scott explains how we are all part of the supply chain. People are gaining a deeper understanding of logistics, greatly due to the increase in e-commerce and the exposure of weak spots from a global crisis.

Johan hails from Sweden, a content management hub, and now operates out of Chicago, a North American logistics hub, both physically and digitally. While inRiver’s offices established themselves in Chicago due to the availability of a transportation facility, the choice was a pleasant surprise for Johan as he discovered the concentration of supply chain talent in the city and in the larger region. 

Johan explains how inRiver developed its digital localization strategy to meet the needs of both Nordic countries’ companies and European companies overall given their need to engage with external markets due to a lack of internal population and demand. 

Finally, John and Johan talk about how people who work on digital content for products can excite others in the supply chain industry and how to rethink manufacturing across the entire process. 

Get in touch with Johan by sending an e-mail to hello@inriver.com, or simply visit his company’s website, www.inriver.com.

Johan began his journey in digital product information working with Nordic giants Nokia and Erikkson by creating a PIM (product information management) company before the acronym was even industry standard. Although PIMs are gaining traction as manufacturers become aware of the savings associated with data communication, John is still surprised at the small market share that companies like his are taking on.

So why haven’t supply chain networks adopted more technology? Pain points remain, and investment is increasing. The pandemic has highlighted what industry veterans have always known. John and Johan get into the details of how tech-based network solutions can improve supply chain efficiency and drive revenue faster for suppliers.

Get in touch with Johan by sending an e-mail to hello@inriver.com, or simply visit his company’s website, www.inriver.com.

John begins the panel discussion by inquiring into Sarah’s experience so far at Amazon. As an employee of Amazon Web Services, Sarah works as a professional services consultant to help enterprise customers develop cloud computing solutions. As a partner of AWS, Venzee is able to infinitely scale massive amounts of data through the use of cloud computing.

They then shift to how much innovation is required for manufacturing giants. While large companies can afford to drag their feet when it comes to innovation in the short term, that model won’t be sustainable in the long run. Data needs to be at the core of every business to remain competitive.

Despite the technology we have available today, supply chain networks are still dependent on rigid, expensive, and slow paper processes. For younger generations, it can be a frustrating shock to enter supply chain management and see how outdated operations actually are. 

The group contemplates what is holding supply chain innovation back. Acknowledging that change in a large organization is challenging by nature, Sarah and Matt delve into the difficulties of change management, especially when it comes to corporate manufacturing. Organizing multiple teams to adopt new technical procedures is difficult, and as new generations enter the labor market and influence decision making, there is some conflict when it comes to convincing incumbents that technology is worth the initial investment.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought supply chain vulnerabilities to the forefront of ongoing discussions, so John asks Hermann why more research isn’t going on surrounding the supply chain. Despite a shift from 5,000 years of traditional linear supply chain management, we don’t see a lot of discussion about the changes going on. 

John asks Hermann about how the digital core can be an impetus to use artificial intelligence (AI) to rebalance the supply chain when faced with unforeseen disruptions. They talk about how AI is shifting the way the digital core influences supply chain operations. 

Through the use of AI, supply and demand can be adjusted in real time without human intervention, thus moving away from the EDI system in place today and toward a more sophisticated system that can anticipate changes in the market and adjust supply chains.

If you’d like to learn more about Niki, you can visit their website, and if you’d like to contact Hermann, the best way is via his LinkedIn page.

Hermann’s graduate research looks into how linear supply chain has shifted to a network model. His interest in non-linear supply chain began with a passion for technology and the disruption of traditional models. 

Understanding the implications of supply chain disruption can be complex, so John and Hermann explore how businesses and organizations can systematically adapt to the new systems. There is no linear way of approaching the change because everything is happening so rapidly and chaotically. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the supply chain has become exponentially stressed, leaving companies with an urgent need to digitize as soon as possible.

To conclude, Hermann suggests thinking about changes from a different perspective. Technology isn’t necessarily an addition to how things work; rather, there needs to be a shift that places technology at the core of operations to add value to the supply chain overall.

To learn more about what Hermann is working on, you can visit the Niki company website, or connect with him on LinkedIn. He’d love to hear from you.

For some companies today, their supply chain is still running on technology that is over 50 years old. Data is managed by people with clipboards, and with the technology available today, efficiency could be greatly improved if transportation and logistics took advantage of automation.

John talks about his experience speaking with logistics leadership who are behind the times and then contrasts that with futuristic ideas. He talks about how the Internet of Things (IoT) is going to revolutionize supply chain logistics overall, and how there are groups that are promoting this vision. Artificial intelligence, IoT, and complete automation should be the future of supply chain management. 

John ends on a hopeful note, with an anecdote from his experience at the Chicago Tribune. He had early access to the Internet and spread the word within the company despite naysayers who weren’t ready to change their habits. He remains optimistic about the complete transformation of the supply chain within the next few decades.

What to do next:

• Learn more about Venzee on our website.
• Turn yourself into a thought leader with Content Allies

COVID-19 has highlighted the deep inefficiencies that exist in supply chain management today, and in Sean’s experience at Boex, since the beginning of the pandemic they’ve had an influx of requests for data protection services connected with digitizing their supply chain logistics.

Even as recently as five years ago, trade contracts were done physically on paper, but today, companies want to streamline the legal process and ensure security. Using blockchain technology, Boex helps all stakeholders along supply chain networks encrypt their sensitive data, driving down to the single word or letter level. Boex helps create digital trust through blockchain which can be audited, is timestamped, and has geolocation embedded. All of the data surrounding a transaction can be conveyed instantaneously and securely online.

So why aren’t more companies embracing blockchain technology? Sean talks about fear, not only from company CFOs, but also from the transportation industry and legal communities who feed off of paper trails generated in ports and transport hubs. 

However, as Sean points out, the pandemic has disrupted the dynamics of the entire system, and with the technology that his company provides becoming more readily available, investors are going to start noticing and get on board. John and Sean talk about how in just 10-15 years, 3D printers are going to completely revolutionize the entire supply chain system, making hubs like sea ports obsolete. Now is the time to invest in online supply chain security to stay ahead of the curve when these predictions become reality.

To learn more about Boex, go to https://boex.biz/ or reach out to Sean directly at sean.a.copeland@boex.biz.

Since the 1980s and 1990s, the possibilities of using the internet to manage supply chains and maintain security have increased exponentially, but companies and regulatory bodies are slow to take advantage of these opportunities. 

As two advocates for innovative supply chain technology, John and Sean begin their conversation by discussing some of the history of how Sean got into the industry by chance, and since then has become an active participant in internet governance. A member of the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers, Sean helps to oversee how the internet operates behind the scenes. His company uses blockchain technology to encrypt trade contracts and information for compliance purposes.

They get into why more companies and organizations aren’t embracing connecting via the internet and how security fears are really holding the entire system back. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted everything, and companies are scrambling to use the internet to speed supply chain connections.

Boex provides a solution by encrypting what were traditionally paper documents using blockchain technology, thereby facilitating sharing sensitive information online. They enable companies to create levels of trust that businesses can gain with their trade partners -- something that we need today more than ever.

To learn more about Boex, go to https://boex.biz/ or reach out to Sean directly at sean.a.copeland@boex.biz.

Beginning with a look at Deming’s principles for supply chain management, John notes how they were developed before computers and supply chain networks, and how Deming may have envisioned supply chain efficiencies in today’s world. The pair agree that the lines across supply chain stakeholders have become more fluid, and Kerry explains how Enterworks is working to provide the relevant information to various points along the network.

Through the use of automation, Enterworks helps manufacturers send relevant information across all channels, tweaking said information depending on its recipient. Getting the correct data to the relevant user today has become so complex that unless the process is automated, mistakes are bound to be made, causing revenue loss across the entire supply chain network. Automation and information relevance are critical to maintaining a competitive advantage.

Finally, John and Kerry talk about how they can quantify manufacturers’ and distributors’ pain during the pandemic, and how Enterworks is helping them to assuage that pain. The size of a company doesn’t necessarily affect how many SKUs they need to manage, but regardless of the number of products, the amount of data to manage is impractical at a human level. 

Learn more about Enterworks at www.enterworks.com, and to contact Kerry directly, send him an email at kerry.young@enterworks.com.

Both veterans of supply chain management, John and Kerry discuss the lag in innovation and speed of change along supply chain networks. In the early nineties, Kerry was working on trying to connect all aspects of the supply chain, and he notes that due to the difficulty of the task at hand, progress is going at a snail’s pace. 

Many manufacturers choose to invest in building a website and developing content, while investing in the mechanics of distribution falls by the wayside. Kerry talks about how things were beginning to change pre-pandemic, and now with the pandemic they will begin to accelerate. Supply chain issues are becoming more critical, so companies will shift from investing solely in marketing to investing in product information management systems. 

To wrap up the episode, Kerry talks about how the pandemic has affected product information management and his recent experiences. 

To learn more about Kerry’s experience, or for general information about Enterworks, just follow the link here: www.enterworks.com. Alternatively, feel free to send Kerry an email with any questions: kerry.young@enterworks.com.

They discuss what Matt has learned during his experience at Venzee, and how the work they do affects supply chain management. Matt notes that he was surprised to learn how distant online vendors may be from their product manufacturer. In his experience shopping on Amazon, he had to do extra research on a third party site for full  product information.

Parts of supply chain data and information sharing are still seriously lacking, which was surprising to Matt. Since learning about what Venzee does to automate digital supply chains, he has come to realize why consumers shopping online still receive products that don’t live up to their expectations. 

Finally, John and Matt talk about how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the supply chain, the great toilet paper shortage of 2020, and Matt’s experience of the pandemic while abroad in Australia. It really opened his eyes to the gaps in supply chain management, and piqued his interest in how to improve the entire industry.

Subscribe to the podcast

Thanks for listening to the Rethinking Supply Chain podcast.

Don't forget to subscribe on Apple podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

See you in the next episode.

Thanks for listening to the Rethinking Supply Chain podcast.

Don't forget to subscribe on Apple podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

See you in the next episode.

Stress that is placed on the supply chain due to external events has highlighted the need to streamline the supply chain with machines that make perfect decisions. Using the example of Mcdonald’s Restaurant food chain, John explains how being able to receive orders ahead of time remotely ensures seamless product delivery. 

John goes on to explain what machine to machine interaction looks like in the supply chain. Using the example of a large retailer, we learn the intricacies of operations and where machines can step in to improve efficiency. 

Humans won’t become obsolete, but as John explains, there are areas where machines make more sense. He explains how classic principles that have powered supply chains need to be adapted and implemented to increase efficiency, and how many distribution chains have yet to do so. 

John and Ceejay met in 2016, and since then, things in the retail supply chain have changed drastically. Suppliers and sellers are looking for content management systems to keep up with this wave of change. 

Ceejay mentions three specific waves of change that include both product data and images. Online merchants require more information in order to sell to consumers and make sure that products are easily accessible. 

This episode discusses the intricacies of e-commerce from its inception to today. Ceejay explains what A-plus content means, and how enhanced web pages give consumers more information that is easily accessible.

You can follow Ceejay Teku on LinkedIn to see what he’s up to! 

Don’t forget to check out his company, Catsy, at the link below:

Catsy: https://catsy.com/

What to do next:

• Learn more about Venzee on our website.

This episode begins with some reflection on how Chicago’s industrial legacy is being repurposed in the form of innovative supply chain management companies. Ceejay talks about his experience with enterprise software company, SAP, and how he has been able to consolidate and modernize certain information systems contained in SKUs to make it more accessible for e-commerce companies.

Ceejay’s experience in product information distribution helped him to hone in on the challenges facing the existing companies in the industry. Catsy helps companies take advantage of their digital assets and communicate that information to sellers so they can accurately present SKUs to consumers. If a consumer can’t see a product, for example, they are less likely to make an online purchase. Catsy is working to solve this gap in information.

You can follow Ceejay Teku on LinkedIn to see what he’s up to! 

Don’t forget to check out his company, Catsy, at the link below:

Catsy: 

https://catsy.com/

While the supply chain will never break, it is constantly faced with disruptions. So how can businesses ensure that their supply chain will be able to face disruptions without being negatively impacted? John uses the example of a strike in a U.S. port, which happens frequently. Manufacturers and retailers depend on port workers being able to offload goods from overseas for shipping in a particular region, and frequently the best source of information has been regional news sources.

However, by digitizing supply chain information, supply chain systems can automatically identify where there are points that could become bottlenecks and provide an alert so that the risk is clear and secondary supply options can be made available.

Overall, the digital supply chain system needs to be making the decisions, not people. The algorithm should be focused on making sure that the supply chain is operating at the most efficient level without bias. 

This episode wraps up with some practical information for businesses to become better prepared for the next big disruption. Businesses need to plan for crises, both large or small, ensure availability of information, and create contingency plans that can be enacted swiftly with as little human error as possible.

Therefore, now is a good time for businesses to analyze their current supply chain system and think about how that system can be improved. One way businesses can improve their supply chain effectiveness is through full visibility for all stakeholders. With full visibility, manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers can anticipate disruptions and plan accordingly.

Today, visibility needs to be digital. Even before the pandemic highlighted all of the inefficiencies in most supply chain systems, businesses were feeling the stress of lacking complete visibility. By going digital, the entire supply chain can have access to necessary information to ensure a streamlined experience.

So, why aren’t businesses making their supply chain management systems digital? John explains how manufacturers are challenged by data management, and it may be keeping them from taking advantage of the available technology. John talks about how Venzee has harnessed artificial intelligence to simplify the process of data management for manufacturers and suppliers.

Beginning with an overview of GDSN, John asks whether the system is still useful, or whether a new system should be implemented. Peter explains that a new system is absolutely needed in order to provide all selling channels with the information that they need to make their sales. 

GDSN is a limited dataset that is insufficient for all retailers, so while it has had its use, consumer and market needs have outgrown the entire system. Retailers are constantly updating their content requirements, and they are falling outside of the GDSN’s outdated scope. Retailers are trying to address consumer needs, and suppliers are trying to help them. The global standards that GDSN follow are lacking when it comes to consumer desires, thus hindering the potential for sales.

Venzee is able to address the dynamic nature of supplier and retailer needs in order to reach consumers and improve the bottom line. When products have new features or attributes, suppliers and retailers want to let consumers know. The GDSN no longer has the capacity to communicate all of the new product features available. Manufacturers have gone their own way to communicate with retailers, and Venzee is working to facilitate that shift. 

You can find Peter on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to check out Venzee at the link below!

Venzee: 

venzee.com

Peter starts by talking about retailers’ need to receive useful product information to sell products online and takes us through the various changes that manufacturers, distributors, retailers and marketing teams have gone through over the past few years.

With the shift to e-commerce, retailers require a comprehensive dataset to effectively present their products online. In the past, for suppliers, uploading content onto a platform could take weeks or up to months, causing inefficiencies and slow access to the market. 

Peter explains the iterative process of aggregating product information and uploading it to a management system, to matching content with retailers, and then communicating said information to the retailers themselves. 

Finally, John and Peter look to the future of content distribution management. They look at how manufacturers and suppliers provide accurate, complete content to various retailers and even consumers today. 

You can find Peter on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to check out Venzee at the link below!

Venzee: 

venzee.com

We start by looking at Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) as a system, which Chad describes as the ‘crawling’ stage of content distribution. He then goes on to tell us about how distribution has evolved over time. While EDI provides some information, consumers may want to know more, especially in certain industries, like the medical industry. 

The conversation then shifts to the walking, running, and even flying stages of product content distribution. Manufacturers have had their hands forced somewhat by governments in some sectors, increasing investment in technology solutions. 

Not only are governments requiring increased transparency throughout the supply chain, but retailers are putting pressure on manufacturers and suppliers as well. Each major retailer requires very specific product content information, and handling these requirements manually is nearly impossible. John and Chad end this episode by looking at how artificial intelligence could be the means through which product content distribution starts to fly. 

You can find Chad on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to check out Venzee at the link below!

Venzee: 

venzee.com

John and Chad explore why there are so many challenges for manufacturers to communicate product information effectively to the relevant stakeholders throughout the supply chain. Many manufacturers today have to go through many hoops, due to antiquated systems together with an overwhelming variability in the solutions manufacturers can choose to implement as they try to shift to a new system. 

Chad explains what product content is and how important it is to both the supply chain and the consumer. He gives some anecdotal examples of his experience as a consumer and, at the professional level, of the consequences of miscommunication and lack of data distribution. When a consumer receives a product that doesn’t match the data they used on the marketplace to evaluate their purchase, the manufacturer’s brand is hurt, sales are reduced, and supply chain costs rise. 

Finally, John and Chad give some advice to companies that may be struggling with product content distribution. Content distribution needs to be considered a program and not a project, so manufacturers’ mindsets need to shift, and content distribution managers will become more and more important as supply chains become digitally integrated. 

You can find Chad on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to check out Venzee at the link below!

Venzee: 

venzee.com

John dives into why it is important for businesses to be flexible about their supply chain processes, what businesses can do now to be more flexible and adapt to current times, specific things that can be done to improve flexibility in supply chains, and much more.

John starts off by framing the current problem: even companies with the best supply chains have been challenged by the Covid-19 pandemic. Walmart, a company with one of the best supply chain management systems in the country, still encountered challenges maintaining stock of certain products.

Why is that? Although Walmart has an excellent supply chain system, they are working with suppliers who may not have their systems up to date. All of a sudden, workers were sent home, and the lack of AI-powered supply chain management meant that logistics were frozen overnight since the traditional hands-on methodology couldn’t continue.

Flexibility is crucial right now as the pandemic has exposed the gaps and inefficiencies across supply chains in nearly all industries. Flexibility means diversifying distribution as well as the adoption of ‘network thinking’, to plan for uncertainty.

John dives into why it is important for businesses to be transparent about their supply chain processes, the level of transparency businesses owe to the general public, actionable tips for businesses looking to improve transparency in their supply chain, and much more.

Practically, businesses need to digitize their supply chain data and move on from faxes and spreadsheets. Digitization helps remove mistakes and improves supply chain transparency overall.

We look at the differences between supply chain transparency and supply chain visibility. Visibility means that no matter where you are in the supply chain, you can have access to the components and elements of products going through the supply chain. 

John discusses how a lack of supply chain visibility can prevent manufacturers from communicating health or safety concerns to their consumers. Manufacturers want to get their ethical and safety standards to the consumer as soon as possible, even in the case of a recall, to maintain that healthy customer relationship. 

Framing the issue of transparency and visibility from both the moral perspective and the business bottom line, John explains why it is in manufacturers’ interest to make it as clear and simple as possible. The availability of information prevents consumers from imagining worst case scenarios and enforces relationships across the entire supply chain.

In this episode, John Abrams looks at some of the ways in which supply chains aren’t as connected as we might think and how supply chain stressors have been brought to the foreground by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the long-term, COVID may have been just the shock that industry needed to wake up to the new possibilities available to improve streamlined supply chains.

This episode wraps with some of John’s top tips for businesses that are struggling with supply chain stressors to move forward. Implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions can help businesses keep up with the growing challenges associated with an ever-more integrated and demanding market. Supply chain automation needs to be on the agenda over the next few years in order to show shareholders and investors that senior supply chain leadership is ready to handle upcoming crises.

Link to Forbes article: 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/04/09/how-to-fortify-your-supply-chain-in-an-era-of-escalating-disruption/#3b280de74517

John talks about why Chicago means anything to global retail, the future of Chicago as a digital retail hub, and much more.

In the mid to late 1800s, Sears-Roebuck chose Chicago as its hub due to its proximity to rail. John compares Sears to Amazon in terms of innovation and supply chain efficiency. The company became a global powerhouse through the distribution of their catalogues throughout North America and even globally. 

While back then the retail giants gave life to photographers, printers, and marketing studios, today those businesses have morphed into content creation specialists and technical product information management businesses. In addition, similar businesses have moved to Chicago from other parts of the United States or overseas. 

John and Diana get into the weeds of how and why Chicago became and remains a product information management hub, and how the retail giants that put it on the map have transformed into modern versions of their former selves.

John kicks things off by addressing what brand data is, who owns it, how most brands handle brand data, how brands can own more of their data, and much more.

So who owns brand data? What is it exactly? Brand data is all of the information associated with a product manufactured by a brand. This can include the image, description, weight, and chemical composition of any given product. However, most brands outsource that information to marketing agencies. 

When it comes to operations, however, even more data is needed for shipping and distribution. Now, consumers want to know more and more about the supply chain itself, as opposed to just the product’s specifications. 

This episode explores the various stakeholders that hold brand data and its impact on the consumer market, as well as the future of how businesses handle their own data.

Global Data Synchronisation Network, also known as the GDSN.

John dives into what the GDSN is, why it was started, and why GDSN standards matter. They also talk about how GDSN standards work, how relevant they are in today’s world, and much more.

When manufacturers want to share information with retailers, they plug that information into the GDSN, and when a retailer wants that information, they can access it from the system. Born from the idea of a global network for logistics, the system began in the 1970s and has remained the primary system manufacturers and retailers use today.

John and Diana discuss what the future of the GDSN could look like as product information dissemination evolves. They look at how retailers and manufacturers can work with technology companies to improve the GDSN and how that might affect distribution and logistics in the future.

John Abrams, CEO of Venzee, dives into what these supply chains typically look like in the real world, and he gives some examples of companies that have switched from a linear supply chain to network model and much more.

Having invested in research projects surrounding the future of supply chain with the integration of the internet and now artificial intelligence, John has learned that despite the array of opportunities companies have to take advantage of technology, most companies still aren’t doing it. 

A few giants such as Amazon have been able to leverage network models to cut out the middleman when it comes to distribution, but they have largely monopolized the market, making it difficult for smaller players to do the same thing. 

At the end of the day, John explains, linear supply chains will go by the wayside, so now is the time to take advantage of the available technology and incorporate networks into your supply chain model.

In this episode, we will be introducing you to your host, John Abrams, his company, Venzee, and we'll be giving you a little preview into what you can expect from listening to this podcast.

Venzee is a technology company that handles the last mile of product distribution by directly connecting suppliers with retailers. Traditionally the process involves a lot of people with clipboards and excel spreadsheets, but Venzee uses artificial intelligence to automate product specification communication, making it meaningful for the end consumer.

With over twenty years of experience in supply chain management, John is excited to share his expertise and discuss supply chain innovation with other leaders. During the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chain management has become a topic of much discussion, John is going to look at the various ways in which supply chain logistics can improve rapidly to manage product distribution in the best possible way.