The changes in the consumer market  

Today’s customers are nothing like they were 10 years ago, their behavior, goals, and desires were different. The new reality requires companies to adapt to the immediacy and new business ethics. 

A product is no longer just a product, it is a relationship; people don’t buy things, they buy stories. The quality of the goods is no longer the only thing to be taken into consideration by customers.  

Not surprisingly, advertising is becoming more and more personalized as well as the products themselves; the Fordist logic of the production line does not fits perfectly to all sectors of the industry anymore. At the same time, the demand grows and grows a lot, the imposed distance and globalization create new needs for the consumer market.  

The same happens with the supply chain, customers want to know everything and a little more about the production and distribution process of the goods they buy. To secure your place in the industry, conquer new customers and keep the ones you already have, you need to adapt your supply chain to the new era.  

Customers-company relationship

Not only do customers care about product quality and speed of delivery, but they also need to identify with the company they do business with. This way, your target audience relates intensely to your brand and advertises to their friends and family.   

Some companies have even created artificial intelligence with nicknames and friendly faces to intensify customer-company relationships. The world changes quickly and the old way of doing things no longer fits.  

With the imposed social distancing, the Western world is going through a transformation in the way of buying; people want a lot, and they want it now. In addition, they also demand that companies meet their ethical principles, such as labor rights and sustainability.    

It is not enough just to advertise the company’s compliance policy; you need to prove it to customers in real-time. For this you must have much more than 24/7 cargo tracking, you have to build communication, integration, and transparency within your logistics system.  

Customers requires sustainability 

Global warming, melting polar ice caps, floods, endangered species, freshwater shortage… There are many environmental problems that are intensifying. People want to know what the big companies are doing to combat all this.  

It is not just a question of market or responsibility; the future of the world and of your company is at stake when we talk about sustainability. The less the environment is damaged, the better for the future development of the system where we live in.   

That is why sustainability has such a crucial role in the supply chain and the tendency is for this issue to become increasingly serious. Gradually the inspection by NGOs and state legislation will become stricter, and the best thing is that the internal control of your company already deals with everything before it reaches these instances.  

Visibility and customers 

Visibility in the supply chain is of unparalleled importance these days. Think about it with me; would a consumer rather buy from a company he trusts or one that doesn’t provide freight information? Would an investor rather put his money in a business that has all steps known and supervised or in an opaque and unregulated system?   

The new era of the supply chain has been summarized by the strong phrase “Buy now” and E2E visibility meets the immediacy of consumers. Therefore, as soon as they make a purchase, they already receive information about the progress of the process. The systemic movement of data needs to be fluid and fast.   

End-to-end supply chain visibility, refers to transparency at all phases of supply chain management; from procurement to delivery of finished items to clients. Above all, you can conquer this transparency by meticulously monitoring each step of the process, capturing all relevant data, and organizing it in a centralized operating system. This way you review, analyze, and, have access to actionable insights to improve your business processes.   

Certainly, for proper data analysis, complete visibility in each of these regions is required. It is, however, an important part of ensuring that team members have the complete and accurate information they need to communicate and collaborate effectively. In order to meet stakeholder and customers’ expectations, innovate and enhance product offerings, and optimize business processes to build value and support organizational goals.   

Build a relationship 

Technological innovation is intrinsic to the logistical development of any company in the contemporary world. Integrating your systems and applications into a smart operating system is the smoothest way to ensure this.  

Abandon the use of paper in your industry and put your documentation and communication in a secure cloud where you can hold conferences at any time. Integrate all your processes from request for a quote all the way to tracking the shipment to the final destination. 

That way, you build a personal relationship with your customers because they will know everything they need about the product and can track the process 24/7. Don’t wait until the requirements come to you, access the new era of the supply chain.  

Our solution for you 

We know your problems and have the experience to solve them quickly. Our technology is specifically designed to combat current and future supply chain disruptions; moreover, we have many experts ready to advise you.  

Our company already serves big names in logistics and has major partnerships in several sectors. Don’t miss out, get a free demo and access the new era of the supply chain.