How to Future-proof Your Supply Chain with Cloud Technology
Supply chain management is the backbone of product-centric organizations and has the most potential to affect overall business performance. With the advancements in technology, the majority of changes are taking place in this process. Latest cloud-based solutions for supply chain management help businesses transform so they can quickly respond as new technologies emerge and customer expectations change.
On-premise systems are usually limited in scope and rarely designed to support quick-and-informed order accomplishment. Because of their siloed data structures, users lack complete visibility into all supply chain processes, and can’t easily share information with others and enable them to adjust for changes. But, an end-to-end cloud SCM system creates a digital string that connects products and services with clients, employees, and business partners.
Here, we present a few key characteristics of cloud-based supply chain solutions:
Integrated Technology
Cloud-based systems offer intuitive, built-in, and always up-to-date analytics. Modern technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) allows enriching levels of automation in systems and better business decisions through analytical modeling and recommendations. They also provide the base for businesses that wish to take advantage of other promising opportunities, such as blockchain for private trading networks.
Information Available Anytime, Anywhere
Web-based systems provide real-time visibility into various aspects of supply chain management, such as inventory, order status, shipments, and more that might negatively affect business outcomes. The solutions can also provide quick insights into events that were hard to find by using embedded analytics.
Easy to Implement and Update
Companies should concentrate on customer experience rather than the limits and lifecycles of their systems. Every aspect of managing web-based SCMs are more comfortable – implementation, usage, maintenance, and upgrades. The solution also eliminates a common challenge of traditional systems where the implementation of SCM functionality is dependent upon the core ERP.
Scalability and Data Security
Web-based systems are more scalable than traditional on-premises systems. New users can be added quickly and without additional hardware/software. With cloud technology, a business can deploy a complete warehouse management system (WMS) to manage excess seasonal inventory and then turn it off once it is no longer required.
Also, the data within the system is stored by the solution provider in a highly secured data center. It means administrators can apply patches quickly to address the type of rapidly rising cyber threats that can affect new supply chains.
Customer expectations are changing day-to-day; they want quick and safe delivery of goods. Traditional on-premise supply chain management systems can’t provide the capabilities required to make this transformation. A cloud-based, end-to-end SCM system stores data in one location and provides high visibility and control, so that business can flex to meet changing demand and conditions.
