Recognize workforce talents, take time to partner with the right suppliers

Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expert, Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, president of LMA Consulting Group Inc., tells companies to recognize workforce talents and take time to partner with the right suppliers. LMA Consulting Group works with manufacturers and distributors on strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation to maximize the customer experience and enable profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth.

“Stabilizing the supply chain has been critical these last few months for manufacturers and distributors. This has been necessary to minimize volatility and keep goods flowing, in turn, fulfilling customer expectations. Customers understand that these are different times, but they will be patient only so long. That is why it is critical to get the supply chain stabilized,” Anderson explains.

In past communications, Anderson has suggested understanding demand by connecting with both the customer and the customers’ customers. She has also discussed realigning demand with supply through the SIOP process (Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning). Yet, the most critical component in solving problems, disruptions or even expansion of the supply chain is a company’s talent. “I often ask our clients who in the organization, which disciplines and levels, is involved in the SIOP process and collaboration with customers and suppliers. If the answer is simply Supply Chain or Operations, they are missing out on solutions that their talent can bring to the table, and even more concerning is the potential loss of talent due to the lack of involvement in meaningful activities. I also ask about the depth of talent and cross-functional capabilities within a discipline. This is telling, especially when complex solutions are required to satisfy key customer requirements or resolve a situation within the supply chain. And, one of my final questions lies in the determining the kinds of relationships the company has with suppliers. Employees and suppliers can create new solutions or products and be champions of an organization,” she continues.

With high levels of ambiguity and volatility, the leader’s role is more important than ever. Anderson suggests three ways to immediately leverage talent to stabilize the supply chain. “Talent is key to stabilizing the supply chain. 1) Get your salespeople and your customers involved in the forecasting process. Sales tends to be on the outskirts of demand and supply. They need to be as involved and accountable in the demand planning and fulfillment phase as they are in generating orders. 2). To stabilize internal operations, fill gaps and keep teams focused on the customer while maximizing efficiency, formal and informal leaders must monitor progress, adjust plans and stay on top of morale, training and developmental needs. 3) Do not assume the past will repeat. Deep dive into critical supplier relationships and future viability. Make sure you have the right supplier partners, not simply the least costly vendors, and track progress frequently. And, make sure you do not have all of your eggs in one supplier basket” she concluded.

Anderson recently released a short video, What’s Happening in Manufacturing & Supply Chain: Consider Your Top Talent. Anderson has also released, Future-Proofing Manufacturing & the Supply Chain Post COVID-19, an eBook that provides practical go-forward insights, advice and experiential value.