Effective communication is an integral part of supply chain management. In today's global economy, supply chains can be scattered across the map and have an equally wide-spread customer base. In order to achieve this global spread, supply chains have gone digital.
While digital technologies have transformed the industry in areas such as response time, effectively making the most of this technology and integrating it into the supply chain management process still remains a challenge, according to PwC's Global Supply Chain Survey.
It's not enough to simply have access to digital platforms in your supply chain - businesses need a way to integrate these channels in order to provide a better, more efficient system for both themselves and their customers.
Digital supply chains are spread across the globe.Challenges in implementing digital supply chains
With the move to digital platforms, collecting information and ensuring its accuracy are primary concerns for getting the process off the ground, according to supply chain management information resource SupplyChainBrain.
Before this happens, however, companies need a way to ensure the right communication infrastructure and collaborative environment is already in place to make the most of this digital transformation. It's not an easy task. A 2014 study by the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE found that integrating supply chain management systems is often hampered by three key interpersonal issues:
- Insufficient training on existing supply chain operations.
- Lack of effective communication between members.
- Lack of trust between supply chain members and information sharing between them.
Even using the right technology, without accounting for these problems, it's hard to optimise a digital supply chain.
Why Fonality can make integrating digital channels easy
Having a unified communication system can go a long way in creating a collaborative, open environment.
Having a unified communication system can go a long way in creating a collaborative, open environment and improving supply chain management. Here are just some of the reasons why Fonality's business phone systems can improve supply chains through the use of:
- Simplified phone system management to accelerate distribution cycles so customers have quicker, more convenient access to your goods.
- Unified communications offer increased productivity through the ability to talk, chat and share screens over multiple platforms to improve collaboration between supply chain members
- Enhanced customer experience through call routing, dial-by-name directories and queuing options to connect the right people and departments more quickly.
- Call centre features to keep tabs on overall performance and customer satisfaction levels.
To find out more about how Fonality can help improve your supply chain management, get in touch with our team today.
