Not a day goes by that supply chain executives aren’t reminded of the importance of technology in today’s supply chain. The need for tech is real—there’s a labor shortage, demand for e-commerce has changed the speed of operations, and partners across the supply chain expect connectivity via these tools. Investment in software, IoT, robotics, scanning technology and more are higher than ever before. Yet, according to a recent PwC survey of more than 300 executives, a full 83 percent say their tech investments are not paying out.
The question, however, is whether or not the failure lies with the tech itself or its implementation and use. Quite often, it’s the latter. To avoid that scenario, companies need to spend as much effort in planning for implementation as in the roll out itself. Extensive training needs to be part of the equation as well, upskilling employees so that they are comfortable and capable using the new tools on the floor. Bringing new technology to an operation requires far more than plug and play, and to make the expected gains with the tools available, companies need to focus on the many adjacent steps that go along with new technology purchases.
