With COVID-19 causing havoc on supply chains the world over, being able to handle disruption has become more important than ever.
Companies are currently facing unprecedented obstacles with the advent of COVID-19. Not only is it presenting significant issues for warehouses and those working in them but also the ability for companies to utilize their supplies. This is only being exacerbated by the growing demand for delivery by customers as so many of them are limited to their homes at present. As such, COVID-19 has been the greatest source of disruption to supply chains globally in memory. And that, in turn, means companies have to reinforce their supply chains if they’re to survive.
An article by the World Economic Forum highlights the unforeseeable nature of supply chain disruption and the numerous harms it can have,
…the triggers of supply chain disruption are hard to predict, and sometimes neither controllable nor influenceable. The robustness of networks is paramount to ensuring demand can be met with supply even in extraordinary times. COVID-19 and related responses are delivering an extraordinary shock both on supply and demand sides to the global economy – by shuttering production and cutting consumption – even as demand for healthcare materials soars.
This article by Morai Logistics covers 5 steps companies should be taking in order to manage the disruption of their supply chains.
Create an Overview of Your Supply Chain
Immediately, you should map out your supply chain. This is so you can get a better sense of the state of your supply chain and suppliers, as well as its ability to handle impediments. It is only through an overview of your supply chain that you can evaluate the risks it faces and work towards overcoming them. Critically, you need strong visibility throughout your chain in order to do this effectively. Thus, if you struggle with mapping your supply chain, that’s the first issue to address.
Contact Your Procurement Team
Your suppliers are typically hit the hardest with a disruption event. With that in mind, it’s important to reach out to your procurement team and talk about your suppliers. When you do, you should get a good sense of where your suppliers are located and how significantly they’ve been impacted. Through this knowledge you can get a sense of whether you need to diversify your suppliers. Moreover, this knowledge will also prepare you for any further disruption.
Check on Your Suppliers
This may appear to be a redundant step, given the last one, but it isn’t. Both steps are important. The last, to get a general sense of the state of your suppliers. This step, in order to get the finer details you might be missing. So, directly contact your suppliers and get a more precise picture of how they’re doing. Ask any outstanding questions you might have so you can be certain before making any decisions regarding them.
Seek Out New Data to Assess Demand
Due to the nature of a disruption, your preexisting demand data won’t be useful. A disruption, particularly of the scale of COVID-19, will alter the complexion of your demand. With that said, you’ll need to look for new avenues of data in order to accurately ascertain demand.
Focus on Risk Management
Once you have completed all the previous steps, you’ll be in a strong position to elevate your ability to handle risk. Look at all the holes in your supply chain the disruption exposes. Address each risk head on. Make risk management a priority. Ensure that both this disruption and the next are something your company can handle with confidence.
