The most challenging of times often present the greatest opportunities for change. Many past practices will be reviewed to determine what is essential. Innovation and efficiency shift from tools of prosperity to tools of survival. 2009 looms as one of the most challenging economic periods the world has faced in decades.
Our customers are focusing on near-term value opportunities and tactical improvements in operational efficiency along with strategic re-engineering of core business processes.
Customs’ Importer Security Filing rule has created a strong impetus to improve supplier integration with the logistics and transportation processes. Suppliers, consolidators and forwarders are aggressively working to implement collaborative processes to move this information as efficiently as possible.
This intensive introspection into the origin business processes is bringing important changes to the way trading partners collaborate. Partners in the logistics and transportation community must examine how they coordinate physical and information flows.
The economic malaise is forcing a fresh look at these business processes. People are taking an open-minded look at collaborative business practices. We feel this will bring about important changes in the management of international trade and transportation.
Many customers are pushing to upgrade collaborative integration between supplier factories, shipping processes, logistics service providers, government agencies, back-end ERP systems and the consumers of their goods.
We anticipate a strong push to automate processes in the supply chain. Carriers, in particular, will be under pressure to improve their ability to support electronic bookings in near real time. Customers will be under tremendous pressure to automate business processes between suppliers and their transportation intermediaries and government agencies.
The economic and regulatory changes expected in 2009 will tighten further the links of an integrated global supply chain. The acute economic and regulatory penalties that will be part of 2009 will leave businesses with little ability to tolerate weak links.