The international supply chain has become more about making decisions on what strategic relationships you take up in challenging times — this can be a defining moment in whether your supply chain succeeds or fails in the long run.
There are providers who, during the past two years, have tried to leverage their core offering to create additional touches in their service portfolio. Beneficial cargo owners needed to balance that against those who offer an à la carte product offering, which allows for partnering with providers for what they do best and trust that they will all work together around the common goal of delivering what was promised. If the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that those with leverage will try to exert that leverage in times of disruption and while short-term gains are found, the long-term impact can be disastrous.
The answer to long-term supply chain sustainability is the ability to pivot from one strategy to the other. What ability do you have to plug and play products and services that you need, when you need them, while at the same time retaining the integrity and confidence in your supply chain that your C-suite expects? In the end, it’s about planning, staying current in the industry, and staying true to your values and commitments, keeping the longer-term view and strategy that is focused on continuously improving your supply chain whether you are on the buy or sell side of the desk.