The impact of digitisation is rapidly disrupting business models across organisations. This is becoming more prevalent in the manufacturing sector, in particular, supply chain where automation and data exchange are key. Cassie Lessing, managing director of Strato IT Group, provider of business system solutions including StratoPOD, says that digitising traditional supply chains has become a critical element of businesses moving forward.

“Traditionally, supply chains have been discrete and siloed often lacking integration and transparency. By embracing digitisation, supply chains will become fully integrated ecosystems, exposing every level and player within the chain, including the end customer,” says Lessing.                                  

By breaking down the siloes and bringing more visibility, digitised supply chains become more agile and better able to react to changing market conditions: “Enabling real-time power within a supply chain is extremely valuable. It not only makes reaction times fast, but also provides an opportunity for scenario planning ahead of time easier and more accurate,” says Lessing.

He says that digitisation will continue to develop the supply chain, creating a network that will offer a higher level of responsiveness and resilience: “The transparency and improved efficiency of a digitised supply chain delivery will assist companies to compete more successfully, bringing much needed advantage for clients.”

The aim of tomorrow’s supply chain is to become proactive in terms of clients’ requirements. Lessing says that being able to anticipate disruption as opposed to being impacted by it will greatly assist clients to better manage scenario planning: “The challenge is not to be underestimated, building a robust and receptive supply network is ambitious. Digitisation will play a key role in this development as will the mobile business apps built to assist clients.”

Moving away from proprietary software and embracing mobile business apps designed to manage the agility, flexibility and transparency of tomorrow’s supply chain network is key. Lessing says clients need to consider those apps that integrate fully and enable a more powerful supply chain network.