As companies become more aware of the importance of a transparent, well-organized supply chain, supply chain mapping is an increasingly attractive prospect. Particularly in larger organizations, supply chains represent enormous potential for loss through inefficiency and miscommunication. It doesn’t take a business guru to see that such problems need to be avoided early for a company to reach and maintain its full potential, but identifying those problems is not always so straight forward.
Supply chain mapping is the process of discovering all of the links in your supply chain, establishing an understanding of each of those links, and making it easier to reach regulatory compliance. Not to mention identifying any problems that can arise due to a large and complicated supply chain and allowing you to predict and plan for disruptions.
Choosing to map your supply chain will undoubtedly give you an advantage over basic supply chain management practices. Still, it can be a considerable undertaking and pose a significant investment of funds and resources. If the end goal is increased transparency, predictability, and efficiency of your company’s supply chain, there are alternative solutions to mapping that provide additional data.
Our supply chain solution
We developed the Suuchi GRID to facilitate transparency and communication between all of your supply chain partners. This cloud-based SCM software essentially makes it possible for your partners to map the supply chain for you, in addition to providing features not offered by any other SCM software.
Let’s start by picturing supply chain mapping in terms of connecting a string between every single point in your operation from logistics to raw goods suppliers. It takes a substantial investigative effort to seek out, analyze, and connect every dot, and ultimately the result is just a lot of data with limited applications. While it’s important to know who contributes to your supply chain, in this model, your partners remain separate and unable to communicate with each other, so the brunt of the supply chain management still falls to your company.
The Suuchi GRID takes a smarter approach by providing a central hub where each of your suppliers can figuratively attach their thread. It connects your partners onto one large platform and provides tools relevant to each type of role in the supply chain. Once your partners connect to the GRID, communication lines are open. Product designers can create CAD drawings and submit tech packs for approval. Materials suppliers can receive specs and provide fulfillment timelines. Logistics partners can provide tracking and delay updates, and retailers can share sales and stock data, all measurable with a host of analytics tools.
So not only will your company be able to connect with every partner in the supply chain, you will gain a real-time image of what your supply chain looks like without the investigative efforts of mapping. This visibility fosters greater transparency in your supply chain as well as greater predictive capabilities as it becomes easier to identify potential issues or anticipate needs in advance.
Additional supply chain support from our global network
In addition to providing a platform for tracking and communicating across every stage of your supply chain, GRID users can access our global network of established suppliers and manufacturers. This network can supplement your existing supply chain if needed, providing the extra capacity to deal with unforeseen circumstances without having to source new companies in a rush or meet the increasing demand for essential products.
Overall, supply chain mapping is a viable route for many businesses seeking to streamline their operations. But technology has evolved in ways that would have scarcely been imaginable as little as a few decades ago, helping you eliminate unnecessary links and inefficient practices in your supply chain. If you can gain all the benefits of a fully mapped supply chain with a global communications hub’s added functionality, it’s well worth a second look!
LEARN MORE: Request a demo to see how the Suuchi GRID streamlines supply chain operations.
