At the recent Supply Chain Leadership Forum in Denver, I started thinking about the heights that supply chain itself has risen to in the past decade.
Because it’s the vehicle that connects your strategy to your customers, supply chain has grown so important that it now commands the full attention of the C-level.
Remember when supply chain folks were some of the last in the company to be consulted about new products or changes in strategies? Thankfully, those days are long gone as businesses find themselves at a X-Roads and needing to tackle the all-encompassing Amazon Effect.I kicked off the Forum by talking with supply chain executives about the Amazon Effect and how this is one of the tipping points transforming how we view distribution networks, brick and mortar stores, and delivery. Amazon is going to take what they do best –the total customer experience, total convenience, total production selection, lower prices – and knock the ball out of the park with a store concept like the world has never experienced before.
Jeff Bezos is a genius in many ways, but most definitely in his focus on the customer. If you want to learn more about how Amazon is everyone’s competitor and how to handle Business at X-Roads, check out this podcast.
