Because of its role, supply chain touches nearly every aspect of an organization. And, with that sort of reach, those who are part of the supply chain are in an excellent position to collaborate and improve customer experience.
According to Callinan, many leading companies (Amazon and Apple to name two) already use supply chain expertise to enhance their customers’ experience. She says that even in the simplest terms, customers are influenced by their experience with the supply chain. “It’s easy to see that a late delivery can disappoint, whereas an expedited delivery can delight,” she says.
Interestingly, while logistics and customer service tend to experience the largest volume of customer interactions, far too many organizations haven’t figured out how to derive more value from these functions. But, with the right technology, the supply chain can create a seamless customer experience because of the many touchpoints along the way. Additionally, those insights gleaned along the way can lead to new opportunities with the same customer.
If only 27% of CEOs think their companies offer superior service, imagine how those numbers would jump if all companies really leveraged each opportunity along the supply chain way to improve the customer’s experience.
“The coordination role for the supply chain will assume much greater importance as advanced analytics and digital supply chain capabilities become mainstream,” says Callinan. “Organizations will increasingly use technology in this way to empower their customer-facing staff, and to measure, improve and personalize many aspects of the customer experience.”