In early February, Steve Banker of Forbes described the issue of the novel coronavirus, now officially known as COVID-19, as a major supply chain disruptor. His words indicated companies could hope to contain and avoid such disruption. China had already implemented lockdowns in Wuhan and enacted travel restrictions. As we now know, the virus has quickly spread around the globe and is contributing to what is on track to become the biggest economic disaster of the century. With that in mind, a better transportation management system (TMS) and dedicated architecture system, in times like these, can provide stability during times of uncertainty. Implementing or boosting your supply chain through a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform—a SaaS-based TMS—can mean the difference between successful mitigation of supply chain disruption and complete disaster.
The Various Causes of Supply Chain Disruption
Causes of disruption vary widely. The most prevalent disruption of 2020 will undoubtedly be the effects of COVID-19, but supply chain disruptions are nothing new. Supply chain disruption risk was at its highest rate in three years in 2018, reports Material Handling & Logistics. And, while recent effects of COVID-19 continue to unfold, the global supply chain has entered a new era of disruption.
Additional Benefits of SaaS-Based TMS That Mitigate Disruptions
- Custom user portals alleviate stress on your workforce.
- Cross-device mobility, bringing the same information together across all devices in real-time, keeps your supply chain working together.
- Integrated payment management functions keep costs under control.
- Connected load planning and multimodal optimization promote short-term and long-term freight rate stability.
- Claims management processes handle the problems with delivery exceptions, challenges in getting to customers, and more.
- Any mode shipping options and end-to-end rate visibility with a strong supply chain control tower that’s paired with a world-class freight rate index, guarantee stronger ROI and supply chain continuity.
