5 Steps to Supply Chain Success

 An undeniable fact of human progress is that the world is constantly becoming smaller. For us as global mobility professionals, this makes our jobs both easier and harder. A smaller, more interconnected, globe gives us more opportunities for our global supply chain but also means that we need to effectively manage more aspects of the relocation lifecycle in an ever-increasing number of countries. It’s easy to get lost in the web of supply chain management, but this doesn’t have to be the case. This week Global Mobility Insider takes a look at the five steps you can take to ensure success within your supply chain.

1 - Leveraging Technology

Leveraging new technology in the global mobility industry has provided opportunities for managers to more efficiently track and manage their supply chains. Many of the various options for relocation management tools offer a more direct link to service providers than ever before, allowing clear avenues for feedback. Another benefit is being able to rate the providers and better keep track of client feedback. These kinds of insights give global mobility professionals better insights into how their service providers are performing for your clients, and whether to make changes for the future.

These technological advances have also opened up the possibility of obtaining real-time updates to be integrated into day-to-day workflows. Keeping a constant eye on service providers’ workflows for your clients allows you to monitor progress from afar without interfering, while still being able to troubleshoot potential issues for future tasks before they arise. Also, constant workflow updates from suppliers give you a better view of the timescales associated with the various services you require, allowing further optimisation and development of best practices when using your network.

2 - Global Networks

With technology working to streamline your workflows, you can spend more time building high-quality relationships and finding the best possible providers for your business and clients. With the world being as interconnected as it is nowadays, there’s no excuse not to extend your network across the globe. Scouring websites such as LinkedIn for possible service providers may seem an obvious suggestion, but too many in our industry are not using the full power of these excellent resources. The array of trade conferences and shows across the globe are also perfect places to make your presence known and grow your network.

Remember to look for accredited service providers where possible. Those with a EuRA Global Quality Seal or who are certified to ISO 9001 will meet higher standards than those who do not. Ensuring that you are working with those who adhere to the same best-practice guidelines as you means that you’ll always be able to offer your customers the best service possible.

It is also worth looking at service providers in countries where you do not currently do business but may need to shortly. This step may seem unnecessary, but when you’re under a tight deadline for adding a new location to your company’s global portfolio, you will be thankful for any previous steps made.

3 - Speciality Services

These days many of the service providers are branching out into other areas of global mobility thanks to the advances in technology made available to them. Although these businesses are often perfectly able to carry out any of these additional services, they will often have grown out of small and more specialised companies dedicated to a single aspect of the relocation lifecycle. Identifying these specialities and using partnered services will provide a better quality of service for both you and your employees. Catch-all providers work well, but utilising every member of your network for their best abilities is a great way to improve the effectiveness of your supply chain.

4 - Preferred Suppliers

We all have people we would, and wouldn’t, rather work with again if the opportunity arises and this is no different in global mobility. Building up networks of good and reliable service providers should be the top priority for those handling relocations in this complex global environment. Building extended and long-term relationships with these service providers will allow for more efficiency in your workflows and maybe even give you access to discounts in the long-term.

5 - Data Accountability

With the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation in the European Union (EU) next year, companies will have to be more accountable and knowledgeable about their data handling than ever before. The scope of this regulation is vast and will mean that if you or any of your clients or services are connected to an EU country at any time in a relocation, it applies. For many around the globe, this will require a total overhaul of how they approach data protection in their business.

Therefore, guaranteeing that you are abiding by the GDPR at all times is going to become an essential step in ensuring that the flow through your supply chain is efficient. Not only can problems incur huge financial penalties, but they will also constantly cause delays during the relocation lifecycle, which you cannot afford when working to tight deadlines.