At the end of February, supply chain leaders from the nation’s largest retailers converged in Dallas for the Retail Industry Leaders Association’s (RILA) LINK 2024 conference. They learned from experts on emerging trends and technologies in shipping, networked with peers, and met with exhibitors to forge new business partnerships.
Sifted’s team put the spotlight on our Logistics Intelligence platform, introducing it to retailers looking to reduce shipping costs and better proactively manage their parcel operations.
We were represented by three attendees:
- Tarnu Mulbah, VP of Sales
- Stephen Rolf, Enterprise Account Executive
- Eric White, Senior Account Executive
Through insights from the conference program and input from conversations with shippers, here’s our summary of the top trends retail supply chain leaders have their eyes on.
1. Global Disruptions Have Ripple Effects
The conflict in Ukraine, attacks in the Red Sea, drought in the Panama Canal, and other major geopolitical issues are adding up to give global supply chain leaders major headaches.
While occurring overseas, the effects are being felt at home. In a recent episode of LeaderShipping, Alan Amling, Supply Chain Professor at the University of Tennessee, noted “all of that (global disruption) has a ripple effect down to the parcel shippers.”
Ensuring business continuity and minimizing the impact external events have on your customers’ experience is becoming a crucial skill for supply chain leaders.
2. Sustainability Is Still Top of Mind
Sustainability has emerged as a key concern for retail supply chain leaders, driven by both consumer demand for eco-friendly practices and a broader societal push for corporations to take responsibility for their carbon footprints. Retailers are reevaluating their operations to find inefficiencies, which often highlight opportunities for sustainable improvements.
As regulations tighten and consumers become more discerning, measuring and showcasing sustainability improvements is becoming a necessity for a business’ long-term success.
3. Making the Most of Increased Visibility
With advancements in data analytics technology, supply chain leaders now enjoy unprecedented visibility into inventory levels, real-time shipment tracking, and transportation expenses – and they’re not underestimating the power of this new visibility. This transparency helps shippers turn their attention from what’s happened to what’s next, enables confident decision making, and helps retailers achieve their supply chain goals.
Expect even greater investment and innovation in data and visibility technologies in the coming years.
4. Demand for Actionable Insights
As the adoption of solutions that provide better data analysis and visibility increases, shippers are asking for more from their technology partners. They want more clear, actionable recommendations.
Recounting conversations with LINK attendees, Mulbah said “We want shipping to be an orchard, when it’s really a jungle. A lot of shippers want visibility and insights, but they also want to be told what changes to make. They’re sharp, but when there’s so much data to digest, they want to be told what they might be missing and get recommendations on what to focus on.”
AI-powered insights are becoming table stakes for logistics intelligence software.
Sifted Logistics Intelligence helps shippers solve complex shipping issues by illuminating powerful insights found in their data. Through insights and alerts, decision support, business automation, and powerful carrier management tools, Sifted empowers users to make confident decisions on their path to increased shipping efficiency.
If you missed us at the show and want to see how our software can revolutionize your operations , request a demo today!
