Supply chain is a complex operational landscape owing to interconnected processes across suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and customers. Being such an intricate ecosystem of many components with varying and interrelated operations, the lack of visibility is an inherited predicament for supply chain management. Apparently, not having essential visibility leads to unnoticed process fragmentation and delayed data dissemination, which causes inefficient decision-making in procurement planning, distribution strategy, and customer service operations. This ultimately ends up costing millions of dollars over time coupled with poor customer satisfaction.
To achieve comprehensive visibility over every layer of the supply chain, enterprises need more sophisticated tools in place rather than traditional dashboards that offers very limited information for decision makers and hindering their ability to respond timely and swiftly and produce efficient outcomes. This is where SRM Tech’s Smart Control Tower emerges as a transformative solution for supply chain management teams.
At SRM Tech, we develop custom control tower solutions by integrating data from multiple sources across diverse processes and providing a centralized view of real-time, leading, and lagging metrics. The effectiveness of these dashboards is further enhanced by layering on prescriptive and predictive analytics through the application of AI/ML.
What is a Supply Chain Control Tower?
The Supply Chain Control Tower (SCCT) is a centralized, cloud-based solution that offers real-time connectivity, monitoring, analyses, and response capabilities across all various nodes and processes within the supply chain. By utilizing advanced technologies such as AI, ML, and IoT, the SCCT consolidates data from internal and external systems to enable visibility, informed decision-making, process optimization, cost reduction, and improved customer satisfaction.
Like an airport control tower overseeing all flights, the SCCT vigilantly manages all aspects of the supply chain, ensuring visibility and efficiency at every stage.
Types of Control Towers
While all supply chain control towers aim to enable visibility, various types cater to the specific needs of different industries and supply chains.
Let’s explore some key examples of these different types of supply chain control towers.
| Control Tower Type | Description | Industry-Specific Use Cases |
| Global Control Tower | Gives a comprehensive view of global supply chain activities. | Retail Control Tower: Manages inventory levels, monitors product availability, and optimizes order fulfillment. |
| Supply Assurance Control Tower | Mitigates risks, ensures continuity, and provides real-time visibility into the supply chain. | Healthcare Control Tower: Tracks pharmaceuticals' temperature control, monitors expiration dates, and ensures regulatory compliance. |
| Manufacturing Control Tower | Optimizes production processes, monitors factory operations, and maximizes efficiency. | Automotive Control Tower: Monitors part supplies, ensures timely production, and coordinates between suppliers and assembly lines. |
| Logistics Control Tower | Manages transportation and logistics, providing real-time shipment visibility and optimizing costs. | E-commerce Control Tower: Tracks orders, manages last-mile delivery, and optimizes warehousing and fulfillment processes to improve customer satisfaction. |
Technologies Powering Smart Control Towers
The modern Supply Chain Control Tower is more sophisticated, dynamic, and responsive due to cumulative hardware and software advancements.
Internet of Things (IoT):
IoT devices, such as RFID tags, sensors, etc., gather and provide real-time data from various points in the supply chain, enhancing supply chain visibility and control. For instance, RFID tags track inventory, and sensors monitor warehouse temperature to ensure product quality.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML):
AI and ML are increasingly utilized for predictive analytics, anomaly detection, optimization, and personalized customer service.
Cloud Computing:
Cloud platforms enhance the capabilities of supply chain control towers by providing scalable, flexible, and powerful infrastructure for managing complex supply chain operations.
Blockchain:
Blockchain frameworks provide enhanced transparency & traceability, security, and efficiency in data management and transactions.
Functional Components of a Supply Chain Control Tower
1. Data Integration Layer
Purpose: Consolidates data from various sources into one platform, ensuring a single source of truth.
Key Features:
- API Integration: Gathers real-time data from different systems and devices.
- Data Cleansing: Ensures the data is accurate and standardized.
- Data Harmonization: Creates unified datasets from different formats across the resources.
2. Visibility and Monitoring
Purpose: Provides real-time tracking and monitoring, allowing organizations to observe supply chain processes vigilantly and proactively react to the issues.
Key Features:
- Real-Time Shipment Tracking: Monitors shipment location and status using GPS and IoT sensors.
- Visual Dashboards: Displays interactive maps, graphs, and charts with real-time data.
- Automated Alerts: Sends notifications for any issues or delays.
3. Analytics and Insights
Purpose: Analyzes data to offer insights and predictions, helping organizations make informed decisions and manage customer needs.
Key Features:
- Descriptive Analytics: Analyzes past data to identify trends and patterns.
- Predictive Analytics: Forecasts future events like demand changes and potential disruptions.
- Prescriptive Analytics: Provides recommendations for optimizing supply chain operations.
4. Autonomous Decision Making
Purpose: Uses real-time data and advanced analytics to make automated decisions responding to unexpected supply chain events.
Key Features:
- AI Algorithms: Uses artificial intelligence to make data-driven decisions automatically.
- Impact Analysis: Assesses the impact of supply chain events in real time.
- Scenario Modeling: Predicts outcomes of different supply chain scenarios to aid decision-making.
- Automated Responses: Executes pre-defined actions automatically based on the data.
Benefits of Supply Chain Control Towers
Assessing the Need for a Supply Chain Control Tower in your Organization
When deciding whether your organization requires the implementation of a Supply Chain Control Tower, it’s crucial to evaluate your needs based on your company’s unique challenges and demands.
Here’s a checklist to guide you through this process.
- Complex supply chain with multiple stakeholders
- Limited visibility into supply chain operations
- High supply chain costs due to inefficiencies
- Frequent delays, stockouts, or incorrect orders
- Data consistency and accuracy challenges
- Susceptibility to supply chain disruptions
- Reliance on Error-prone manual processes
- Strict regulatory requirements for traceability
- Lack of collaboration and communication among stakeholders
If some of the criteria provided above resonate with you and your organization, it’s time to implement a control tower so you can improve your supply chain operations. With proven experience in advancing supply chain performance for various brands across diverse industry verticals, we can transform your supply chain management with sophisticated Supply Chain Control Tower solutions.
At SRM Tech, we have partnered with retail and 3PL companies to develop control tower solutions for various operations such as inventory optimization, warehouse processes, and transportation management. Our dedicated team of developers takes the requirements from the clients and builds the solution either as a standalone module or integrated within the clients’ technology framework.
Reach out to our supply chain experts at scm@srmtech.com to build your custom supply chain control tower, which will zero out your inefficiencies, provide astounding control over your supply chain management, and deliver more value to your customers.
