Big or small, no consumer packaged goods brand is immune to the defining challenges shaping today’s global economy. However, when it comes to managing a complex and tenuous supply chain, small operations teams often feel the effects most acutely.
With limited resources, seemingly small inefficiencies can go unchecked and pile up into bigger problems for the business down the line. It doesn’t take long for supply chain issues like fragmented data, slow communication, and lack of visibility into order statuses to create negative ripple effects like delays, increased costs — and eventually, customer satisfaction.
Fortunately, a strategic and technology-driven approach can be the game-changer that unlocks valuable efficiencies and opportunities for small operations teams. With that in mind, we’re breaking down the most practical and high-impact strategies small teams can use to not only improve operational efficiency but also enhance collaboration and visibility throughout the supply chain.
1. Seamless tech integration across supply chain operations
Every brand benefits from the right tools to manage its supply chain effectively, yet most are using spreadsheets and emails to handle daily operations — and piecing together data and communications from multiple places eats up time, money, and other valuable resources that small operations teams can’t afford to waste.
When it comes to efficiently monitoring the end-to-end production and shipment process, integrating technology across all supply chain operations is the best answer for small teams. By taking a strategic approach to their tech stack, teams can create a single source of truth for all supply chain information and replace data silos with real-time visibility into everything from inventory levels to order statuses and supplier performance.
Intelligent supply chain technology can be the thread that not only connects every phase of supply chain operations, but enhances visibility throughout the business by seamlessly integrating with their most important tools — ultimately centralizing data, streamlining internal processes, and improving communication across departments.
From the ability to make informed decisions more quickly to identifying issues before they escalate, small teams have the most to gain by investing in a unified platform to track and monitor supply chain operations. By making technology a priority, small operations teams can not only overcome their limitations but also create opportunities to scale and grow long-term.
2. Streamlining purchase order processes
Another critical opportunity for improvement is the purchase order process. Even for the smallest operation teams, purchase orders not only go through multiple people for approval — but also get manually sent to suppliers, requiring ongoing check-ins via email, WhatsApp, and phone calls, with progress managed in a static spreadsheet — costing valuable time, and increasing the risk of stale or inaccurate data.
But with a well-structured purchase order system, small teams can customize milestones for better tracking insights and automate routine tasks like order creation and approval workflows, reducing the administrative burden on team members in favor of more strategic activities like supplier negotiations and performance evaluations.
Incorporating automations and milestones builds efficiency throughout the PO management process, and allows small operations teams to more easily keep stakeholders aligned and aware of each other’s status, improving accountability and communication.
These types of improvements empower smaller teams to focus on what really matters — reacting quickly to changes, adapting to new challenges, and maintaining the agility they need to thrive with limited resources.
3. Optimizing shipping for cost efficiency
Shipping optimization is another strategy that can make an outsized impact on small operations teams. With skyrocketing fuel prices driving up freight and transportation costs across land, sea, and air, it’s in brands’ best interest to optimize shipping for cost efficiency to avoid passing those higher costs all the way through the supply chain to the end-customer.
But according to Gartner, organizations typically prioritize a short-term supply chain cost management model over long-term business value — and with limited resources managing supply chain operations, shipping logistics are often overlooked until they start taking a toll on the bottom line.
Beyond seeking out suppliers in close geographic proximity, small operations teams can get a handle on those costs by adopting tools that use shipping data and predictive analytics to find opportunities to split orders or consolidate shipments to get products to their destinations more cost-effectively and quickly.
Splitting large orders can speed up delivery times for high-demand products, while consolidating shipments can help reduce transportation costs — and the risk of stockouts. The ability to make dynamic and data-driven decisions lets small teams more easily find the best approach for each order to improve both logistics efficiency and customer satisfaction.
A smooth experience for customers is mission critical for customer loyalty and a positive brand reputation — and in a landscape where customers are spoiled for choice and expensive to acquire, shipping optimizations are how small teams can set cost efficiencies in motion today that continue to pay off years into the future.
4. Strengthening supplier relationships
Effective communication is a cornerstone of successful supply chain management — and the right tool can put smaller teams on the fast track to stronger supplier relationships, better collaboration, and healthier operations.
While analog tools and communication channels lead to back and forth and increase the risk of important details falling between the cracks, a centralized supply chain management system (SCRM) is how busy teams can keep every supply chain stakeholder on the same page, take advantage of time-saving automations, and build valuable supplier relationships long-term.
It may sound abstract, but the business value is very real. Strong supplier relationships can unlock operational improvements like visibility into potential disruptions, better order terms, white-glove service during peak seasons, and more flexibility in managing order changes — but they can also drive innovation.
Collaborating closely with suppliers can yield new product ideas, new materials, and innovative processes that benefit both parties, setting up small operations teams to make a bigger impact on the business.
5. Enhancing logistics visibility
With more potential disruptions for brands to contend with than ever, there’s no such thing as too much supply chain visibility. Tools that offer real-time tracking and analytics are the most efficient way to ensure the 24/7 visibility needed to keep tabs on shipments and anticipate delays, especially for small operations teams.
While real-time tracking capabilities enable teams to view the exact location and status of their products, minimizing uncertainty and improving decision-making, predictive analytics can offer insights into potential disruptions so teams can create contingency plans before issues arise.
By leveraging a tool for enhanced supply chain visibility, small operations teams can not only overcome their limitations but also take proactive action based on real-time and accurate data to expand their impact even further.
Knowing where goods are at all times is an invaluable capability for teams of any size, but it’s particularly challenging for small teams without a unified tool putting actionable insights at their fingertips to help them maintain control, respond to changes, and optimize accordingly.
Transforming limitations into opportunities for supply chain management
Small operations teams face unique challenges in supply chain management, but there’s a common thread tying together the opportunities at their fingertips: Technology is the key to transforming limitations into a springboard for growth and success.
By integrating technology that streamlines PO management, optimizes shipping, improves supplier relationships, and enhances visibility, even the smallest teams can improve operational efficiency and free up resources to focus on innovation and continuous improvement. To that end, a single supply chain management tool like Anvyl can unlock all of these benefits and more for small operations teams.
With centralized data from suppliers, production facilities, and transportation partners providing real-time visibility and insights into shipments and orders, small operations teams can maximize their impact, enhance customer satisfaction, and tee up sustainable growth in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
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