Keep Operations on Track During Tech Transitions
Article from MHI Solutions Magazine
When companies introduce new automation and digital technology into their supply chains, they anticipate it will provide benefits like lower costs and increased production. But they’re also concerned about the potential for business disruption during transition. Will they be able to get their products out the door on time? Can key staff members support both new tech implementation and current operations? What happens to their supply chain if the tech deployment is delayed?
“After a project has been funded and a software or hardware technology has been selected to be implemented into operations, everyone is on the same page that this is going to make things better. But the problem is knowing that when you pull the trigger, it is going to hurt. Whether it hurts your efficiency levels or direct sales and revenues, it is going to constrain your network and your operations in some way. So mitigating these obstacles is the challenge at hand,” said Brock Oswald of Deloitte Consulting.
“Companies who are new to automation sometimes struggle with the impact that it is going to have on their organization, so being ready for that impact is crucially important,” added Colman Roche, VP of e-commerce/retail at MHI member Swisslog…
