Is Santa still coming? Is there a shortage of reindeer and elves this year?
Not a day goes by without at least one headline about how companies are struggling with supply chain related issues. Yesterday I noticed that Walkers Crisps were in limited supply, (Gary Lineker will be fuming!) following production difficulties related to an IT upgrade.
Earlier in the week, Greggs and McColls both highlighted issues with product availability.
We are all aware of issue related to HGV drivers, shipping costs, chip shortages and the large number of job vacancies that exist at the moment. It is quite a list.
We’d like to try with some practical ideas about what you can do to minimise impacts with an eye on the future. We need your help to frame the problems, understand the real challenges and issues that you are dealing with. There can’t be many businesses who aren’t being impacted in some way.
This time of year is a critical trading period for many of you. We’d value your feedback on issues that are front of your mind? Once we’ve digested them we will share some practical thoughts about what can be done.
Here are some of the challenges that we have come across recently, but please add to the list in the comments:
- Is this a permanent shift in our supply chains? Do we need to get used to this sense of uncertainty and lack of control?
- The wage bill for our drivers continues to rocket. How could we have dealt with this differently?
- We need to do a better job at managing the expectations of our customers, where would you start given not everything is within our control?
- What process should we go through to transform this part of our business, because we can’t keep going on like this? There is no Plan B.
- I can’t help but think if we had invested more time in building more strategic relationships with our partners then we would not be in this mess now?
- People move for more money. We need to make it more attractive to stay here without having to match the money being thrown at them by others. That is not sustainable
Final thought:
My youngest son recently asked me if there was a risk to Christmas this year? He was spooked by the news stories and worried that there might not be enough reindeers or elves to deliver Christmas this year. Now imagine that!
