Changing technology is having its affect on businesses and operations in every type of industry and every level. One such area that we are going to look into today is supply chain management, a vital area of several industries which is being largely impacted by the ever-changing world of modern technology.

The way consumers and businesses are operating is changing daily and supply chain management must keep up with these trends as it is the vital cog in the wheel of business and industry. Thankfully, the SCM industry is full of intelligent people like Ram Chary who make it their business to find ways to reduce operational costs and improve efficiency. Let’s take a look at how SCM will look to improve its effectiveness in 2017.

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Drone Delivery Systems

The usage of drones for deliveries has been toyed with for around 18 months now and this year looks set to see more and more drones used as methods of delivery. Drones are considered to be able to play an important role in ‘last mile’ deliveries in order to offer remote areas and difficult to reach places the same delivery service as everyone else. Some experts like Ram Chary even think that the usage of drones will go far beyond simply delivering goods and that they could be use for operational maintenance, crop harvesting and even to repair equipment.

Shipment Tracking

Improved technology will mean that shipments can be followed in real time for consumers and businesses. Current systems mean that shipments can only be tracked when they leave or arrive at a destination whereas the real-time system means that they will be able to followed all the way through the process. The technology for this is far from new but reduced costs and improved battery technology means that this method of shipping looks set to become very popular in the coming year.

Automation

Jobs looks set to be lost this year as more automation of equipment will take over factory floors and warehouse management. Specifically advancements in driverless vehicles will be put into action this year after years of development and safety testing. These vehicles will not only save companies more money on staffing but will ensure a higher level of productivity and effectiveness. Robots might not be taking over the World yet, but the ball is rolling.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is revolutionizing many areas of business including SCM and as more companies take advantage of the benefits that the cloud offers we expect to see more supply chains fall in line with this way of operating. Cloud computing has the ability to save money through reduced staffing thanks to its automated capabilities, faster updating of orders and supplies, insulation from market volatility and the enhanced security measures that it can offer. Sooner or later almost every business on the planet will be using cloud computing for one or all areas of their operations and this year will see the supply chain side of things implementing it on mass.