Retail advantage through a consumer-centric supply chain

Abstract

How quickly will your supply chain become truly consumer-centric? It is a rare occurrence to find a retail supply chain that is not built with some degree of end consumer experience considerations in mind, because consumer experience is fundamental to any retailer’s strategy. The opportunities and benefits of increasing consumer centricity can, however, be significant, particularly as e-commerce adoption continues to grow. Supply chain priorities are shifting to respond to the seemingly ever-rising expectations of e-commerce consumers. This can be referred to as a shift from ‘C’s to ‘P’s. Supply chains now often offer choice and convenience for consumers, having establishing home delivery capabilities at a sustainable cost for retailers. But to be truly consumer-centric, supply chains must offer consumers the ability to express shopping and delivery preferences and in return make supply chain-driven promises to consumers, thereby creating personalised experiences that in turn expand the profit opportunity for retailers. Many retail supply chains are emerging from the pandemicinduced ‘fire drill’ priority of moving from a ‘lean’ emphasis to ‘agile’ in a matter of months. And as they re-establish predictability and consistency in the consumer experience outcome, a new level of innovation is emerging. Powered by data and integrated technology solutions, there is now a clear opportunity for supply chains to play a much bigger role in retailer differentiation. The new priority is a consumer-centric supply chain.