“THE BLIND SIDE” of Commerce

Keeping Your Eye on Your Supply Chain

If you are reading this, I expect the title caught your eye.? The Blind Side is an (American) football term defined as:

"a direction in which a person has a poor view, typically of approaching danger"

and it has a lot of similarity to commerce in that your order processes and your reputation can suffer greatly from even the smallest disruption in your supply chain. Your ability to recognize the attacks to your "blind side" will enable change and adaptation that will allow you to execute on, and when necessary, pivot, the game plan.

Let’s keep the football theme going as we examine the role of an Order Management System (OMS) compared to the traditional role / functionality of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System in today’s customer end-to-end order and experience lifecycle.

Our team's roster has many players (a.k.a., participants), and all have a role and a skillset that must be leveraged. All participants must know their roles and responsibilities. Each does their job in collaboration with and against the others on the field to create a cohesive unit executing with precision. We also see how when one steps outside of its designated role, exceptions happen, and your blind side gets exposed.

Building on the football analogy, each Supply Chain Solution is a Participant in the game while each Use Case is a Play; together, they have a unique role and impact on an organization’s ability to execute with precision and to quickly pivot when there is danger, risk or a breakdown.

Let’s give each Supply Chain Participant and Use Case Play a role in the Supply Chain game.? Here is the roster and your starting line-up:

• ERP = Offensive Line (O Line)
• OMS = Quarterback (QB)
• METRICS = Coach (the Gaffer)
• SUPPLY CHAIN Participants = Defensive
• ...and don't forget the fans (your customers)!!

Player Responsibilities

• ERP is the Offensive Line – responsible for keeping their side of the field intact as well as the execution of a pre-determined play (e.g., static order routing).? Their strength is executing the predetermined plan, not managing the chaos created by the defense. As the play unfolds and exceptions to the plan occur, the O Line is susceptible to breakdowns that can cause risk to the Play’s success.
• OMS is the QB – he can first follow the play (i.e., static routing and orchestration) but his value to the team is his ability to dynamically alter the play, inclusive of real-time communication to the rest of the offense based on the defensive variabilities by using LOGIC to call an “audible”. The QB needs to “feel” the risk lingering in his blind side and managing in the moment, unleashing his ability to improvise and pivot when all hell breaks loose.?
• METRICS is the Coach – you must be able to assess performance and establish metrics that you can track and monitor historically and in real time.? This allows you to adjust the plan and pivot as necessary (e.g., change order routing and optimization rules based upon historical trends and new dynamics).? This can be done over time, but you must also be able to adjust quickly, on the fly, during time-outs and halftime.? You do not always have the luxury of long term analysis and discussion.
• SUPPLY CHAIN PARTICIPANTS & PROCESSES are the Defense – try as you must to execute flawlessly, there are variables that try to keep you from your goals.? We will talk about how these variables (e.g., supply chain shipping delays, inventory receipt delays, fulfillment location shutdown) can break down even the best architected plans.? How you react in “real time” can make (or break) your scheme.? Will your offense hum or will it be sent to the blue tent for concussion protocol.

In Chapter 2, we will run a complex play (use case) that bridges all the participants (systems), challenges, variables, actions and reactions and articulates how collaboration across systems lessens (or removes) the impact of a supply chain blitz.