Last month, Amber Road set up shop in the bustling exhibit hall and attended some great retail presentations at the RILA Retail Supply Chain Conference in Dallas, TX. At this year’s conference, retail supply chain professionals from all over the country came together to exchange ideas and discuss what the future holds for this industry.
The retail supply chain space is changing so rapidly – with markets looking to expand globally and raising their expectations for shipping, to how technology is disrupting the overall buying experience; it’s difficult to see what shift will happen next within the industry. Over the course of this conference, top retail industry leaders spoke about a variety of supply chain and logistics matters.
We collected some of our key takeaways and hottest topics in the retail supply chain:
- “Success is often about finding a simple solution to a complex problem” said Brian Cornell, CEO of Target – Problem: Today, retailers are expected to fulfill an order anywhere, anytime. Solution: Implementing technology makes it possible for retailers to streamline their operations in order to fulfill the volatile changes and demands.
- Leaders in international logistics and sourcing explained that improving supply chain speed and efficiency requires:
- Strategic Planning – Think BIG…what’s in your roadmap?
- Partnerships – Build relationships with your stakeholders
- Customer Driven Focus – Understand your audience and the industry
- Sustainability – Is your brand leaving a lasting footprint?
- Today, retail executives are putting supply chain innovation at the very top of their list. With the constant flux in demand and ever-changing retail environment, it’s important to remain both proactive and innovative to remain at the top. Mike Robbins, SVP at JC Penney, encouraged the audience to take time with their teams to discuss and consider new best practices to help improve their supply chain and operations moving forward.
- Technology is infiltrating every aspect of the retail supply chain and changing the way we do business. Emerging and potentially disruptive technologies are impacting the omni-channel supply chain, pressuring companies to become more flexible. Luckily, Amber Road offers a solution to help retail and brand-focused organizations maximize global supply chain performance and streamline global trade compliance.
Did you attend RILA this year? What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the retail supply chain in the coming years? Let us know in the comments section!
