As human beings, our experiences not only define us, they substantially shape our relationship with the world. This is particularly true when it comes to brand loyalty and purchasing behaviour.  Customer loyalty, satisfaction and purchasing behaviour can be linked to and stimulated by, the emotions a customer connects with a brand, and these emotions can be directly linked to the experiences a customer has. While brand experience has deep roots in marketing, the supply chain has a real impact on where and how a product is presented to a customer. For example, there are few things more likely to derail a purchase than a customer finding the item they are ready to purchase is out of stock, or not available in their preferred size. Factors such as the failure to meet the need for immediate gratification, or interruption of the buyer journey can become a deterrent away from a brand, particularly if such instances reoccur. Expectation and experience are tightly bound to marketing, but it is the supply chain that ultimately ensures product availability and access, and these factors need to work in conjunction to create a brand experience that delights customers and builds lasting relationships.

At Barloworld Logistics, we believe that diversity is fundamental for an organisation growing into the future and as such we employ and leverage the skills of women throughout our organisation. The inclusion of women in the transport and logistics industry is not only a Barloworld Logistics imperative but is part of a global drive to promote inclusive economies where the benefit of economic growth can be shared with all who contribute, regardless of gender.  Our vision of gender equality at all levels of our organisation is strongly evident, from the female executives at the very top of our organisation to our professional driver learnership for women, and Barloworld Logistics is well on the way to being a genuinely gender inclusive organisation. 

As industries become more and more commoditised, there is a growing understanding that value is not necessarily intrinsic to the product sold, but in the manner in which this product is brought to market. Such commoditisation has resulted in organisations seeking opportunities to create competitive advantage through various partnerships, be it through outsourcing non-core functions to niche support organisations, or manufacturing bases in geographies that offer low costs per item produced. Globalisation has indeed created a one-world market and increasing digitisation is building an economy where the location of services is no longer as relevant as the value such create.

It keeps you awake at night, it is on your mind always, your phone buzzes at all hours of the day, it is temperamental, tricky to handle and everyone has advice on how to do it better. A relationship? No…it’s your supply chain. As a supply chain professional you likely eat, breathe and sleep every detail of your operation and obsess over every transaction, load and shipment. Here are some ways to keep the passion for supply chain alive within your organisation.

A TMS (or Transport Management System) is a niche subsection of supply chain management that focuses on the optimisation of transportation. It is a system that creates and enables digital interaction between order management systems and warehouses. This integration facilitates transportation planning, execution and follow-up to enhance efficiency. A 4PL transport management model, as run by Barloworld Logistics, plans and executes distribution from multiple source locations to multiple destinations utilising multiple service providers. Transport planning and management is centralised into a supply chain centre of excellence supported by a robust technology platform managing everything from daily administration to analysing data and providing business intelligence in order to enable an environment of continuous improvement.