You’ve probably heard a lot about supply chains. Whether it’s in regards to creating a customer-centric supply chain, incorporating sustainability, how mobile technology is changing the management aspect, or even eliminating the dark side by way of the force (you get where we’re going with this, right?) saying logistics providers talk a lot about the supply chain is probably an understatement.

But, what about those aspects that take you beyond the standard supply chain that you hear about every day, like incorporating social media?

Inspecting the standard
When you take a look at the set-up for a standard supply chain, it’s possible that it looks something like this:

• Raw materials
• Manufacturer
• Distributor
• Retailer
• Consumer
• Feedback

What this set-up doesn’t take into consideration is what happens beyond the initial consumer feedback via traditional methods like phone calls, letters, emails and more.

Utilizing the modern supply chain
Technology has brought about a new type of supply chain. One that goes beyond feedback to include extended relationships through social media channels.

Social media is creating new rules for these relationships. Suppliers, retailers and even logistics providers are able to utilize these platforms to better relationships both from a B2B standpoint and as a way to plan for future growth.

For example, suppliers can now communicate directly with employees from partner companies that connect with them on social media to provide valuable information (and quickly) for situations like bad weather delays, major shipment departures, and even road closures that could affect delivery times.

Suppliers and retailers can also utilize social media analytics and insights to plan for future supply demands, trends, product placements, and next generation advances for products and services.

Partnering for success
Incorporating social media into the supply chain will be a game changer for many companies in the years to come. Eventually, we could even see companies that don’t adapt and incorporate this extension of communication into their supply chain model fall from success.

For companies that want to get ahead of the curve, like our team at King Solutions, contact us today to learn more about what we do and how we can help your team rise to success.