The 2024 Customer Advisory Board (CAB) brought together leaders from brewing, manufacturing, and distribution to discuss key logistics challenges and solutions. The event revealed crucial insights for supply chain managers and logistics professionals, highlighting pain points and emerging trends.
This blog covers seven key takeaways: streamlining scheduling, improving visibility, automating workflows, and integrating systems. Sustainability was a major focus, along with strategies for expanding into new markets and leveraging future innovations like AI.
1. Streamlining Scheduling and Reducing Bottlenecks
One of the major pain points discussed during the CAB was the complexity of managing inbound and outbound scheduling, particularly in industries operating on tight timelines. A key takeaway is that businesses are constantly looking for ways to simplify scheduling processes and minimize back-and-forth communications between suppliers, transportation teams, and warehouse staff. Several attendees shared that consolidating these processes has helped reduce email traffic, improve scheduling accuracy, and minimize bottlenecks, allowing for smoother operations across the board.
By streamlining appointment scheduling, businesses can focus on higher-priority tasks and create a more efficient flow of goods. This not only saves time but also reduces costs by limiting detention fees—charges incurred when trucks or railcars are delayed at loading docks. For businesses juggling multiple logistics partners, efficient scheduling is key to maintaining strong relationships and avoiding unnecessary costs.
2. Visibility Across the Supply Chain
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A recurring theme during the event was the need for greater visibility in complex supply chains, particularly in industries like brewing, automotive, and manufacturing, where logistics are intricate and fast-moving. Many attendees highlighted the importance of real-time data to track operations, whether it’s managing rail freight, truck arrivals, or yard activity. This enhanced visibility enables logistics teams to react more quickly to potential disruptions and keep things moving efficiently.
For example, one client managing rail freight operations discussed how real-time visibility into their rail cars allowed them to reduce dwell time significantly—the time cargo spends idle—which translates directly into cost savings. This kind of granular control is increasingly vital for businesses that need to be agile, especially when handling high volumes of freight.
3. Automating Manual Processes
Many supply chain professionals are still working to transition away from manual processes like appointment scheduling and paperwork. Automating these workflows was a common goal among CAB attendees. Automation reduces human error and ensures that logistics teams can stay informed in real-time, leading to better decision-making and more proactive management of logistics flows.
For instance, several clients discussed how they’ve automated their scheduling systems, integrating them with transportation management systems (TMS) to receive real-time updates on estimated arrival times with Velostics. This kind of automation is helping businesses reduce reliance on manual entry and streamline communication across their logistics networks.
4. Integrating Systems for Unified Operations
Another challenge shared at the event was managing multiple systems and data sources, which often leads to inefficiencies and data silos. Several attendees emphasized the need for systems that integrate seamlessly, allowing logistics teams to work from a unified platform where all stakeholders have access to real-time information.
One client explained how integrating their supply chain systems with QR codes helped simplify communication between platforms, making it easier for different departments to stay aligned. By eliminating these silos, businesses can ensure that all teams—whether they’re in procurement, transportation, or warehouse management—are working with the same data, leading to more informed and coordinated decision-making.
5. Sustainability as a Business Imperative
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Sustainability has become a major priority for businesses, and the attendees spent a good amount of time talking about this subject. Many clients are looking to reduce their environmental footprint in response to regulatory pressures and shifting consumer expectations. Companies are increasingly adopting sustainable practices, such as transitioning from single-use materials to reusable packaging and working to lower transportation emissions. One key insight shared during the event was the success of transitioning to reusable plastics, which helps reduce waste and drives long-term cost savings.
While the move toward reusable packaging is part of broader sustainability goals, it highlights an important shift in how businesses are thinking about their supply chains. By improving logistics efficiency, companies are finding new ways to align their operations with sustainability objectives, whether by optimizing transportation routes, cutting emissions, or reducing resource waste.
The takeaway is that sustainability is no longer just about meeting environmental standards—it’s a critical part of business strategy. Companies that invest in eco-friendly initiatives reduce their impact on the environment, enhance their operational efficiency, and build stronger, more reputable brands. This focus on sustainability helps future-proof operations in an increasingly green-conscious marketplace.
6. Expansion into New Markets
As businesses continue to grow, expanding into new markets brings its own set of logistical challenges. Some attendees at the CAB shared their experiences of scaling their operations and the importance of having the right tools in place to manage increased complexity. This included managing logistics in unfamiliar regions and coordinating across multiple facilities.
By establishing robust logistics frameworks and processes, businesses can expand confidently, knowing they have the infrastructure to handle the added complexity of larger or more geographically diverse operations.
7. The Future of Supply Chain Management
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As we look ahead, supply chain professionals are eager to see how the next wave of innovations—particularly AI and deeper system integrations—will help them manage even more complex logistics environments. There’s a growing interest in AI-driven tools that can help schedule, prioritize shipments, and automate routine tasks. Attendees expressed excitement about future innovations that could allow for smarter, faster decision-making, further reducing lead times and improving overall customer satisfaction.
The key lesson here is that supply chain management is evolving rapidly, and staying competitive means embracing tools that can automate and optimize. By focusing on short-term efficiencies and long-term innovations, logistics teams can streamline their operations and grow sustainably.
Conclusion
The 2024 Customer Advisory Board meeting provided valuable insights into the evolving challenges and opportunities faced by supply chain professionals across industries. There are clear paths to optimizing logistics processes, from improving scheduling efficiency to increasing visibility and integrating systems. As supply chains continue to grow in complexity, staying ahead of the curve will require a focus on automation, sustainability, and innovation.
These key takeaways are not just lessons for the companies that participated in the event but actionable insights for anyone looking to future-proof their logistics operations. Whether your goal is to reduce costs, streamline operations, or expand into new markets, the future of supply chain management is bright for those willing to embrace change and drive forward with smarter, more connected systems.I
We'd love to connect if you're interested in diving deeper into how we can help solve your specific logistics challenges or scale your operations more efficiently. Whether it's streamlining your scheduling, improving visibility, or optimizing your supply chain for greater agility and growth, our team is ready to explore solutions tailored to your business needs. Book a discovery meeting with us here, and let’s discuss how we can help drive your logistics strategy forward.
