Lessons Learned: Seek Supply Chain Security Consulting Advice in Uncertain Times

The impact of the 2020 pandemic on businesses is still being felt worldwide.  As businesses move forward into a post-pandemic environment, many are looking back at what occurred in order to better plan for the future.  Across industries, crisis management planning is being evaluated, particularly where things went wrong. A significant area of challenge, one that impacted a vast array of industries, was disruption to their supply chains. As a result, supply chain security consulting may help as companies seek to achieve a sense of normalcy.

Post-Pandemic Considerations

During the best of times, supply chain management is complex. Issues with borders, materials, production, transportation…entire networks were affected. It’s notable that for consumers, a working supply chain is virtually invisible.  Commerce relies upon logistics, and seamlessness is a measure of success. The domino effect of supply chain disruption was evident in the early days of this pandemic. The best example might be grocery stores, where “panic buying” cleaned out inventory. Consumers suddenly faced shortages of hand sanitizer, bathroom tissue and cleaning supplies along with meat, dairy and eggs. “When are you getting another shipment of….” was, for a period of time, a question many businesses could not answer.

While much of crisis management planning focuses on operations, a critical lesson learned from market shortages has to do with supply chain security. If security measures do not keep pace with necessary operational changes, a supply chain already experiencing disruption can face additional vulnerabilities.  Whether inventory and its management are high-tech or manual, theft and piracy risks may go up in a time of visible shortages.  Counterfeit goods may be more likely to make their way into the market. Cybersecurity matters more than ever in the context of remote work, where logistics and access technology may be accompanied by potential for breaches. When done right, supply chain security and its physical and digital elements should be readily shifting alongside operational changes. That’s much easier to accomplish when a company is not in the midst of a crisis.

We’re focused on getting back to business as usual, but before crisis management mode fades, business leaders would be well-served to measure their supply chain security with one eye on the future. Why? Because it’s often difficult to quantify a negative, or to place value on what didn’t happen this time. Look at this year’s pandemic and how visible supply chain disruptions became. Supply chain security consulting assistance is a vital part of operations, and as such should be planned for accordingly.

Looking for an IMG Supply Chain Security Consulting Expert?

IMG GlobalSecur has decades of experience in the security industry. Our team of international supply chain security consulting experts stand ready to help you navigate the changing times. We offer global risk assessments, workplace violence consulting services, crisis management and business continuity advice, supply chain & logistics security assistance and more. Contact us today!