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Let's Talk Supply Chain

Let's Talk Supply Chain is not your average supply chain podcast. We feature not just the top of the industry, but also diverse voices from within the community, new innovations and the disrupters making waves in the industry. Don’t listen to the same ol' same ol', be sparked by new ideas and fresh perspectives only on Let's Talk Supply Chain.
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Now displaying: April, 2022
Apr 24, 2022

Today I’m joined by Prompt, a customer-focused logistics software business who are on a mission to unlock your digitization and automation potential – to drive cost savings and revenue improvements – without changing your underlying software platforms.

Prompt helps supply chain companies to easily expand the functionality of their Transportation Management Systems without changing or replacing any of their existing software. As the only logistics technology company with all the major global data privacy and security certifications, Prompt work with more than a third of the top 25 freight forwarders, providing visibility, automation, and payment processing solutions that all safely and seamlessly connect back to their system, or systems, of choice.

Today Kai Timmermann, Chief Operating Officer at Prompt, joins me to chat all about the company: what they do; the biggest challenges in logistics today; putting customers at the core of their solutions; and the importance of visibility and data integration to the future of logistics.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[07.06] Prompt’s origin story, and how Rob and Kai’s background with Lading and CargoWise led them to develop this new software-based brand.

“We’re about orienting for real outcomes – we’re not excited by jargon… we just want to get the job done.”

[10.38] An overview of Prompt – what they do, and how they help their customers.

“For users, we’re about moving time and attention… and from a management perspective, they benefit from that users time and attention, but now they also have process consistency.”

[12.12] From managing talent to process inefficiency, a look at some of the key challenges Prompt’s customers are facing right now.

“To win the talent war – which is a big deal these days – you want to get people out of that menial work.”

[15.49] A  closer look at Prompt’s Automation solution: what it does, how can it help, the benefits – and Kai’s thoughts on the rising importance of automation within supply chain technology.

[19.09] What visibility means to Prompt, and how their business intelligence solutions can help to address core inefficiencies.

“There are a million people doing it, and visibility can be used to describe a huge span of things… when we talk about our Prompt visibility tool, it’s about better data and access to the information inside a company’s ERP.”

[22.02] Prompt’s two-sided integration, how it helps to facilitate improved visibility, and how they work to expand a company’s TMS without impacting their existing software.

[25.54] A closer look at Prompt’s evolving Payments solution.

[26.46] Kai’s reflections on why we should be paying so much attention to issues like visibility and data integration; the difference it’s going to make, both on a business and on an industry level; and Kai’s predictions for when global logistics is finally going to return to normal.

“Logistics technology has gotten so fragmented… our customers have invested heavily in freight management systems and they’ve got a strategic imperative to close the gap with digital freight forwarders – so we’re trying to provide the capabilities to close that gap.”

[29.44] Why successful implementation is on an equal footing to the technology itself, and why customers are so important to Prompt.

[32.01] The ideal client for Prompt.

[32.53] Two key case studies, illustrating how Prompt Automate helped one customer to reduce a proposed integration time of five months down to three to four weeks, and another customer benefit from financial savings of around 40%, on average.

[35.41] The future for Prompt.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

Head over to Prompt's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Prompt and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, or you can connect with Kai on LinkedIn.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Apr 19, 2022

It’s episode 19 of Blended: I’m joined by another amazing panel of guests and we’re talking about sexual harassment. It’s another tough subject because the reality is, so many people, particularly women, have a story. And we need to tell those stories if we’re going to expose just how prevalent this problem is.

Today, our guests will be discussing exactly what sexual harassment means and where and when it happens; sharing their own personal experiences; reflecting on the differences between harassment and assault; and the panel will be sharing their advice for tackling the issue and creating safer workplaces.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[01.37] Introductions to our Blended panellists.

“Young adults and children need to learn about boundaries: what they mean, how to uphold them and how to resolve a conflict around them.” Christina

  • Kristy – President and Owner at Knichel Logistics
  • Carl – CEO at Carl Shawn Watkins Consulting, LLC
  • Christina – Writer
  • Charlene – Website Architect & Full-Stack Web Developer
  • Nathalie – Customer Success Manager of Enterprise Partnerships at Calm

“There’s been a clash of generational understanding and generational behaviour.”  Charlene

[06.15] The group discuss the basics around sexual harassment: what it means, where and how it can happen, the behaviors it can include and the difference between sexual harassment and sexual assault.

“It’s not about sexual desire… it’s the power that's yielded through that harassment.” Carl

  • Mindset and intent
  • Language matters
  • Generational clash
  • Mocking or discrimination around a person’s sexuality
  • Gender stereotypes
  • Power plays
  • The danger of anonymity online
  • Blurred lines between the workplace and online/social media
  • Move from acceptable to accessible
  • Confrontation and boundaries
  • Remote working inviting harassment into your home / violating a safe space
  • (Men’s) sense of entitlement
  • Men choosing not to put themselves in a compromised position

“When you think about what predated ideas about what sexual harassment would be defined as, it also came with these predisposed character traits. “ Nathalie

[55.14] The panel share their own personal experiences of sexual harassment, and the impact of those experiences.

“It’s the translation from that Mad Men era where everything was pictured as acceptable to now where everything is accessible… now the attitude has met the opportunity.” Carl

  • Carl’s experience of child molestation by an uncle; how he used imagination, creativity and learning as a release; and the alcoholism and suicidal ideations that followed, before he translated that pain to power
  • Kristy’s experience of dropping out of college because of an attempted sexual assault, of inappropriate behavior by a client and multiple sexual advances at an industry event
  • The lasting impact of abuse and how it links to how you identify as a person
  • Nathalie’s experience of subtle and manipulative harassment in the workplace
  • Allyship and advocacy
  • The importance of documenting incidents
  • Christina’s experience of a group sexual assault as a teenager, sexual harassment in multiple workplaces and how a man, who she believed to be a good friend, offered to be her sugar daddy
  • Triggering behaviors and re-traumatisation for victims
  • Charlene’s experience of receiving unwanted messages and intimate photographs
  • Leadership obstacles

“As soon as my relationship status changed, I became a target for that sense of entitlement.” Christina

[01.29.54] The group share their suggestions for solutions and sum-up their learnings from today’s discussion.

“Know your company’s policy in the workplace, and don’t be afraid to speak.” Kristy

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

You can connect with Kristy, Carl, Christina, Charlene and Nathalie over on LinkedIn.

If you found this epsiode interetsing, you might enjoy Episode 3, The Gender Equation or Episode 18, The Reality of Workplace Discrimination.

Check out our Let's Talk Supply Chain podcasts HERE.

Apr 18, 2022

Today we’re shaking things up and, instead of our usual guest interview, we’re featuring one of our fantastic new live shows on Let’s Talk Supply Chain – Action Items with Dyci Sfregola.

Each month Dyci, CEO of New Gen Architects, is joined by a special guest to discuss key issues in the post-COVID supply chain; actionable steps businesses can take to prepare for scalability; and how to leverage supply chain technology and process redesign to upskill or reskill teams to provide meaningful, purposeful work for their employees while improving the bottom line.

And this episode is all about stability and supply chain – two words that we don't see together very often! But Dyci has a few key action items up her sleeve to do just that – to ensure supply stability to support demand plan. Dyci is joined by special guest Atia Yarbrough, Director of Demand and Supply Planning at Mason Dixie Foods, to talk all about sales and operations planning, the importance of dual sourcing, how to reduce uncertainty, start-up funding, customer relationships and more.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[08.21] Atia’s journey to Mason Dixie Foods.

[10.41] Atia’s experience of S&OP’s in large enterprises, and how that compares to Dyci's experience of small businesses.

“We have a very cross functional process where we have supply chain, planning, sales and finance engaged and we’re working monthly… if you’re looking at it from a yearly standpoint, you’re a little too late.”

[14.20] How Mason Dixie established a robust S&OP process as a small business, and Atia’s advice on how others can get started.

“First you have to have people on board – change is hard, process change is extremely hard.”

[18.07] An idea of the time and allocation of resources required when fulfilling a successful S&OP process.

[21.21] Some of the key technologies used in sales and operations planning.

[23.46] The importance of dual sourcing.

“Customers want what they want, when they want it.. so dual sourcing is an integral part of the S&OP process."

[26.51] Audience question: any tips on how to measure ESG impacts in the S&OP process?

[28.58] Finding the right partners.

[33.25] Translating your sales and operations planning into weekly or daily S&OE’s, and determining the key KPI’s to measure that execution.

“You can have that S&OP process, but you really have to have that actionable plan to show a result every day – whether it’s a good result, or a bad one.”

[37.10] How external partners are a part of the S&OP process, and how to extract and utilize their data.

“Really organizing the data, and everybody owning their part to bring the model together, I think that’s key – because you don’t want death by Excel!

[41.53] Accountability, leadership and culture.

[45.20] This month’s Action Item – questions to ask yourself to understand if you’re running a true S&OP process.

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

You can find previous episodes of Action Items with Dyci Sfregola over on the live show page, or you can check out other Let’s Talk Supply Chain podcasts HERE.

You can find out more about Atia over on LinkedIn.

Apr 11, 2022

Today I’m joined WorkStep, a people-focused provider of hiring and retention technology for supply chain teams.

WorkStep is the market-leading provider of Frontline Workforce Retention solutions, purpose-built for the modern supply chain. With customers including manufacturing, warehousing, retail distribution, and transportation employers across North America, WorkStep solutions provide HR, operations, finance, and c-suite executives with what they need to hire frontline workers, engage them throughout their employment journey, and seamlessly act on critical insights to drive organizational change and ultimately reduce turnover.

Today Dan Johnston, Co-founder & CEO at WorkStep, joins me to chat all about the company: what they do; the ins and outs of hiring and retention; the truth behind the current ‘talent shortages’; and the upcoming workforce trends to look out for.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[07.03] Dan’s founder story, and how his experience as an ‘Entrepreneur in Residence’ gave him the time to reflect on his previous role as a warehouse manager and how he could innovate to solve some of the problems he saw there.

“I’d seen just how detrimental the temp staffing model was… just how challenging a constant rotating door of frontline workforce turnover was to every level of an operation.”

[10.47] How Dan’s previous education technology businesses led him to found a business in supply chain staffing.

“When we started WorkStep, we thought of this as really a matching problem – supply and demand. And what we realized over time, is that it’s much more than that. It’s more than just matching an available worker to an available job.”

[14.16] An overview of WorkStep – what they do, and how they help their customers.

[17.04] From talent shortages to new ways of working, a look at some of the key challenges happening in staffing right now.

“A lot has changed in the last two years, but actually a lot of these trends were already underway.”

[19.57] WorkStep’s employer solution for hiring new staff – how it works, the benefits and the power of data and automation.

[22.37] WorkStep’s employer solution for staff retention, why retention is so important and the huge impact it has on both a company’s top and bottom lines.

“We’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars in turnover spend that these large logistics and manufacturing companies are incurring every year – so this is a very important bottom line problem.”

[26.14] Why WorkStep is the best solution for job seekers.

[29.22] The importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and how WorkStep’s solution can help aid your DEI strategy.

[33.15] The ideal client for WorkStep.

[35.41] A closer look at WorkStep’s competitive pricing model.

[37.16] A case study, showing how WorkStep helped a 3PL achieve an 18% decrease in overall staff turnover, and a 36% decrease in new hire turnover, resulting in significant savings to the customer's bottom line.

[40.07] The future for WorkStep.

“Our goal is really to make the front line a better place to work… we help workers improve their jobs, so they can live a better life.”

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

Head over to WorkStep’s website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with WorkStep and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, or you can connect with Dan on LinkedIn.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Apr 3, 2022

In today’s episode of Women In Supply Chain, I’m joined by Mardi Tegmeyer: a passionately customer-focused supply chain leader.

An experienced logistics professional, Mardi’s knowledge and experience covers sales, operations, account management and customer success. As a leader at Emerge, she’s helping to reinvent freight procurement by putting customers firmly front and center.

Today Mardi will be talking to us about her career so far; her passion for customer success; and the importance of collaboration and inclusion within supply chain. Plus, she’ll be sharing her experiences as a woman in the industry, as well as her words of advice for all of the women following in her footsteps.

 

SHOW SPONSOR:

 

This Women in Supply Chain feature was made possible by our sponsor, Emerge. As a company focused on empowering and growing meaningful supply chain relationships, Emerge is proud to sponsor Women in Supply Chain. Through its freight procurement platform, Emerge offers solutions that enhance the spot and contract procurement process, enabling shippers and carriers to make more strategic decisions.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

 

[07.36] Mardi’s background, and the journey that led her to a career in supply chain and customer experience.

“I was the receptionist to start… and then a month later, I was the customer service manager! And from that point, taking care of customers was my niche.”

[12.06] Mardi’s experience at Garrett Popcorn, her incredible accomplishments there and the power of learning on the job.

“I was in a little over my head – I was figuring it out as I went, making relationships, building trust… It was an adventure!”

[15.37] Mardi’s reflections on young people and supply chain, the balance between learning and experience and what the next generation of supply chain professionals bring to the table.

“There’s no right or wrong way to solve challenges in this industry.”

[18.07] Mardi’s role as Customer Success Manager at Emerge.

“Every day is different - I do love that about this job - I can come in and solve different problems… and there’s lots of disruptions going on, especially now.”

[19.58] A closer look at Emerge’s supportive culture and approach to diversity and inclusion.

[21.31] The importance of customer success, building strong relationships and how it differentiates you in the marketplace.

[24.16] The role of collaboration, how it ties business together and impacts the overall success of customer experience.

“Customers want to see that we’re, internally, collaborating and that their information isn’t getting lost in the shuffle.”

[26.50] Mardi’s experiences as a woman in a largely male-dominated industry.

“Ultimately, I think we teach people how to treat us – and I think hard work pays off.”

[29.20] Mardi’s thoughts on mentorship and the college professor that helped to launch her journey.

[30.50] What the future holds for Mardi.

[31.39] Mardi’s words of advice for all of the women out there.

“I would love to empower everyone, if I could, to have that big voice, to speak up – and don’t be worried about how you’re perceived as a result.”

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

 

You can connect with Mardi over on LinkedIn.

If you want to find out more about Emerge, check out episode 243, where George Abernathy joins me to chat all about the company: what they do; bringing accountability to logistics; and why it’s so important to bring all industry players together to build positive and mutually beneficial networks.

Why not also head over to Debra Phillips' (Marketing Manager at Emerge) blog to hear her thoughts on whether consumers are finally growing tired of supply chain shortages and rising costs.

Check out our other podcasts HERE.

 

 

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