MHD SUPPLY CHAIN
BLUE YONDER TRANSFORMING WAREHOUSES, DCs AND THE WORKFORCE
Blue Yonder’s Daniel Kohut, Vice President Australia and New Zealand, speaks to MHD about Warehouse Labour Management, e-commerce, the effects of the pandemic on supply chain operations, remote work, and how they can support companies to respond to risks faster, smarter, and more cost effectively.
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aniel Kohut from Blue Yonder says the company’s Warehouse Labour Management, coupled with its consulting and partners’ change management programs, are helping drive optimal productivity in warehouses and distribution centres by transforming workforces towards a performancebased culture. “It’s especially important now with the nature of work and workforce demographics changing,” Daniel explains. “It reinvents the way managers and associates view labour management, with associates selffocused on improving performance and managers focused on removing barriers to productivity.” He says the result is reduced fulfilment costs, improved customer service, and increased job satisfaction. “Supply chain distribution managers today face key challenges not experienced by their predecessors,” he says. “On the one hand, the volatility and time pressure of satisfying customer demand in the digital economy puts new strains on distribution operations and productivity. On the other hand, the workforce needs to fulfil heightened customer demand; but it is difficult to attract, motivate and retain employees.” Daniel notes that when companies use AI-based automation, robotics, and autonomous vehicles, they complicate labour forecasting and scheduling. “What’s needed to solve these many challenges is an integrated approach to flexible workforce scheduling and labour management,” Daniel says.
Daniel says e-commerce is the most important driver in 2022 across all supply chain execution participants and their processes, technology, and human resources. He says Blue Yonder has integrated industry-leading capabilities in workforce labour management into a comprehensive approach to optimise distribution, workforces, and productivity. “This year, we surveyed partners across the supply chain – retailers, manufacturers, LSPs, technology solutions providers, start-ups, and media associations – to gain a better understanding and prospective of concerns, challenges, and actions.” Daniel says some of the questions companies are now asking include: ‘Will the growth in e-commerce brought on by COVID-19 continue?’ ‘What are the biggest supply chain execution/ logistics challenges facing shippers (manufacturering and retail) and logistics providers?’ ‘Will direct-toconsumer gain even more ground?’ and ‘Which technologies are getting attention and investments?’ Daniel says e-commerce is the
primary driver in 2022 across all supply chain execution participants and their processes, technology, and human resources. He adds that because of anticipated growth, shippers and LSPs are modifying their logistics footprints, engaging in digital transformation, and renewing their business models as well as investing in the technical backend to support these processes – stating that it’s imperative to make data visible. He says the ability for an LSP to offer a dynamic service to its customers with clear communication is a product differentiator allowing companies to move away from the traditional transactional price-first approach. Now, there are concerted efforts to break down silos in supply chain execution operations to enable longterm strategies and actions in logistics infrastructure and technology to help minimise future shocks. With respect to risk and resiliency,
MHD MAY 2022 | 33
