Overcoming Barriers to Tech Adoption in Global Supply Chains
When managing your supply chain, it’s crucial to be aware of the latest technologies and how to integrate them with your existing systems. Doing so will optimize the efficiency of your operations and boost transparency. To benefit from updated technology, you may first encounter some obstacles during implementation.
This article explores common barriers to adopting technology and provides strategic insights into overcoming these obstacles so your organization can maximize the benefits of technology advancements.
Common Barriers to Tech Adoption and How to Overcome Them
As you participate in the global supply chain systems, you may encounter a variety of common barriers to adopting technology effectively. Common barriers include:
Integration complexities
If you’ve been in business for a significant amount of time, your team will likely have legacy systems that are challenging to integrate with emerging technologies. It’s best to integrate new technologies slowly and methodically.
Prudent managers will create change management strategies to ensure the process goes more smoothly. Companies can work with supply chain integration services, which cover strategic decision-making and setting up integration teams when working with new technology solutions.
Budgetary limitations
One common objection in management to deploying modern technology is the expense of investment and maintenance. But you have to spend money to make money and avoid the opportunity cost that would result from failing to adopt a promising technology.
A strategic move would be to demonstrate the return on investment in Software as a Service, or SaaS, and how adopting new technologies will provide you with significant long-term savings.
For example, you can calculate how much money your organization could save if you migrated data and software services to a cloud computing solution, which would have a dedicated staff of IT experts keeping watch over your information. This will be less expensive than maintaining your own data servers and trying to predict how much capacity you’ll require.
Cloud computing lets your supply chain stakeholders connect to data from any location safely and securely, fostering greater collaboration using mobile devices when they’re not near a desktop computer.
Data security concerns
As you adopt new technology, you must understand the security implications of its use. Criminal hackers may try to invade the privacy of employees who maintain your supply chain.
They may attempt to breach your network with malware — which can lead to theft of intellectual property or lock down data during a ransomware attack — and threaten to not restore access to crucial information until you pay the ransom. You’ll want to implement advanced protocols to ensure optimized cybersecurity. It’s prudent to make sure you comply with global data privacy restrictions.
Workforce training needs
You may have been facing a shortage of skilled workers who can help you deploy and manage new supply chain technologies. Accordingly, you’ll need to invest in development and training.
Often, it’s best to partner with external consultants, whether you’re improving your onboarding process or overhauling the ongoing training you provide to long-standing members of your team.
You want to engage your employees so they can work to their maximum potential within the supply chain. For example, give them wearable mixed reality devices to provide them with additional content to enhance how they carry out complex tasks and work more safely.
Without the Latest Technology for Supply Chain Integration, You May Fall Behind the Competition
Owners and managers of businesses with significant reliance on the global supply chain cannot keep their heads in the sand regarding technology. It pays to hire supply chain experts with a background in technology to pave the way toward optimized integration.
Companies without in-house expertise can partner with firms that specialize in supply chain integration services. Doing so will help you maintain a competitive edge and work more efficiently and transparently.
*This article is written by Gary Brooks. Gary is the CMO of ketteQ and has more than 25 years of experience leading marketing for top software companies. Brooks has been featured in major publications such as Forbes, VentureBeat, ZDNET, Equipment World, Nikkei, Manufacturing Business Technology, Supply & Demand Chain Executive, and Field Service News, among others. Brooks holds a BS from Northeastern University and an MS, Management from Lesley University. He also is the co-founder of the Brooks Family Foundation.
