Supply Chain Digital Magazine December 2023 | Page 69

LOGISTICS

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ith cost cutting now a major objective for organisations , supply chain is one area that many organisations target . In pre-pandemic times , cost cutting was largely the domain of procurement departments , but now every facet of the supply chain is becoming more agile , efficient and cost effective .
Logistics is key among these areas , with the last-mile always having been the most complex and costly part of delivering goods . These days , businesses are not only seeking to reduce supply chain costs , they are also doing so while adapting to market uncertainty .
A recent EY report declared that although there is a great deal of urgency around cost cutting , the methods behind the measures ought not be short-sighted , “ especially

“Fulfilment in Singapore has been shaped by evolving consumer expectations ”

ERIC TAN MANAGING DIRECTOR FEDEX EXPRESS considering that the goal is not just savings for now but adding resilience in the longer term ”.
Here , FedEx Express Managing Director Eric Tan , who is based in Singapore , discusses the role the company ’ s fulfilment strategies in the region plays in helping deliver a better service at a lower cost .
What has shaped fulfilment in Singapore ? It is important to first understand the current state of fulfilment in Singapore , which has been shaped by evolving consumer expectations . While consumers in Singapore have always expected best-in-class order fulfilment , marked by timely and transparent deliveries , the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped expectations to now include elements of personalisation .
As a result , logistics providers had to re-evaluate the way they operated , so they could continue empowering businesses to keep up with consumer expectations . In the backdrop of increasing shipping volumes driven by the growth of e-commerce many logistics providers have shifted away from the traditional one-size-fits-all approach of reducing costs and optimising processes , to meet the growing customer demand for personalisation .
In our What ’ s Next in ecommerce survey , we found that , to improve the ecommerce experience , consumers expect personalisation , which includes choice and convenience in terms of deliveries . For the
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