DELIVER & OPERATE
closer toward reaching their CO2 emission mandates .”
HOW SMART TECHNOLOGY IS DRIVING INNOVATION IN LAST-MILE DELIVERY Continuing the F1 analogy , Davis says : “ In Formula 1 , it ’ s the last minutes and seconds of the race that get your adrenaline going . Continuous optimisation is the key to winning , and it ’ s the same in supply chain .
“ Supply chain optimisation can be very effective in last-mile delivery . It might be the shortest leg of the supply chain by far , but it ’ s often the most complex , expensive and energy inefficient .”
With last mile , there is no greater enemy to customer loyalty and satisfaction than orders not arriving when expected , arriving wrong , or not at all . And with so many disruptions , many traditional supply chain strategies continue to endure excess shipping charges due to changes in last-minute deliveries - all of which increases their carbon footprint .
Today , the last mile link in the supply chain is under enormous pressure to adapt at a lightning pace . But it ’ s important to remember that a company ’ s last mile solutions are only as strong as its supply chain planning infrastructure , and the ability to deliver visibility and connectivity across the entire supply chain journey .
More than first- and middle-mile logistics , last mile has seen the greatest amount of change , thanks in large part to omnichannel . Last mile is also the most publicly visible link in the supply chain , and as such is most likely to be blamed by customers if anything goes wrong . But like a cog in a machine , last mile logistics can only function as efficiently as the other moving parts across the supply chain .
In conclusion , Davis says she is “ inspired ” by how much digital supply chains can help SAP customers deliver sustainability initiatives , and is “ optimistic ” about the future on this front . “ It ' s been exciting , challenging and ultimately fulfilling to see our customers use digitalisation across their supply chains to fuel fast , agile , and sustainable responses across the value chain ,” she says .
Continuous optimisation is the key to winning in F1 , and it ’ s the same in supply chain
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