Remember the 2020 toilet paper shortages? Supermarket shelves were stripped of everyday essentials as people prepared for looming lockdowns, in fear that everyday items they needed would run out.

The pandemic continued to disrupt all parts of the supply chain thereafter. School supplies, coffee, even computer chips: materials that consumers rely on to purchase on a cyclical basis were in low stock, or took weeks to arrive to their doorstep or in-store.

All of this disruption had to do with the global supply chain, revealing the delicate systems that consumers, businesses and economies rely on to get the products they need, at the right time. With fragmented decision-making processes, limited collaboration between buyers and suppliers and a lack of central authority to control supply chains globally, mishaps and delays have continued well into the closing months of 2021.

To add to that, large consumer companies face rising competition, an ever-increasing need for more agile and adaptable chains, and the need for cost control. All of this is happening in the midst of rapidly changing consumer preferences and behaviors.

This last trend is one of the most salient. Consumers prioritize an omnichannel shopping experience that is convenient, personalized, timely and sustainable – all while considering product price twice in the context of economic uncertainty.

Large manufacturing and distribution businesses are left with a mission: creating a more robust, reliable supply chain, while ensuring the digital customer journey is as seamless and worry-free as possible.