The other day I received an inquiry from someone who heard Lora Cecere as a guest on the Supply Chain Brain podcast series. She was intrigued. She liked the podcast so much that she picked up the phone and gave us a call. But she didn't have an understanding of the company and actually thought we were a software provider. It is fun being unique but challenging all the same. You can't just be lumped into a well -known category because the model is so unfamiliar. We stand in a category all alone. 

We may not be easy to understand, but we are very powerful. We are a supply chain analyst firm. What makes us powerful is the research we produce. But we need help. We rely on the supply chain professional community for the answers that help companies get unstuck off a mediocre supply chain plateau. We in turn use this research to help drive home key messages that change the company's thinking and culture with the right process, strategy and technologies. 

We recognize the problem. In our Planning Software survey, we are trying to bring clarity to the nagging issue of software implementation regarding how fast it is done and who does it. It's a pain point for many supply chain leaders and has been for so long. We tackle these issues head on by producing confidential targeted surveys; in this instance, we ask manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to participate. Qualified respondents help mold the story which is converted into a research report that is shared freely on our website for all to read and share with their team and network. 

In our next survey, Risk Management, we are trying to discover the heart and soul of this common pain point and its current state. We poll professionals asking them questions such as how many disruptions they have had in the recent past and what do they expect in the near future. We also ask what techniques they use for risk management. The answers help in finding direction of how companies can prepare for the worst without tying up capital, a very important part of business. 

We currently have seven studies in the field dedicated to supply chain topics providing a better understanding to business professionals. It is our mission for supply chain leaders to turn to us for information that matters in driving supply chain excellence. We hope this article helps you see the benefits and the potential of how our hard work spearheads conversations across global boardrooms. But we can't do the work by ourselves. It's a joint effort. We need your input to turn it into helpful information. 

Take our planning survey here:

http://www.survey.supplychaininsights.com/ps/cgi-bin/ciwweb.pl?StudyName=psw1402&u=sciw&hid_pagenum=1&hid_link=1&hid_javascript=1

Take our Risk Management survey here:

http://www.survey.supplychaininsights.com/rm/cgi-bin/ciwweb.pl?StudyName=rsk1402&u=sci2&hid_pagenum=1&hid_link=1&hid_javascript=1