Analyst Insight: Digital business creates new opportunities for consumer packaged goods companies to transact directly to their end consumers. Digital business is information-enabled business that employs an abundance of new information in ways that better service customers. Bottom-line digital business offers the potential to transform the way that CPG companies interact with and serve their customers allowing them to create new operating models that tighten the bonds with their end consumer, which has the potential to transmogrify the CPG industry. - Dwight Klappich, Vice President, Supply Chain Research, Gartner
Analyst Insight: Not too long ago, many supply chain professionals were skeptical of adopting a SaaS delivery model for their solutions. There was a hesitancy to move their solutions off premise, into the cloud and pay a subscription. How times have changed. Supply chain solution providers are all moving to the model or designing native solutions that are cloud-based. - Guy F. Courtin, Vice President & Principal Analyst, Constellation Research
The ocean shipping industry has traditionally used EDI for shipment tendering, booking and milestone tracking. A new solution has emerged that leverages near real time vessel tracking data to improve shipment planning and tracking.
HighJump has introduced HighJump Vintners' Edge, a cloud-based software suite designed to address the wine industry's omnichannel needs, from order capture to fulfillment and delivery.
For years, companies have used digital supply chain technologies to improve service levels and reduce costs. But the inability to connect disparate systems, provide end-to-end visibility into the supply chain, and crunch massive amounts of data, among other issues, has prevented many companies from achieving the full potential of their supply chains.
JDA Software Group Inc. has unveiled Retail.me, a new retail-planning application based on the Google Cloud platform, and offered under a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model.
Checkpoint Systems Inc., a vendor of merchandise-availability applications for the retail industry, has collaborated with Microsoft Corp. to bring its Checkpoint RFID software to the cloud, and enhance it with Microsoft analytical tools.
Managers are increasingly nervous about the lack of progress in their digital initiatives. Too often, organizations merely add digital "pixie dust" to traditional processes or engage in a frenzy of digital experiments and ventures. Rather than drive competitive advantage, these efforts leave companies more vulnerable.
Herlitz Inventory Management, a provider of tools for demand forecasting, replenishment and optimization, has partnered with Erredi Consulting to market its HIMPACT software in Italy and the Italian-speaking area of Switzerland.
