Pushing more money on people won't solve the labor shortage in the supply chain, says Amy David, clinical associate at Purdue University. Greater benefits and childcare are among the things needed to attract and retain workers.

Software is the engine of the supply chain, says Gregg A. Lanyard, director of product management for Manhattan Associates, but it must adapt to a customer's needs.

After pinpointing its pain points, a company can unlock great potential by implementing Manufacturing 4.0, says Jake Barr, chief executive officer of Blue World Supply Chain Consulting.

Internal logistics operations are as challenged by the pandemic as those outside the company, says Craig Henry, U.S. industry manager for intralogistics at Siemens Industry.

Customers' e-commerce demands have exploded because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that has challenged B2B and B2C distribution center workforces, says Steve Simmerman, head of global alliances at Locus Robotics.

The pandemic has increased uncertainty in the warehousing, labor and transportation markets, says Stephen Beard, vice president of solutions at Flexe.

Software is the engine of the supply chain, says Gregg A. Lanyard, director of product management for Manhattan Associates, but it must adapt to a customer's needs.

Vigilance in dealing with vendors and suppliers is crucial to sustainability, says Jim Stock, University of South Florida professor, but the pandemic has interrupted inspections and other preventive measures.

One risks wasting huge sums by exploring supply chain solutions before identifying one's supply chain needs, says Steve Hopper, founder and principal of Inviscid Consulting.

In the time of COVID-19, the already challenging consumer world is seeing expectations heightening, says Tom Goldsby, Haslam Chair of Logistics at the University of Tennessee.