Manufacturers are evolving their value chain to provide a stronger focus on customer experience, better support and more transparency.
Transforming the value chain means adapting the business model to place a greater focus on the end consumer’s needs, and being forced to rethink the entire value chain, from R&D to post-purchase support.
Here are some ideas to get the most out of this transformation:
1. Improve Partner Collaboration
According to Deloitte’s 2015 Supply Chain Talent of the Future report, 64% of companies surveyed said that their ability to negotiate and collaborate with value chain partners would become more important.
Manufacturers need to work more closely with their value chain partners to provide the elevated level of transparency and service required by today’s consumers.
2. Focus on Personalised Service
The evolving value chain, in conjunction with new technology like 3D printing, has created new business opportunities for manufacturers, including the ability to personalise. According to the Deloitte research, 29% of businesses reported that personalised service through technology has already disrupted their market.
As a consequence, businesses are moving from traditional manufacturing to a real-time demand order fulfilment with a focus on on-demand product and services and personalised customer interaction. The value chain has to innovate to accommodate this shift.
3. Think Manufacturing as a Service
Manufacturing is no longer an isolated process. Technology is enabling services both from a manufacturing perspective, as well as from an operations and logistics perspective.
Manufacturers now have the new ability to monitor products after they have been sold and gather valuable usage data. Predictive analysis can be used to offer preventative maintenance and revolutionise customer service by self-diagnosing issues and report back.
The growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) also plays a large role in developing manufacturing as a service, and re-envisioning business models through the use of robotics, smart sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced data analytics. The Deloitte report found that 59% of manufacturers already use robotics technology and embrace supply chain transformation.
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