The digital journey takes companies, and their supply chains, through sequential stages. Each stage contains the competencies and technologies necessary to build a platform for continued digital evolution. The change is often incremental. Yet a business gains proficiency with each stage, and its supply chains become better-equipped to meet the demands of a complex, networked, global business environment. While some steps may appear small, each step contributes to creating truly transformative opportunities throughout an agile supply chain.

And the best first step to optimization is taking a deep look at every aspect of your business’ supply chain. Doing this helps set a business up for successful predictive processes and happier business partners and customers.

Here are the stages Supply Chain businesses in Kenya and Uganda will go through in the digital transformation journey;

Stage 1: Intracompany collaboration

The first step in supply chain transformation is assessing and aligning the enterprise’s systems and processes, particularly those responsible for supply planning, supplier relations, and warehouse management.

Stage 2: A networked supply chain

Improve collaboration with suppliers and trading partners. Focus on tools that help internal teams succeed with partners across the supply chain cycle in the planning to delivery stage.

Stage 3: Full customer demand, integration

When customer demand triggers signals in a supply chain, enhanced analytics and business intelligence (BI) turn insights into action by automating systems and connecting planning and operations software to the network.

Stage 4: Becoming predictive

Go beyond responding to demand to predict it. A predictive supply chain leans on the digital signals produced by the network to determine when exceptions or opportunities will arise and acts accordingly.