As COVID-19 causes unprecedented disruption to global supply chains, the impact of the virus is infiltrating virtually every industry. Businesses are exploring changes to make to their supply chain in order to weather the storm and turn these crises into opportunities. Here are our suggestions to secure your supply chain in the midst of a global crisis.
Prioritise the people
The health and safety of employees is critical, it is important to ensure that all workers in the supply chain feel safe and valued. Special measures may need to be brought in – in this case face masks, gloves and sanitation products – in order to protect vulnerable workers and minimise health risk. Explore options for remote-working arrangements and automation.
Identify and locate key problem areas
Start to map out where each of the suppliers are located, this will help to identify high-risk areas and understand the scale of the problem.
Make allowances
By understanding which products and large orders are likely to be delayed or halted organisations can start to plan for the worst-case scenarios and explore other options for suppliers.
Switch suppliers
Try sourcing from more local suppliers where possible – the closer the vendors are, the higher the guarantee of continued delivery of the required products. This increased proximity may also make it easier to hold suppliers responsible in the event of discrepancies or faults.
Use reputable news sources
With a barrage of information circulating from various channels, it’s important to only use reliable news sources to avoid false information and maintain a level head through the crisis.
Create a backup plan
Pinpoint the key areas of your business that may suffer including transport, communications, supply and cash flow and create a contingency plan to prepare your business for the worst-case scenario.
Prepare for the future
Remember that a crisis is only temporary, the current threat of Coronavirus will undoubtedly pass, and business will resume. There are important lessons to be drawn, and the plans that are made now – to adapt in the current climate – will help organisations to manage problems, large or small that arise in the future.
During these uncertain and challenging times, OfficeTeam are here to assist you. Get in touch today to see how we help improve your supply chain.
OfficeTeam will even deliver products to your home workers’ home. Rest assured, our team are taking all the necessary precautions to prevent contamination and we have stringent rules for third party deliveries used over this busy time.
New to OfficeTeam?
If you’re not currently an OfficeTeam customer Contact Us to set up your account and order now or call us now on our Home Office Hotline on 0113 203 2100 where we can fast track your order via credit card payment and deliver directly to home offices.
As well as ensuring continuity of supplies, you’ll also receive all the added benefits of our SmartPad system. These include access to a personalised dashboard, spend reports and all your business intelligence at the click of a button – giving you complete visibility and control over your spend.
