430: Unify Your Supply Chain Systems, with Manhattan Associates

Bryant Smith of Manhattan talks about supply chain unification; visibility, resiliency & cost; overcoming siloes; and delivering big results with their TMS. IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.52] An overview of Manhattan – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers. [08.20] The basics of supply chain unification, what it means, and the common misconceptions. "There are a lot of misconceptions about unification… Sometimes you hear other companies express unification as integrations between different systems… that's not our definition of unification!" "There are a lot of different components and workflows that are associated with managing a supply chain… and we have a single platform that manages all those workflows in one central place." [10.39] A closer look at Manhattan's transport management solutions and modernized tech platform, and how the platform has evolved over time. "Supply chain execution is hard – but using the technology shouldn't be." [18.20] Why supply chain has historically been so siloed, and how we can unify our fractured ecosystems. "Supply chain tech started as on-premise, and that creates siloes… And the approach was very pointed. People would say "I have this problem, I need to create a software to solve it" – so now we have a bunch of software's that do really specialized things." [23.10] Visibility: what it means to Manhattan, why it's so important, and the huge potential it has for supply chain, from optimizing buying patterns to improved labor utilization. "It's not warehouse versus transportation any more. It's inbound versus outbound." [29.39] The power of resiliency, and what it means for organizations as they face continued global disruption. "Being resilient is about seeing and understanding, but also about being able to proactively – or reactively – resolve exceptions as they happen." [37.06] The impact of supply chain unification on cost, and the range of business areas in which companies can make significant reductions. [41.30] A case study detailing how Manhattan helped a global specialist in energy management to unify, simplify their technology landscape, and reduce cost, resulting in a huge seven-figure return on investment. [45.33] The ideal client for Manhattan. "Our architecture allows you to scale up and down based on your complexity." [46.48] The future for Manhattan, and the big role generative AI and automation is going to play in supply chain unification.   RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   Head over to Manhattan's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Manhattan and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and X (Twitter), or you can connect with Bryant on LinkedIn.