You Can Be A Supply Chain SuperHERO

Now is your chance to be the supply chain HERO for your customers! It’s no secret the challenges facing the promotional products industry today… supply chain, inventory shortages, labor pressure, and more. Face those concerns head-on and be the supply chain HERO for your customers.

H - HEIGHTEN AWARENESS: Product Choice is Limited

Inventory issues are occurring more and more often in today’s environment. Suppliers are not only low in inventory but also cannot depend on the normal supply chain to backfill orders. In addition, timelines for custom imports are extremely long and not guaranteed. To avoid the letdown, offer strongly stocked products upfront, including offering more than one item. It is also a good idea to determine a backup choice and potential alternative color option.

E - EDUCATE: Shipping Costs Have Gone Up

Many factors have contributed to higher shipping costs: increased demand, stimulus checks (people spending, items needing to be shipped,) overwhelmed ports, and too few ships, dockworkers, and truckers. For now, there is no immediate solution, and these factors are creating a snowball effect across the supply chain. Being transparent about shipping costs will help set proper expectations with your end customers, so they are not surprised.

R - REMIND! REMIND! REMIND

Holidays will be here before you know it - start planning for Q4 orders NOW! Whether it is holiday gifting, employee appreciation, trade shows, etc. NOW is the time to start preparing! A great place to start is to review what orders you had during Q4 in the previous years and validate if those orders are repeating for this year. Start making suggestions! Many suppliers are taking orders NOW for delivery in Q4! At AIA, we have an entire team dedicated to Supplier Relations!

O - OVER-COMMUNICATE

You cannot communicate enough! As we have all heard, the entire country is experiencing labor issues. These labor challenges have had a direct effect on just about everything in the promo world! It takes people to produce our promo orders. These shortages influence every step of the process:

• Delays in order entry,
• Delays in artwork/proofing,
• Delays in production,
• Delays in invoicing, and more!

You may not be able to overcome this, but you can be upfront. Explain the challenges, and communicate every step of the process to ensure a better customer experience!

Now you have a talk track but is something missing? Every HERO needs a sidekick! By partnering with AIA, we provide business coaching, back-office support, marketing and so much more! See for yourself by contacting us today!