If you haven’t yet listened to or read about them, take a look at our wrap-up blogs covering past episodes of the Auto Supply Chain Prophets podcast.
As we move from the leisurely days of summer to fall and peak demand season, I’m reminded that the automotive supply chain is changing just as rapidly as the seasons do. Likewise, the action never stops here at the Auto Supply Chain Prophets podcast, because Cathy Fisher of Quistem, Jan Griffiths of Gravitas Detroit and I never miss a beat on supporting your organization in “delivering on the promise of delivery.”
We’re well into the second season of our podcast and couldn’t be more grateful for the support of our vibrant listener base. Thank you! We’re also thrilled that our podcast continues to attract distinguished guests who are central to the automotive supply chain’s past, present and future. Our last few episodes, as always, were action-packed. We can’t wait for you to dig into them!
Whether you’re new around here or an avid listener, I urge you to take your learning to the next level with our whitepaper, “The 24 Essential Supply Chain Processes.” While our desire to help your business thrive in the automotive supply chain of the future is the heart of our podcast, our whitepaper is the backbone. Inside, you’ll find the root causes of poor supply chain performance and our proven formula for solving them once and for all.
Episode #37: Roadmap to Auto Supply Chain Success
In the fast-paced world of automotive manufacturing, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for success. In this episode, Cathy, Jan and I share our secret sauce for doing just that with a strategic roadmap that can help your business not only respond to uncertainty with speed and agility but also thrive in the automotive supply chain of the future.
If you’re already thinking like an auto supply chain prophet (yes, you, loyal listeners!), then you’re probably familiar with step one: identify “The 24 Essential Supply Chain Processes” that form the heart of our vision and are the key to your success.
Our white paper is the key to getting your head in the game, but let’s not forget about your organization’s most valuable assets. I’m talking about your workforce, and they’re the focus of steps two and three. The way we source materials and manufacture and transport products is changing, and nobody knows these challenges quite like your frontline workers. Equipping them with the right tools and training, like the AIAG’s new Essentials of Supply Chain Course, is paramount for success.
“There’s definitely a unique language to supply chain in the automotive space. There are some common supply chain terms, but there are also quite a few that are unique. And so that’s one of the things that this training that AIAG just released is going to definitely help new people coming into the industry,” explains Cathy.
Ready to discover steps four and five? Click here to listen to the full episode and download the “The 24 Essential Supply Chain Processes” to get started on the road to success.
Episode #38: Revving Up the Supply Chain: Exploring the Future of Automotive EDI
It might seem like there’s an acronym for everything in manufacturing, but EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is one you’ll want to keep at the top of your playbook as the automotive supply chain continues to evolve. In this episode, we find out why with the help of prestigious guest Fred Coe, the chair of the AIAG EDI Advisory Group and a B2B expert with more than 25 years of experience.
I like to think of EDI as the glue that keeps global supply chains up and running. Thousands of products go into every vehicle and you can thank EDI for quietly working behind the scenes for decades to enable real-time data sharing and communication between every tier of our industry.
Its importance cannot be understated, explains Fred. “EDI has to be a condition to do business with any organization. It’s no longer an order qualifier. It’s no longer a nice-to-have.”
Your business has probably been using EDI for years, but the technology, like our industry, is undergoing rapid change as integration with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) becomes more important. In this episode, we discuss these changes in depth, as well as opportunities to prepare your workforce, get Tier 2 and 3 suppliers on board, and identify the best fit for EDI within your organization.
Click here to listen to the full episode.
Episode #39: ESG in the Automotive Industry: Embracing Sustainability for Global Supply Chains
Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) is something of a double-edged sword in the automotive industry. ESG alignment, done right, can help your organization drive quality improvements and help elevate our entire industry, but navigating the world’s increasingly complex web of ESG regulations and requirements can be challenging, to say the least.
Few understand this dynamic better than this episode’s special guest, Alexis Scipio, founder of The Thrive Point and an esteemed ESG strategy consultant. Our conversation came at just the right time because Cathy, Jan and I realize that many leaders are in ESG limbo; you know it cannot be ignored, but how do you turn alignment into a value proposition instead of an added responsibility?
For Alexis, the answer is surprisingly simple: align your organization’s ESG and quality improvement efforts and get everyone on board, whether they’re a supply chain operator or sitting in the C-suite. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) also need to help lead the charge.
“My real request is for OEMs to step up, to make sure that they’re partnering along with their suppliers to make sure that they are being partners in sustainability,” says Alexis.
My takeaway? ESG alignment in the automotive industry will take a village and leaders shouldn’t wait for additional regulatory mandates to get started. You have the tools to succeed right now and this episode will show you how to bring ESG into focus and reframe the conversation.
Click here to listen to the full episode.
Episode #40: Shaping the Future: Why Talent Development Is Paramount in Automotive Supply Chains
I want to put COVID-19 in the rearview mirror just as much as anyone else, but the hard truth is that the automotive supply chain looks a lot different today than it did a few years ago.
Shutdowns are long gone, but we’re still grappling with unprecedented supply chain disruption and feeling the absence of workers who left the industry never to return. Moreover, new technologies like AI are taking hold and getting up to speed can be a challenge for supply chain practitioners, many of whom now wear many hats.
In this episode, Naseem Malik, Managing Director at MRA Global Sourcing, brings us up to speed on how the automotive supply chain has changed and will continue to do so, with a focus on developing a mindset that’s just as agile as your organization needs to be to remain competitive in our post-COVID-19 world.
“The more you embrace what’s happening today on the technology side, and understand that while it’s not going to replace you or replace your jobs, the people that actually use this AI technology will be in a much better position than people that don’t use it,” explains Naseem.
Central to Nassem’s vision is the concept of a “talent supply chain” – a new term for Cathy, Jan and I, but one that makes perfect sense. It’s a lot like a traditional supply chain, but one designed to develop a workforce that can meet the industry’s needs today and in the future.
“If you provide your talent within your company the opportunities to grow, if you train them, whether it’s internal, or whether it’s external, and encourage them, incentivize them, that is only going to help you and pay dividends,” continues Nassem.
Click here to listen to the full episode.
Want to learn more? Visit the Auto Supply Chain Prophets website to download and catch up on all the latest podcast episodes.
This article was co-written by Cathy Fisher, founder and president of Quistem, LLC.
