For orchestration and improvement of their supply chain, shippers and logistic service providers are running Supply Chain Control Towers. Such a Supply Chain Control Tower consists of one or more central hubs with the required technology, organization, people and processes to provide enhanced visibility for decision making. Technology and data are crucial for the success of such a Control Tower set-up. Various providers offer IT solutions, how to select the system that best fits your objectives and requirements?
In market research reports from companies like Gartner and Nucleus Research, the IT solutions from global providers are grouped in categories like leaders, challengers/ facilitators, visionaries/experts and niche players/core providers. This might give the impression that the selection of the right solution is easy: who doesn’t want to be a leader? In ‘real life’ making the right choice depends on Control Tower characteristics like industry, supply chain scope and partners, services/processes, organisation set-up and the current application landscape:
Based on the control tower set-up requirements regarding functionality, technology/data, services, ability to execute and costs need to be identified and a long list of potential IT solutions will be prepared. Industry, supply chain and geography focus/expertise of the provider and core capabilities/functionality of the system will play an important role:
This knowledge and collaboration platform provides more information on Supply Chain Control Tower solutions in general and an overview of systems being used.
