5 Big Takeaways from the Gartner Supply Chain Summit

Last week, ketteQ team members, customers and partners joined over 1,100 of the world’s brightest supply chain minds in sunny Phoenix, Arizona for the long-awaited Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit. The event was bigger and better than ever and packed with thought-provoking presentations, round tables and panel discussions.

Following two exciting, insightful, and wildly successful days at the Summit, the ketteQ team adjourned to the TWENT6 bar at the JW Marriott for a few well deserve celebratory libations. While relaxing with co-workers, customers and partners our conversation quickly shifted to the big takeaways from the event and a rather lively discussion ensued.

As we exited the bar, we unanimously agreed that our observations and takeaways from the Summit were worth sharing via a blog post and I was nominated to write it.    

So, here it is, our collection of big takeaways from the Summit from our team members.

1. Supply Chain Planning Has a Critical Role in Resilience

Mike Landry, CEO, ketteQ

The shocks and disruptions experienced globally in recent years have underscored the importance of building resilient supply chains. During the Summit’s opening keynote, Ingrid Gonzalez McCarthy, Gartner’s Senior Research Director in the Supply Chain Planning Team made it clear to attendees that internal and external disruptive events will continue to happen. She further said the number and speed of disruptions are higher than ever before, but by 2026, 95% of companies will have failed to enable E2E resiliency in their supply chains which will drive up disruption costs.

Supply chain resilience has always been crucial, but it is now a strategic imperative which requires businesses looking to thrive in today’s global, interconnected volatile and uncertain business environment to break from the status quo and challenge conventional supply chain wisdom.

Midway through her keynote, McCarthy shifted from defining the resilience problem to defining the solutions. She urged attendees to change their planning approach by shifting their obsession for precision to a true range of possibilities and focus on predicting a range of uncertainty in demand, supply and disruptions. Exploring new ranges of possibilities is best achieved through digitally enabled scenario planning.

The net-net is organizations that prioritize resilience are better positioned to navigate challenges, protect their stakeholders, and seize opportunities for growth.

2.  Supply Chains are Becoming Revenue and Profit Levers

Greg Richmond, VP Business Value Consulting, ketteQ  

In another departure from conventional wisdom, the supply chain is evolving into a strategic lever for revenue and profit generation. Traditionally, return on investment (ROI) in supply chain improvements has been closely tied to efficiency gains and cost reductions, particularly during periods of high demand and supply chain disruptions resulting from Covid-19 pandemic. However, as the global economy transitions from the demand surge of the pandemic to a more stabilized state, supply chains are shifting their focus towards enabling revenue growth and optimization. This change in perspective marks a recognition of the supply chain's potential to not only streamline operations but also to drive business expansion and enhance overall profitability.

Unlocking the revenue and profit potential of the supply chain involves embracing innovative approaches to planning, analytics, and visibility. Shortening lead times and improving asset utilization based on demand sensing, as well as collaborative demand shaping with sales and finance, are emerging as key factors in enhancing competitiveness, and enabling businesses to respond swiftly to market dynamics

3.  Generative AI and Machine Learning Will Transform Supply Chain Planning

Chris Amet, CTO, ketteQ

We’ve entered an exciting era marked by rapid technological advancements which will enable the world’s supply chains to undergo transformative evolution and become better for all. With the advent of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Generative AI) and Machine Learning (ML), supply chain planning is poised to reach unprecedented levels of efficiency, adaptability, and responsiveness.

These technologies are not just tools; they are catalysts for a more resilient, adaptive, and efficient supply chain ecosystem. Embracing the power of Generative AI and ML is not merely a choice but a strategic imperative for organizations looking to thrive in the dynamic landscape of the future. The journey has just begun, and the synergy between human expertise and artificial intelligence is set to redefine the very essence of supply chain planning.

Machine Learning will become a great supply staff augmentation tool by learning the decisions and selections made by planners and then steering scenarios and parameters towards that learning.  This improves and adjusts over time, delivering increased decision quality and speed, as well as productivity gains.

4. What Got You Here Will Not Get You There

Mark Balte, VP Services North America, ketteQ  

In the ever-evolving landscape of supply chain planning, the adage "what got you here won't get you there" rings truer than ever. As industries undergo rapid transformations, businesses must recognize that the technological solutions and strategies that brought them success in the past may now be holding them back. This is particularly evident when it comes to legacy supply chain solutions that are unable to support resilient planning and explore a full range of possibilities to predict a range of uncertainty in demand, supply and disruptions.

As businesses venture into the future, the ability to harness the power of real-time data, advanced analytics, and emerging technologies will be the key differentiator. It's time to embrace a new era of supply chain planning– one that propels businesses beyond the limitations of the past and into a future of unprecedented efficiency and resilience.

A truly transformative supply chain vision and plan requires a departure from the traditional, evolutionary approach. Business can rethink how the supply chain is planned and managed, with next generation technology to leapfrog phases and steps on the path to a future that positions their company to capture game-changing results.  

5.  Time: A Critical Factor in Supply Chain Management

Nick Viola, Senior Solutions Engineer, ketteQ

The importance of time in supply chain planning cannot be overstated, as it plays a pivotal role in ensuring the efficiency and responsiveness of the entire process. The constraint of time is a critical factor, driving the need for advanced supply chain planning technologies that can rapidly run tens of thousands of scenarios to explore a full range of possibilities and generate plans while considering tradeoffs among various operational metrics.  

With the capability to quickly produce multiple planning options, organizations can evaluate risk assessments for each plan, allowing for agile decision-making.  

The ability to swiftly assess multiple scenarios is crucial, especially in dynamic business environments where market conditions, consumer preferences, and external factors can change rapidly. Technologies that facilitate scenario inheritances further enhance the adaptability of supply chain planning, enabling organizations to anticipate and respond to uncertainties in real-time.