Episode Summary
Listen as Scott and Greg welcome Kendra Miller to the Supply Chain Now stage at the CSCMP Atlanta Roundtable Event in Atlanta, GA.
Episode Transcript
[00:00:05] It’s time for Supply Chain Now Radio. Broadcasting live from the Supply chain capital of the country, Atlanta, Georgia. Supply Chain Now Radio spotlights the best in all things supply chain the people, the technology’s the best practices and the critical issues of the day.
[00:00:25] And now here are your hosts, Pagan Maureen and Scott Luton here with you, Liveline Supply chain. Now, welcome back to the show. Glad to have you. If you can’t tell, we’re here at SC Competes Vetlanta roundtables event, a launch event where we’re gonna be hearing about some updated transportation regulation news from my friends over at Nass Track. But as part of this, we are pleased to sit down with several Supply chain leaders and get to know them better in their organizations better. And this is the second installment. I’m here with Mr. Greg White, my co-host, fearless co-host, trusted advisor for many supply chain adj. plenty of other labels we can give them, but don’t label me, man. Great to see you.
[00:01:05] Greg, good to see you. It’s good to be here. A lot of energy in this room. Lot lodha energy fight has gotten a bunch of folks together to talk about and hear from the folks in the abstracts on absolutely interested in behind-the-scenes Chris Barnes executive producer and one of our special contributors is helping out as well.
[00:01:21] So, hey, Chris, how you doing? All right. So, Kendra Miller, good morning. How are you doing? Good. So you’re having me? You bet. Looking forward to this. Director of Alliance Partner Development with Essam C-3 and his craft. Great to have you. You know, there’s so much we could talk about. And, you know, this needs to be a three hour interview, but we’ve.
[00:01:40] Right, we’ve got about 15 minutes for the starters. Needs to be three hours. But we got fifteen minutes to talk, talk, talk fast. Very hot takes.
[00:01:49] Right. But, you know, SNC three, great organization. We’ve been pleased to collaborate with the organization previously. Think world of what you all do. And you know, you have a big event coming up. We might touch on a little later on. But in your role. What do you do and what how does the organization serve the industry?
[00:02:05] Yes. So SNC C-3 is the leader in the LTL industry and we are a neutral party serving carriers, third party logistics companies, shippers and technology providers providing industry solutions for less than truckload rating. We are getting into the truckload market as well. We had a launch that went out today for our bid since procurement for truckload of sand. So are, you know, building on our history since 1935 of Lu.
[00:02:31] Nineteen thirty five is called S.A.C. three and nineteen Southern Murder.
[00:02:36] Oh okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah.
[00:02:38] But have has really evolved over the years and developing to what the industry needs and that’s what we definitely our team of people at SNC Three take great pride in providing industry solutions, whether it be less than truckload grading, carrier cost analysis and cost intelligence, big procurement tools and you know, transit times, visibility say lots of topics that we really try to serve the industry, helping folks move stuff efficiently, saving time and money and headaches, I’m sure.
[00:03:10] Right.
[00:03:12] And based right here in the metro Atlanta area, Jerai, we’re in Peachtree City. And so we work with the technology partners across the industry. So with the, you know, a.S.A.P, Merkur Gate, Manhattan’s Bluejay, who’s also a sponsor of CSP and really working with them to partnership and how we can best serve the industry.
[00:03:32] So now in your role as director of Alliance Partner Development, where do you spend your time?
[00:03:38] So I spend my time with the alliance partners and also with shippers and carriers and three deals and learn what they need in the industry and how s.m C-3 can serve that, keeping them updated on the products that we have coming out to support it and how we can work together to meet their customers needs. S.A.C. 3 The real key, as I mentioned, highlighted before, we are a neutral party. So it’s really trying to find the best solution for the customer. I’m from that soup.
[00:04:03] Yeah, great. Going to bring you in here because there’s been one theme throughout our shows in twenty nineteen. I think I may turn 20. I think chefs this year.
[00:04:12] Well we officially yes. Here Thousand 19, we did 215 shows. Okay. We just published in episode 260 today. Okay. So check that out online.
[00:04:25] But well today, today we’re going 220 by the titles and 20. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. You’re a quick learner. Yeah, I like that.
[00:04:33] But great to weigh in real quick because, you know, the transportation, the transportation challenges certainly have been an ongoing thing. Give us some quick thoughts on that.
[00:04:41] Well, you know, I think we’ve kind of filter the industry. You know, we talked about this a little bit with Caitlin for Penske. And, you know, we’ve kind of separated the wheat from the chaff in the industry. Right. Some some organizations got a little bit ahead of themselves with capital expenditures and financing and that sort of. And they thought 2018 was an indicator of things to common and clearly it wasn’t. So, you know, I’m curious to in the environment that you work in. If that transition I mean, hundreds I think over a thousand areas have have at least declared bankruptcy. It was not a hundred coming in the fourth quarter. Right. So. Right. That trend had been well over a thousand. And what the. I think. I think it got to around a thousand sixty, something like that. So I wonder how that might have affected the, you know, the marketplace that you serve today. I mean.
[00:05:34] So we definitely from the marketplace, we continue to see growth at S.A.C. three at all. But we consider, you know, the theme I would say for 2019 is how our customers and partners can best use technology to serve their needs, given whether that’s in the analytics. You know, all the buzz words with blockchain visibility and so forth, artificial intelligence. But how can they use that technology to focus on the practical and very practical? And it doesn’t have to start out with a big, large implementation, starting with small. And how can you use that to best serve your needs and the needs of your customers?
[00:06:08] And you’ve got to be very, very efficient in a market that’s that is trying to find equilibrium. Yeah, like this one is. Right. And I think technology allows you to do that.
[00:06:16] And I think I think you’re definitely, as you’re working with carriers and partners, is it is vetting them and definitely understanding where they’ve been, where they’re going and how they would fit in with your organization. And, you know, even from the carriers, as you as you mentioned from that standpoint, is what are they what what things are they working on? How is their market? There’s transit times and what are they looking at?
[00:06:36] Yeah, I like that. And I think the neutrality that you all have, I think it help it will help shippers to evaluate what is a relatively turbulent market right now.
[00:06:47] Right. Good point. All right. So let’s let’s also let’s continue looking back at twenty nineteen. What else really sticks out in terms of some of the key takeaways you took from what was a really busy year for Supply chain?
[00:06:58] I definitely think as a, you know, kind of highlighted earlier is is the technology piece and really digging in to see how it can best serve your organization. There has been a lot of buzz words, as we all know.
[00:07:09] There is almost always just that, right.
[00:07:13] So how do you, you know, jump in and you want to be the leader in it? But where does it fit in your organization? I think there’s definitely a time and place for it all from a standpoint of where does it fit and is the timing right. And that includes you having a conversation not only in your organization, but with your customer base and what can best serve you data.
[00:07:31] Yeah, I think you’ve got a you don’t want to be a hammer searching for a nail. Right. You want to find the problem that you have. And, you know, I’ve always encouraged companies to look at the biggest problem, the one that causes you the most pain and then discover the technology or people or process solutions that solve that big problem. Right. And then move down the list right now.
[00:07:51] Just switching gears here is we’ve just got to wrap up the interview associate. Clearly, we’re here at CSC Atlanta Roundtable, a great event here with our friends mass track. We’ve talked about some the events SNC three’s a part of some the associations are part of what value do do professionals and leaders like yourself see in groups like CSC and some of the events?
[00:08:11] I think you see ICMP has done a great job of over the years. And Dave and the team here have done a great job of making the topics relevant. And when you think about this CSICOP roundtable is the opportunity to network in small, you know, small time increments that it can fit in with your busy schedule vs. having to go off to attend a conference from that.
[00:08:31] Right. I think there’s value to conferences during that standpoint. This gives you relevant topics. And they’ve done a great job of trying to focus the topics so it fits on needs within the supply chain. And you’ve actually made it tougher and tougher to do. Yes. Is that in the end, Supply chain definition has continued a glittering. Yeah, continues to expand. Yeah. Yeah. All right.
[00:08:54] So speaking of events, Association. Yes, we were at Jumpstart when a 19 or 20 20 Ngok UPS the wrap my head around. He had a great time. There must have been over 600 people, if I recall correctly and in kind of long what you were just talking about, speaking towards different I mean with transportation and Logistics as a common thread. So you got lots of different takes and lots different spends on that. So Jumpstart 2020’s Ryder on the corner is seven weeks out.
[00:09:27] Yes, it’s the twenty seventh through the night at twenty ninth right here at the Rennaisance Waverly. Joe Joe Theismann is our keynote speaker. Rob Cook. Wow. And so very excited. And it’s not, you know, just specific to LTL. It’s over the road transportation, current events, what’s going on with technology and really have some great speakers. Tom swensson, who at our conferences does this superior job in in the content and works with our team to make sure that it’s relevant because EMC and again this year he is loved.
[00:09:56] So Tom is one of the nicest guys. Chain he is salt of the earth. So and just so Joe TOWNSMAN is going to be the keynote. Yes, right.
[00:10:05] It’s a good deal of football. A fact. All right. I’m very excited about that. And anyone is open to the public. It’s open to the public.
[00:10:16] And we have some things, says Heather. Shehad from Awesome is going to be there as well. A lot of the carriers will be represented. Third party Logistics and some supers will be there as well as long as as well as technology partners. Great, great content.
[00:10:29] Love it. So how can folks learn more about S.A.C. 3 and about Dumpster?
[00:10:35] Yeah. If you get a w-w-what SNC 3Com, our web site is full of information not only on the products we have, but obviously with our conferences in a tent that you can learn more about or you can reach out to. Kendra Malarky Miller and SNC 3 dot com and I’ll get you to the right contact.
[00:10:53] Perfectly glad to help. I believe that after they leave that completely. Well, it’s been a pleasure so much. We’d love to dig you have you back on and dig more into your backstory of what led you into the world of transportation. Supply chain. Well, I’ll do that. But thanks in history from 1935 2020.
[00:11:11] Oh, why not? You’re not your history, but the company. Lot of great people paved the way. Yeah.
[00:11:19] We’ve been chatting with Ken Jim Miller, director of Alliance Partner Development at SBC Three. Check them out and see it. Jumpstart 2020. Yes. On behalf of Greg White and Scott Luton. This wraps up the second interview here from the CSICOP Atlanta event right here in Supply chain Sandeep. Stay tuned. And thanks for tuning in for this interview. Be sure to check us out wherever you podcast from, including Apple podcasts and YouTube. YouTube. Don’t you forget to subscribe. That’s right. Don’t. Don’t. Don’t forget to subscribe with hit free missy thing. You can also check us out at Supply Chain Now Radio dot com. So behalf of Greg White Scott Luton, thanks for joining us here today and we’ll see you next time on Supply chain. Now thinks about.
Featured Guests
Kendra Miller, SMC3’s director of alliance partner development, has spent her entire career in logistics. She served at Roadway Express/YRC for 12 years, beginning her role at the company in terminal operations before moving to Roadway’s corporate office to oversee customer care operations and 31 field customer care centers. Her experience with 3PLs includes serving as the Southeast vice president of sales for Astra/CFX Holdings. In her role at SMC3, Miller helps the logistics technology company’s alliance partners with product integrations and upgrades to new rating and transit-time solutions. Learn more about SMC3 here: https://www.smc3.com/
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