John Lander

Stay up to date on all the latest conversations, interviews, and episodes we released this week here at Supply Chain Now! On Monday, we started the week off with a special episode of our #SupplyChainCity series Supply Chain Now with Scott Luton and special host Ben Harris. These two chat with Stacey Key, President and CEO of the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council, and George Richter, SVP of Supply Chain Management at Cox. On This Week In Business History, Kelly covers the stories of three unsung heroes who have contributed their knowledge and talents to a few surprising industries. On Tuesday, we released a classic TEKTOK episode with host Karin Bursa, and featuring Craig Ablin, a supply chain management expert who has spent over 25 years in the industry. On Wednesday’s episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott welcomes back special guest host Ward Richmond and professional OTR driver and training engineer for Schneider, Kellylynn McLaughlin. On Thursday, Scott and guest host Tony Sciarotta welcomed Executive Chairman of G2 Reverse Logistics, Herb Shear, in another episode of our Reverse Logistics Series. On Friday, we published Monday’s Supply Chain Buzz livestream. Scott and Greg welcomed James Malley, the Co-Founder and CEO of…

Customers blame retailers less when the delay notification comes from someone else   When something goes wrong, most companies reach for the same playbook: communicate early, communicate often, and keep customers informed. It is difficult to argue with that logic. Customers hate surprises, and transparency has become a cornerstone of good service. Whether the issue is a delayed shipment, a production disruption, or a missed commitment, managers generally assume that more communication demonstrates accountability and builds trust. New research published in the Journal of Business Logistics suggests the real lesson is narrower and more useful than “communicate more.” The study shows that communication does more than transfer information. It also shapes how customers assign responsibility. The volume of communication was not what mattered. The identity of the messenger was. Researchers presented consumers with identical delivery delays following an online purchase. In the study, the same standard emails were sent to every participant: an order confirmation, a shipment notice, and a delivery confirmation. What varied was only how customers learned about the delay itself. Some received a delay notification from the retailer, some from the carrier, and others discovered the delay on their own through package tracking. The delivery outcome was…