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supply chain coordination
April 6, 2026
Why Your Supply Chain Team Spends More Time in Outlook Than Your ERP
written by Nick Gospodinov, Founder & CEO of Mandel AI There is a dirty secret in supply chain management: the most critical information about your orders, delays, and supplier commitments doesn’t live in your ERP. It lives in email. Not in dashboards. Not in control towers. In inboxes. Ask any procurement manager what they do first thing in the morning, and the answer is almost always the same: open Outlook, start scrolling. A supplier confirmed a ship date in a reply chain. A freight forwarder flagged a delay in an attachment. A pricing update came through as a PDF buried in a thread from two weeks ago. This is the real operating system of supply chain, and it has no search, no alerts, no reconciliation, and no memory. The Coordination Gap No One Talks About The supply chain technology market has poured billions into planning, visibility, and execution systems. These tools work when the data is clean, structured, and already inside the system. The problem is that the most operationally critical information never makes it there in time. Manufacturers and distributors manage hundreds, sometimes thousands, of supplier relationships. Each one generates a constant stream of unstructured communication: order…
supply chain thought leadership
February 23, 2026
Scott Luton Recognized as a 2025 Thinkers360 Top Voice
For another year, Supply Chain Now Founder, CEO, and Host Scott Luton has been named to the Thinkers360 Top Voices of 2025, a prestigious global recognition honoring influential experts shaping conversations across business and technology. Described as the “definitive list of leading experts,” the Thinkers360 Top Voices Awards celebrate thought leaders who consistently share valuable insights and help advance professional knowledge across industries. Honorees are selected based on demonstrated expertise, impact, and meaningful contributions to the broader thought leadership community. Luton’s inclusion once again highlights his ongoing impact on the global supply chain community – from hosting thousands of interviews with industry leaders to spotlighting innovation, leadership, and the real-world challenges facing operations today. Through Supply Chain Now’s podcasts, livestreams, event coverage, and collaborative content, his work continues to connect practitioners with practical ideas they can immediately apply. As supply chains grow more complex and interconnected, recognition like this reflects not just individual influence, but the strength of a community committed to learning and improvement. Scott’s voice, and the voices he amplifies, continue to help leaders navigate change, build resilience, and move the industry forward. Learn more about Thinkers360 and the Thinkers360 Top Voices award here.