Prepare your supply chain for peak season success with actionable insights from industry experts. In this episode, hosts Scott W. Luton and Kim Reuter are joined by special guests Wes Arentson and Tony Thrasher from SPS Commerce to discuss essential strategies for navigating the busiest time of the year. From making the right investments in Q4 preparation to the importance of post-mortem reviews in Q1, our experts share invaluable advice on optimizing your logistics and retail operations. Gain insights into building strong vendor relationships, embracing automation, and leveraging data analytics for demand forecasting. Whether you’re a logistics professional or a retail supply chain enthusiast, this episode equips you with the knowledge to enhance efficiency, prevent disruptions, and, ultimately, delight your customers. Tune in for a comprehensive guide to mastering peak season logistics and making strategic decisions that drive success throughout the year.

Cybersecurity is a global issue impacting almost every industry. Staggeringly, it’s estimated that cybercrime cost the world $8 trillion in 2023 – a figure exceeding the annual GDP of every country barring the USA and China. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, sponsored by Microsoft, hosts Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson sit down with Allison Giddens, Co-President of Win-Tech, Inc., an aerospace manufacturer, to discuss the critical intersection between cybersecurity and manufacturing. Conversations begin with a focus on risk prioritization, with Giddens explaining the manufacturers need to start with the computers in their front office before worrying about the threats facing their connected equipment. “We’re telling manufacturers, hey, you need to know how to run a marathon and they don’t even know how to walk a 5K,” she states. Discussions then turn to the importance of multi-factor authentication, the need to balance investments in both people and technology, the criticality of understanding cyber even when outsourcing, the pros and cons of cloud migration, and much more.