"Working in supply chain management can sometimes be a bit of a thankless job but I really enjoy hearing positive customer service stories because I know my team helped to make that happen. I try to connect with Sales Managers in any company I work in so that I can hear those stories first hand. It helps to keep me motivated and reminds me why I do what I do."

"Unfortunately, this happens from time to time and when it does, I alert anyone in the organisation that will be affected. If it's a vendor that is causing the delay then I work with them to get the product as quickly as possible, I also get a discount on the next order. If it's an issue with inventory, then once we solve the problem I sit down with my team to review why this became a problem."

"Having been in the industry now for over 10 years, I have used several software systems. Every job I've started, I have had to learn how to use a new programme. I'm a quick learner so can adjust to the new system quickly. In my current job, we are using Oracle SCM Cloud which I find quite intuitive to use."

"Unfortunately, I've had to deal with this problem far too many times as it's quite common in supply chain management. The first thing I do when this happens is contact the company that the shipment is going to be distributed to. I let them know what the issue is and what I'm doing to help solve the problem. I find this is a good way to provide excellent customer service in a difficult situation."

"In my current role, I found that outsourcing actual shipment of products was the best solution for our organisation. Since we have a smaller warehouse, there was too much overhead cost involved in the shipment of our products. We hired a third-party vendor to handle that for us. This allowed us to focus on building, packaging and getting the product ready to go."

"Absolutely. In one of my past positions, I had teams in Toronto, Sudbury, Kamloops, and Gatineau. It was difficult to ensure I kept communication open and consistent with each team. I found that having meetings with the team managers every morning in the specific locations was the best way to understand what was going on at all times. I also visited the different warehouses at least once a quarter."

"Supply chain management is one of the most important cogs in the customer service machine. Having a good supply manager can help reduce costs and design a network that puts the customer first. In my last company, I designed a system that helped to reduce costs by digitizing where I could. The system also helped to improve customer satisfaction by getting the product to them as quickly as possible."

"There are 5 crucial stages to the supply chain process. The first is to create a plan that uses available resources. The second stage is to source raw materials and components. Next is to make the product, testing the product and packaging it up. The fourth stage is delivery and the last is return, which of course is the one stage that hopefully doesn't happen often!"

"Most of my experience is actually in upstream supply chain management. I have spent a lot of my career managing the materials and suppliers that provide my company with the equipment we need to build the products. I do also have experience in downstream supply chain and making sure the products get into the hands of customers quickly and without errors."

"I have meetings with my team members twice a year. The first meeting of the year is to help assess their goals and go over what they are hoping to achieve that year. I also get a sense of what they are struggling with so we can work on it throughout the year. The second meeting helps me to understand if we are achieving those goals or if we need to make further adjustments."

"The first step in performing an analysis on the supply chain is to identify where the weak points are in the system. Next, it's important to identify where the market is headed and what I can do to keep my company pushing forward. Once the inefficiencies are identified I work with internal partners to adapt and make the necessary changes."

"The most important aspect of inventory planning and management is to stay organised. I find using the right software systems like Oracle SCM Cloud to be the best way to do this. By staying organised you're able to see where the weaknesses are in your system. Being organised also helps to free up time so that you can focus on the main issues at hand as they arise."

"Whenever I start a new position I understand who the top vendors are. I reach out to them right away to introduce myself. I also reach out frequently to make sure things are running smoothly or to identify any problems before they become an actual issue. It's also important to keep a good relationship, so helping a vendor when they need it can go a long way when you need something in return later on."

"In my current role, I negotiated a strongly favourable contract for our organisation to improve the supply chain with a company in Japan. I speak Japanese and so it has made relationship-building with our suppliers much easier. While the time difference can sometimes be difficult to manage, I build time-zone delays into my supply chain so if there are problems I have already accommodated for those issues."

"It may sound silly, but I plan for the holiday season about a year in advance. Once a season is done, I will sit down and review any issues that we had in the supply chain and identify how we can improve on them. I write my notes down and put together a workback schedule for the next season. Sometimes it's even necessary for me to order supplies and material months and months in advance to ensure we are beating the rush."