What Are Companies Looking For in Network Design Technologies?

Companies want to maximize service levels, but they also want to cut costs.

These goals are often at odds with one another.

How do you find the optimum balance? That's what Supply Chain Network Design is all about.

The world's most profitable companies have built their success on an effective and responsive supply chain network. But achieving this is easier said than done. Supply chain networks are becoming increasingly complex and available tools are often too rigid and difficult to use.

The purpose of this study is to understand the value proposition of supply chain network design technologies, including user satisfaction and key benefits and barriers to using these technologies.

The study is based on an online survey conducted by Supply Chain Insights.

It explores what 110 professionals think about the network design process and available technologies to support that process.

The majority of respondents are based in North America and Europe and they hold mostly director-level and managerial positions in the supply chain.

5 Key Takeaways from this Report

1. Poor data quality and lack of skilled resources are the most common challenges for SC network design
2. Spreadsheets are still the most commonly used technology for this purpose, but they have several limitations
3. Most respondents value configurability over standardization in network design technology
4. Better decision making and cost savings are the biggest drivers for network design
5. Technology prices, speed, and usability often fail to meet expectations