Battling the Porch Pirates

Sad to say, the e-commerce sea is besieged by porch pirates…that are trying to make sure that the electronic gadgets, tools, and equipment that consumers order never make it to home port.  I have been robbed by these rascals even here. We are located in a multi-tenant building and our shipments get lost and delayed.  And we are not alone. Part of the mix is a new level of thieves dubbed porch pirates, who some…

Living in the Shadow of Amazon: Learn the Lessons

Photo courtesy: Amazon Amazon is the elephant in the room where any supply chain conversation is happening. Everyone is chasing that Amazon effect. Everyone is trying to figure out how to deliver on the expectations of customers that Amazon and its business models have created. Retrofitting Amazon’s strategies or tactics for another business is tough. In terms of order volume and order profile, Amazon is its own kind of beast. At the same time, it makes…

Industry Pundits Look at Digital Disruption

We live in a digital world…and it’s only going to get more digital. With that reality in mind, I’ve wanted to dig deeper into the topic, particularly as it relates to the high-tech industry. That’s why I was excited to see an invite from my alma mater, Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, to attend a Digital Disruption panel moderated by Maryam Alavi, dean of the school. The participants were: David Godsman, chief digital officer,…

The Power of Amazon Prime: Changing People’s Habits Changes the Game

I recently visited a major speaker manufacturer with cutting edge technology. The layout of the facility demonstrated clearly how much the company cares about its products. The main reception area had a demo area and my host demonstrated just how loud he could make the music without jeopardizing the quality of the sound. This company was passionate about sound technology. It got me thinking about what the layout of a distribution center might say about…

7 Things About Amazon the Retail Supply Chain Needs to Know

Crystal Hanlon Photo courtesy: The Home Depot It was nice a Sunday evening at Orlando Florida. Our company, Smart Gladiator, was one of the Start-Up Technology companies that was selected to represent the Georgia team in the Retail Industry Association (RILA) Retail Supply Chain Conference 2017. The conference was full of educational sessions. Not just a source of subject matter experts discussing the major trends, the event was a great way to network and learn from…