Expert IT advice is just a click away
By Michael A. Levans, Chief Editor -- Logistics Management, 4/1/2006
I'm not surprised that so many Logistics Management readers are looking to reap the benefits of supply chain and logistics technology. In fact, 54 percent of the respondents to our 4th Annual Software Users Survey told us that they've increased their usage of supply chain technology over the past two years. (The full report will be available next month.)
The tumultuous logistics climate appears to be pushing shippers to become more aware of the cost-saving power that can be unleashed by today's IT offerings; now more then ever, they feel the need to put that power to work.
However, it's imperative to remember that the promise of leaner logistics operations through more IT usage can only be realized once a proper solution has been found, a sound vendor partnership has been established, and your team has been trained to understand the total capability of the investment. Then, and only then, can you get the real bang for your IT buck.
With so many shippers now ready to invest (or reinvest), we felt that the time was right to bring four top supply chain IT analysts together to drive this advice home.
Our first annual Technology Roundtable unfolds on Page 32. I was probably a bit naïve in thinking that our esteemed panel could offer insights into critical developments in supply chain technology in just 2,000 words. If you've ever spent time with ARC's Adrian Gonzalez, AMR's Greg Aimi, IDC's Mike Witty, or AberdeenGroup's John Fontanella, you know that these guys have a passion for supply chain IT, are intent on helping shippers realize real value, and are never short on words.
Once you've read "Get more bang for your IT buck," you'll want to read the full transcript of their remarks at www.logisticsmgmt.com/roundtable, where our panel extends the discussion to cover the possibility of "total supply chain visibility," among other issues.
To help you get even more value from these experts' knowledge, we're going to bring our Technology Roundtable to you live via an interactive webcast on April 28. Watch your LM e-newsletters and our website, www.logisticsmgmt.com, for details.
This integrated approach to delivering information to our readers has already met with rousing success. To date, more than 1,000 shippers have attended our Logistics Outlook 2006 webcast, which brings the sources from LM's January cover story directly to readers' desktops. (That webcast is still available to view on demand; register at www.logisticsmgmt.com.)
With so much at stake, you need to be armed with the best information possible before making a substantial IT investment. To help you do that, we're putting the top industry analysts just a click away. If you're thinking about a technology upgrade or purchase, you'll want to be there to take advantage of their advice.
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