Month: April 2022

What the Pandemic Taught Businesses About the Supply Chain

Although the supply chain could often be precarious even before the pandemic, the events that have unfolded since March 2020 have only made these pre-existing issues more drastic. 

In fact, the large-scale disruption we’ve seen to the global supply chain is unprecedented. There have been shortages in nearly every industry, from medical equipment to lumber to electronic parts. 

Small businesses have learned that in order to survive these tumultuous times, they must learn and adapt. Going forward, here are 3 important supply chain lessons we can learn from the Covid-19 pandemic: 

Don’t Underestimate Virtual Elements

Even before the pandemic, the reliance on virtual business practices was rapidly increasing. But it was still understandable for small businesses to overlook the importance of virtual communication and digital accessibility. 

This is no longer the case. The pandemic made customers even less willing to go to physical stores, and so they turned toward online shopping and curbside pick-up programs instead. These digital programs helped small businesses reach their customers even during a time of crisis.

Small businesses should expect this trend to continue. Investing in a way for customers to interact with your products virtually will be hugely beneficial in the future. 

Maintain & Diversify Partnerships

The pandemic also taught small businesses the importance of maintaining partnerships with a diverse range of suppliers. 

In the supply chain, this diversification is also known as parallelization. Basically, this means creating numerous pathways to connect your manufacturers and your customers. This prevents a total supply chain shut down if just one link stops functioning. 

While diversity in suppliers is important, loyalty is also helpful. If you step away from trusted vendors during difficult times, don’t expect them to be available when things start looking up again. Chances are, they found other partnerships to sustain themselves. 

On the other hand, maintaining strong partnerships with every part of your distribution chain can only stand to benefit you in time. 

Prioritize Long-Term Resilience Over Short-Term Strategies

For a while, short-term strategies have dominated the business world. This is also sometimes called “just-in-time” manufacturing, which maximizes profits and efficiency. 

However, as the pandemic showed us, these supply chain strategies do not prove to be resilient during global disasters.

Moving forward, businesses should consider supply chain maintenance which prioritizes long-term sustainability. Business owners should consider potential disruptions not as improbable events, but rather as inevitable in our precarious world. 

>> Learn how to minimize the supply chain crisis ripple effect here!

Trusted East Coast Logistics Company

Are you looking for help from a trusted and conveniently located logistics company? Look no further than Cannon Hill Logistics!

We offer a wide range of economical fulfillment services to meet your specific distribution needs. From warehousing to fulfillment, we’ve got you covered. Located in Frederick, Maryland, we can reach half the US population in just 3 days!

Call Cannon Hill Logistics today to discover what we can do for your business!

How a Logistics Company Can Help Your Business During a Labor Crisis

We have all heard about the labor crisis. Since the pandemic hit, there have been many more jobs available than people willing or able to work.

There are many reasons for the labor shortage, including low wages, job insecurity, and the threat of COVID-19. But labor issues have been brewing since long before the pandemic started – the lockdowns and stay-at-home orders just accelerated them. 

If your small business or e-store is feeling the effects of the labor shortage, you’re not alone. Many family-run businesses have struggled to stay afloat in this precarious economy, and the sector of your business likely to suffer the most is logistics. 

Even under the best of circumstances, managing logistics can be tricky. Hiring the staff and renting the infrastructure is a huge upfront cost. And if you can’t even find enough people to hire, your shipping and return operations are sure to suffer.

A 3PL Gives You Access to Workers

This is where a third party logistics provider, or a 3PL, can help. 

Unlike other businesses, these companies are completely designed around logistics. This means they can afford the technology and manpower necessary to ship products all around the country. 

A 3PL does not need to balance their main product and fulfillment services, because their main product IS fulfillment services!

It also means they can provide better conditions for workers in logistics. They are able to pay these skilled workers more money and offer them more job security than a small business can. 

This means that even during a labor shortage, a 3PL is going to be able to keep operations running as smoothly as possible. 

Using a 3PL also takes all the hiring, firing, and employee retention off your shoulders. You get the same level of service you need to keep your business running without having to worry about too many resumes in your inbox or who’s calling in sick that day.

If you’re spending too much time, money, and stress trying to manage your logistics department, it might be time to outsource to a 3PL. During this labor crisis, focus on filling the positions most essential to your business, and get back to why you started your company in the first place.

Dependable East Coast 3PL Provider

Are you looking to outsource your warehouse management and product distribution duties? Do you need a fast, dependable company with access to a large chunk of the US population? 

Look no further than Cannon Hill Logistics! We offer comprehensive fulfillment services for everything your small business needs to succeed. Conveniently based in Frederick, Maryland, we can reach nearly half the population in just 3 days! Call now to learn more.