The Importance of Timely Communication in Supply Chain Management

Customers will usually forgive a slow experience. BUT they won’t forgive silence. People don’t get frustrated because things take time. They get frustrated when they don’t know what’s happening. The unknown creates anxiety, and that’s what turns a normal wait into a bad experience. Over 15 years ago, I worked at The Ritz-Carlton, where they teach a simple but powerful lesson... When something takes longer than expected, don’t just let the customer wait. TALK TO THEM (shocker). Here’s an example.. Imagine a guest checks into a Ritz-Carlton property and expects their luggage to be delivered to their room in five minutes. But behind the scenes, there are 35 other guests checking in at the same time, so their bag is delayed. Now, there are two ways this could go.. No communication. The guest sits in their room, staring at the clock, wondering why their bag hasn’t arrived. Every passing minute makes them more irritated. Proactive communication. A staff member calls the guest: “We’re handling a high volume of check-ins right now, and your bag is on its way. It’ll take about 20 minutes. In the meantime, we’d love to send up a glass of champagne while you relax. Thank you for your patience.” The second approach turns a potential frustration into a moment of care. That glass of champagne is symbolic. It’s not really about the drink. It’s about acknowledgment, transparency, and reassurance. The same principle applies to every industry. Healthcare: Instead of making patients wonder why they’re filling out the same form again, tell them why. “We ask these questions at multiple points to ensure your safety.” Airlines: Instead of a vague “flight delayed” notice, tell passengers exactly what’s happening and what’s being done to fix it. Retail: Instead of letting customers wonder where their order is, proactively update them with tracking and realistic expectations. Companies often don’t need to overhaul their processes to improve customer experience. They just need to communicate better. So here’s the real question.. What’s the champagne moment in your business? What’s the small act of transparency or reassurance that could completely change how customers feel about waiting, delays, or friction? Most companies don’t think about this. The best ones do. — If you liked this post, check out my weekly newsletter https://lnkd.in/edqxnPAY

Transparency as a supply chain leader. Let's talk about it. 📣 One of my consistent "positive feedback areas" from cross-functional business partners is around my willingness to share information transparently, especially when there is a supply issue or a challenge with a new product launch. Sound easy? Any supply chain professional will tell you: it's not. In fact, I would say this is one of the most frustrating challenges for up & coming supply chain talent. For better or for worse, sharing bad news is part of a supply chain role. We are the first to know when there is a problem, and we need to rely on judgement and experience to determine the communications approach. Share too soon and you may cause panic. Share too late and you might be asked the dreaded question: "how long did we know about this"? When coaching a team member recently on this topic, I wrote out my decision process for when faced with an emerging issue.. (and then realized it sounded like a linked in post.... so here it is!): 1. Alert as soon as you have concrete, factual information to share that is at least one level into root cause. For example, "the truck is late" is almost certainly too soon. "The truck is late because it was on fire" is a real root cause. 2. Be transparent about everything you can - what/ why/ how AND what you don't know yet (things will evolve. leave room for it.) Also, remember that your business partners are usually not subject matter experts in supply chain. Simple language that can be understood by a middle schooler is a good litmus test (No offense, marketing friends... we don't understand everything you're saying either! 😃 ) 3. Share what will be done to mitigate the issue. 4. Share the expected timing for closure and/or the next report out if that is not clear yet. Leveraging a consistent process in this space can reduce the heartache and hand-wringing that comes with each piece of tough news. Over time, transparent, detailed sharing (coupled with good judgement of not crying wolf over every issue) will build trust in you as a Supply Chain leader. #supplychain #decisionmaking #leadership #riskmanagement #escalation #Communication

Why Communication Is the Most Under-rated Skill in the Supply Chain Imagine this: A supplier informs of a material delay of three weeks. The planner makes note of it. The planner does not say anything to production and sales. The production machines go idle, the sales team thanks the customer for the purchase and promises prompt delivery, and finance observes unexpected depreciation. Why did all this happen? The planner simply missed sending out an email. I am not suggesting that poor communication is confusion in the supply chain; I am suggesting that poor communication leads to added cost. What poor communication leads to: - Delays become stockouts - Departments are at odds - Loss of customer trust How to fix it (practical suggestions): 1) Make it a common practice that there are standard updates → Use shared trackers or common daily huddles, so everyone sees the same information 2) Close the loop → Don’t assume “I sent the email” is good enough. Confirm that everyone on the receiving end has received it and they all align. 3) Translate the impact → Don’t just say “the material is delayed.” More help enhance the impact with something more like “the delay will push production out 10 days and it is going to impact customer X.” 4) Communicate that it has been escalated sooner → Raise the issue when it is small; don’t wait for it to become expensive. 5) Communication is not just setting up decoration in the logistics supply chain; it is risk management. Mini-challenge for you this week: Take one update that you normally send out, and write it again in 3 clear sentences: what happened, what it impacts, and what the next step is. Yup, that's how you build trust across teams.