How Supply Chain Transparency Boosts Customer Satisfaction

Last week a concrete manufacturer told me something interesting about how EPDs are boosting their sales. Here's what happened: Their customers used to ask for environmental data. They'd share the industry average, and the conversation would end there. Then they started measuring project-specific carbon footprints. It changed their sales process in three ways: 1. They stopped talking about averages and started talking about specific orders. Each customer now gets precise data about their purchase. 2. Their sales team learned to speak differently about environmental impact. Instead of generic statistics, they discuss exact mixes, local supply chains, and specific design choices. 3. They turned sustainability data into a competitive advantage. When bidding on a recent data center project, they demonstrated how their specific mix would reduce emissions by 20%. Here's what I've learned about environmental data in manufacturing: Generic numbers tell customers what COULD happen. Specific numbers tell them what WILL happen. The difference matters: • Project teams need real data to make decisions • Purchasing needs exact numbers for sustainability reports • Sales needs concrete answers for RFPs I've watched manufacturers struggle with this transition. The ones who get it right focus on answering one question: "What's the actual impact of this specific order?" // Building something interesting in manufacturing? Message me – always happy to compare notes. #manufacturing #sustainability

In 2024, If you can’t speak to your process, you’ve already killed the conversation with your customer. Customers care to know—what your product is made of, how it’s made, and where it comes from. My wife Missy Tannen and I started Boll & Branch because we cared to have a better option for bedding. It's always crazy to me how differently we view our relationship with the customer vs. brands that have been around for multiple decades. As Ken Pucker points out in his article on Sustainability Regulations in the fashion industry: "Notwithstanding advances in technologies including blockchain, smart sensors, isotope identification and supply chain mapping software, many industry participants maintain that it is “next to impossible” to know which suppliers are growing their cotton, tanning their leather and dying their fabrics. After all, they explain, raw inputs are typically blended with many others en route to market, brands do not always nominate upstream suppliers, factories often subcontract without approval and demands for faster product introductions outpace brands’ ability to collect data." This is patent bullsh*t. It is complacency, laziness and all kinds of other adjectives driven by Boards and shareholders that prioritize economics exclusively and completely miss the incredible consumer and shareholder value that controls and transparency can deliver. Ken is spot on about this: "The industry’s current inability or unwillingness to do so is a choice — one borne out of a desire to optimise for financial outcomes, not reduce social or environmental harmful impacts." The customer cares about this. I care about this. Many of you care about it too -- and the pervasive willingness to accept a status quo that isn't good enough has to be called out. Everyone can do better. https://lnkd.in/g5ShqfS2 #sustainability #transparency #traceability

CEO: “I can't take it any more. Support is drowning in 'Where is my order?' calls. Customers are frustrated. My CS team’s overwhelmed.” COO: “WISMO calls will bury our ops if we’re not careful. With our expanding parcel network, we have to tighten up our tracking notifications. No one likes waiting in the dark.” CEO: “You’re saying better visibility means fewer calls? We should dial in our tracking updates asap.” COO: “Exactly. If customers can see their package moving, they won’t call to ask if it fell into a black hole.” 💡 If you’re shipping large parcel volumes through UPS or FedEx, reducing WISMO inquiries can save hundreds of hours. Here’s how to do it: ✅ Display real-time tracking links – Give customers a front-row seat to their delivery journey. Confidence goes up, calls go down. ✅ Send proactive alerts – Don’t wait for them to ask. If there’s a delay, say so—early and clearly. ✅ Standardize packaging – A clean, consistent box experience reduces damage and builds trust. ✅ Monitor carrier performance – If on-time rates drop, act fast. Reroute volume or renegotiate terms. 🔍 WISMO isn’t just a customer service issue—it’s an operations drag. When customers trust your shipping flow, they stop reaching out. And your team gets time back to focus on real issues—not tracking down packages. 👇 What’s your go-to move to keep WISMO calls under control? #OperationsLeadership #LogisticsStrategy #UPS #FedEx #CustomerExperience #ParcelShipping #SupplyChainOptimization #WISMO