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The supply chain is a complicated web of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers. It’s a complex system that must balance efficiency with consumer demand, while ensuring that product makes it to market at the right time and the right price.

In order to manage this process, companies need to know where their products are at all times, as well as how long it takes them to get from one place to another. As the world becomes more connected, 5G technology helps businesses innovate in ways they couldn’t before.

Here’s a look at supply chain issues companies face today and how 5G technology will make all the difference in current and future logistics management. 

Supply Chain Issues Today

Supply chains are becoming more complex, which means they are more fragile than ever before. Any disruption in any part of the process can cause shortages, stockouts, and even recalls. These issues result in huge losses for companies — not only because they lose money on products that aren’t being sold, but also because they have to spend money on things like product returns and refunds.

• Increased globalization. Companies are sourcing more foreign goods, which adds complexity to the supply chain by requiring additional transportation and storage costs.
• Increasing demand for sustainability. Consumers want to know that their products were sourced responsibly, which means companies have to be highly transparent about their supply chains.
• The rise of e-commerce. The growth of online shopping has increased the number of items that need to be shipped every day, putting pressure on shipping companies and delivery services.

These issues have made it harder than ever for companies to get their products where they need to go on time, which creates havoc in the supply chain and can cause delays, quality issues and lost money.

Key Challenges to Address in Supply Chain Management

With rapid advancements in technology and a growing demand for greater efficiency, businesses are facing many challenges in the supply chain. Here’s a look at some of the biggest issues facing the industry today.

Inventory Management

Supply chains are heavily reliant on inventory levels. Without enough stock in the warehouse, business can grind to a halt. Keeping enough stock can be costly and inefficient for businesses that don’t have ultra-reliable inventory tracking. This means that many businesses keep excess inventory on the shelves in case they run out unexpectedly, which can lead to unnecessary waste and overspending.

Visibility

A lack of visibility across different parts of the supply chain means that businesses have little insight into where their goods are in transit or how long they will take to reach their destination. This means they cannot accurately predict delivery times and costs, which can result in missed deadlines or increased costs as customers change orders due to delays or cancellations by other parties along the way.

Costs

Companies need to find ways to reduce costs while maintaining product quality and increasing customer satisfaction through better service. This can be done by streamlining processes throughout the supply chain, reducing inventory levels and reducing shipping costs by working with fewer vendors and suppliers who have shorter delivery times for high value items such as electronics or clothing items

Demand 

Consumers want to buy on the go and expect immediate delivery, so companies must be able to react to changing customer needs quickly. The rise of e-commerce means that companies are selling directly to consumers rather than through retailers or wholesalers, which means they need to manage their inventory differently.

With 5G technology, you can tackle each one of these challenges head-on by improving inventory management systems, increasing visibility into shipments and deliveries, simplifying data collection processes, decreasing costs through automation and better routing decisions based on real time data, and finally by providing consumers with more personalized experiences based on their preferences and needs.

How 5G Impacts Transportation and Logistics

5G technology promises to bring faster speeds and better reliability than previous generations of cellular communication, which means that companies can send data across the globe faster and more reliably than ever before. 

In addition to improving speed, 5G comes with greater bandwidth, which makes it easier for companies to track their inventory and keep tabs on what’s happening with shipments in real time. This level of insight could help prevent theft and loss more effectively than ever before. Taken together, 5G technology has the potential to revolutionize how we manage our supply chains.

Will 5G Improve Supply Chain Operations?

With better connectivity, solutions like remote monitoring and predictive analytics can help organizations make better decisions about their inventory levels, which can reduce costs and improve customer service.

5G Will Increase Visibility and Connectivity

The supply chain is overrun by many issues that arise from a lack of visibility. 5G will enable more accurate and efficient tracking thanks to increased data collection. 

Smart sensors combined with connected vehicles improve supply chain operations by providing real-time information about location and condition of goods being shipped. This will allow for more efficient tracking of shipments so that companies can quickly respond if there is an issue with a shipment and ensure that goods don’t spoil before reaching their destination.

5G Will Support More Efficient Routing

5G networks will allow companies to access data from any device at any time without having to worry about latency issues or bandwidth caps. This means that businesses will be able to have all the information in one place at all times, which allows for faster, more effective decision making.

5G Will Enable V2V and V2I Connections

5G is designed to support faster and more efficient network routing, and can be used for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) or vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technologies. These technologies are the next generation of wireless communication systems, which will be able to support high-speed data transfer between vehicles and other devices on the road.

5G Will Improve Operational Efficiencies

With 5G connectivity, supply chain managers will be able to make better decisions about where to route vehicles based on real time data about traffic patterns, weather conditions or other factors that can impact delivery time. This will allow companies to save money by reducing fuel consumption and minimizing emissions caused by inefficient routing.

With rapid advancements in technology and a growing demand for greater efficiency, businesses are facing many challenges in the supply chain. 5G will solve these supply chain issues by providing immediate communication of inventory levels to connected devices in real time.

Get Connected With WilsonPro 5G Repeater Systems

Given the critical role of supply chains, it is essential to take a serious look at the benefits and challenges that come with implementing 5G technology. 

The fastest data speeds available are also the most difficult to broadcast. WilsonPro cellular repeater systems overcome signal blocking materials to improve edge of coverage service. Our solutions extend 5G coverage, fill coverage gaps, and bring strong signal inside.

What to gain more visibility into your supply chain operations? Learn more about our 5G amplification technology or reach out to our team of experts directly.