At the root of every business’s success lies an efficient supply chain management system. In an increasingly interconnected world, vendors must move supplies quickly across continents to meet their customers’ demands. Modern supply chains face numerous challenges, including geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, and technological disruptions. To overcome these obstacles and thrive in a volatile market, businesses must prioritize robust and resilient supply chain systems.

Cloud-Native Solutions on the Rise

Now that the global economy is in a post-pandemic recovery period, businesses are turning to new ways to meet increasing demands, and a key solution to moving physical goods can be found in new software development. Cloud-native solutions have become an invaluable tool for the supply chain industry by allowing for unified operations and real-time integration across all aspects of the supply chain. 

Manhattan Associates has distinguished itself as a leader in the field of cloud-native solutions. Their supply chain management software, which includes enhanced Transportation Management Systems (TMS) and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), enables clients to optimize their operations. 

Transportation Management Systems

Transportation management is how a business or organization moves its goods or products. To meet demands, transportation management must be flexible and adapt to fluctuations in customer needs, shipping rates, and other factors. A good TMS is crucial to sustaining these operations.  

This software oversees the logistics of how a product is moved from a distribution center or warehouse to a retail store location. A modern TMS tracks real-time data of where goods or products are moving while coordinating fleets of vehicles.

Warehouse Management Systems

In addition to tracking and organizing the movement of goods or products, businesses must also store and organize their supplies. A WMS oversees how goods or products are received, stored, and shipped within a warehouse or distribution center. Key functions for a WMS include inventory management, order fulfillment, and labor and equipment organization. 

Cloud-Native Solutions in Supply Chain Management

Cloud-native support in supply chain management applies cloud storage technology to supply chain management software. Cloud storage software enables data to be stored in a digital, off-site location and accessed by different parties from across the globe. Many businesses and individuals today make use of cloud storage to store personal and business files in secure cloud systems, which they can then access from multiple devices. 

Cloud-native systems take this a step further by using applications designed to function within cloud systems. These systems are built to maximize the scale, elasticity, and flexibility that cloud storage provides. Cloud-native solutions have become a growing trend in supply chain management. In a volatile market, these systems are quickest to adapt to change and meet a business’s day-to-day needs. They also provide greater unity across the different systems and tools used to manage all aspects of a supply chain.

Manhattan Associates: a Leader in Cloud-Native Solutions

Manhattan Associates has become a leader in cloud-native supply chain operations software. Their cloud-native supply chain solutions include both advanced Warehouse Management Systems and Transportation Management Systems. This approach to supply chain operations software allows for real-time integration across systems and collaboration at each link in the supply chain.

One of the main benefits of this system is that clients will have access to continual updates, which means that users always have the latest features of this software without needing to disrupt operations for upgrades. 

Efficiency and Agility with Cloud-Native Supply Chain Solutions

Manhattan Associates’ cloud-native solutions enhance supply chain operations by automating various aspects of the process. By maintaining contact with different points of the supply chain system via the cloud, resource allocation is optimized, and operational costs are reduced. This also allows for a swifter response to market changes. 

With one point of access to the system, clients can adjust the acquisition, organization, and allocation of all of their resources, reducing or increasing the goods they move as needed.

Case Studies and Real-world Applications

To many in the business world, fads and trends are less important than real-world data and proofs of concept. Thankfully, some businesses have already applied these cloud-native solutions to their operations to a positive effect. 

Giant Eagle, one of the largest food retailers and distributors in the U.S., manages a fleet of over 340 drivers, who cover over 16 million miles a year to reach consumers.

The three separate systems they use to manage their operations have been consolidated with Manhattan Associates’ cloud-native operations software. Before they made the switch to Manhattan Associates’ management system, Giant Eagle’s three disconnected systems led to disarray in their transportation strategy. Their 460 stores had decentralized routing, resulting in difficulties with deliveries, inefficiency, and wasted miles.

Since switching their supply chain management platforms to Manhattan Associates’ TMS, Giant Eagle has been able to maximize cube storage, minimize transportation miles, and raise service response. This has resulted in an 8% reduction in empty miles and a 7.7% reduction in total miles for delivery schedules. Their 7% improvement in cube usage has allowed them to fill available capacity with backhauls, lowering inbound costs.

The Rise of Cloud-Native Technology in Supply Chain Management

While cloud-native solutions are an emerging and growing trend, the data suggests that this new technology improves efficiency across supply chain management systems and leads to an overall improvement in supply chain operations. 

With this technology reshaping how goods and products move across the world, cloud-native supply chain management systems appear to be the future of supply chain management.

Cloud-Native Support for Your Business

With the world economy as unpredictable as ever, it’s vital for businesses with large supply chain management requirements to keep up to date on the latest technology.

Any professional who works with supply chain systems should consider adopting cloud-native solutions for their operations. These unified supply chain management systems can help to future-proof a business, as well as reduce production costs, provide a competitive edge, and maintain flexibility in an evolving market.