How the Pandemic Could Still Hit Your Supply Chain

Even before the pandemic hit, there were so many aspects to consider, as far as running an effective business was concerned. The pandemic has resulted in numerous disruptions to business. And this is quite clearly visible in the supply chain. Approximately 75% of companies surveyed by the institute for supply management during February and March reported some sort of disruption to their supply chain due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we're going to show you some examples of disruptions to the supply chain so you can be better prepared. 

Access and Storage Restrictions

This is clearly evidenced in the manufacturing industries. Numerous manufacturing plants have suffered a variety of contamination issues. The disruption that affected the supply chain was, for many businesses, a direct result of warehouses shutting down. As viral outbreaks are one of the main external forces that can cause massive restrictions across the way, it's important that if you are working with freight transport services and are expecting deliveries we have to remember that there are excess disruptions causing problems across the board.

A Drop in Demand

There will always be a fluctuation of desire for a product. When there are external forces that have greatly reduced demand, it is hard to predict the impacts of this drop in demand. The most common example right now is the airline industry as a whole. With up to 95% demand for air travel having dropped throughout 2020, it has proven a massive blow to the aviation industry. Preparing for a drop in demand is never straightforward. It is usually something that can be easier to predict as a result of internal changes, such as a new product or a change in marketing.

A Dip in Productivity

Due to the result of reduced labour, as well as a shortage of equipment and, of course, the pandemic, every part of the supply chain can experience a wide variety of fluctuations with regards to numbers of employees or broken equipment which will reduce productivity across the board. With the reduced number of employees comes an increase in well-being concerns. Working to improve your productivity is not necessarily about being a slave driver at this juncture. It is far better to focus on well-being to ensure that your employees, how few they may be, are coping well as a result.