JULY 2025LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION REVIEW 9 Sheila MendezCHALLENGES IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND APPAREL INDUSTRYI have encountered numerous challenges over the years starting from chasing demand, right sizing production to cost control and natural disasters. But there are three main areas that have always kept me focused and I am constantly trying to further improve them.Customer mindset- Following a customer-centric approach is the priority for a supply chain leader. Customers expect top-notch products delivered on time and one small error can lead to sheer disappointment. I continuously evaluate processes to enhance supply chain flow and foster a culture of constant improvement. This helps my team improve forecasting, reduce lead times, and deliver better service to our customers, which is a key competitive advantage. Protecting the Brand- Our supply chain produces branded products that maximizes brand value for the company, investors and consumers. This requires close monitoring of material, assembly, and finished product quality. We ensure that our associates and vendors consistently do the right thing and partnering with vendors with shared values helps us to enhance brand loyalty. COG's and cash- Our supply chain manages the majority of the company's spending. As such, we must be good stewards of that budget. We seek ways to improve our cost of goods despite ongoing inflationary pressures by regularly reviewing service contracts, material purchases, freight costs, and efficiencies to drive continuous improvement.Through all these key areas, we want to reduce our overall spend and cash consumption by focusing on ways to maximize our inventory and weeks of supply for the most effective inventory turns possible. Our team actively focuses on ways to reduce lead times through VMI and SMI programs as well as LEAN manufacturing practices to improve freight lanes.COMMUNICATION AND ALIGNMENT STRATEGYI understand that each stakeholder is a partner to be engaged as part of every solution and strategy. I invest my time establishing clear goals and objectives and communicating these with the team to ensure alignment across the globe. It is also important to identify the field of play and connect people, processes and technology to deal with challenges and contribute to organizational growth and performance. The supply chain landscape is always changing and evolving, and so are the strategies and tactics being deployed. Accordingly, we should recognize issues quickly , assess services and financial impact and drive cross functional teams to implement solutions. An action oriented mindset is crucial. We must always be searching for the "how we can" instead of "we cannot."KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORSI work with my team and the business at the start of each year to identify and align goals and objectives for the immediate year and the next three years. Once the high level goals are established, I collaborate with my global team to set specific objectives for their respective department. This ensures full engagement from every member, aligning their goals with the broader supply chain, business, and corporate objectives. For instance, if the company goal is to improve cash flow, my team might enhance lead times to reduce weeks of supply. This approach increases our inventory turns while decreasing cash tied up in inventory. It is important to ensure that everyone understands how they can impact the larger corporate goals at an individual level to increase top line revenue and improve productivity. LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY: CUSTOMER-CENTRICITY I believe in competing aggressively but always in the right way, which comes with a customer-centric approach complimented with the golden rule: treat others the way you would like to be treated. This helps to ensure everyone is listening, reacting and growing in the direction of our customers, ensuring our associates share in our success and identify where there impact makes a difference. We should always communicate challenges in a transparent manner, while having a problem solving and continuous improvement mindset. In doing so, we need to develop options for consideration and ideas for corrective actions. If we properly assess options and make decisions based on facts, data and sophisticated analysis, we will land in a great place. This approach helps the team transition from identifying the problem to defining and solving it. We must always hold ourselves accountable by taking ownership of our work. In supply chain leadership, overcoming obstacles beyond supply chain issues is essential to maintaining great customer relationship.KEY ADVICE FOR LEADERSHIP ROLES IN SUPPLY CHAINThe supply chain offers diverse opportunities across procurement, distribution, manufacturing and logistics. One should have a clear vision whether to specialize in a specific area or aim for end-to-end leadership. For specializing, you should focus on gaining knowledge and pursue certifications from the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM). While for end-to-end leadership, you need to gain experience in all the areas of supply chain and consider pursuing an MBA or master's in supply chain management. You can also take guidance from mentors for constructive feedback and unleash opportunities to explore new ideas. Adopting a customer-centric and continuous improvement approach will always lead to success in managing supply chain operations and delivering excellence in customer service
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