Let's Talk Supply Chain

Edward Burek of SmartKargo & Marco Ferrara of DeliverDirect talk about issues impacting small parcel delivery; fuel price reality; & keeping costs low & simple. 
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[02.04] An introduction to Edward and Marco, and their roles at SmartKargo and DeliverDirect.
[03.07] An overview of DeliverDirect – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers.
[03.29] As the industry deals with ongoing fuel volatility, why Delta Airlines have a structural advantage other carriers don't have, and what it means in practice to have an airline like Delta running the middle mile for e-commerce shipments.
"Fuel is the biggest cost with an airline but, because our passenger aircraft are flying around anyway, a lot of that fuel cost is absorbed – we're able to insulate and reduce what we're charging our customers."
[05.52] As shippers see fuel surcharges, accessorial fees, and pricing complexity hit unprecedented levels, have surcharges stopped being about fuel and started becoming part of a business model?
"There are a lot of carriers that are taking advantage of the market forces right now. A lot of businesses are built on surcharges... It's become a mechanism to dial up your revenue."
[08.20] How DeliverDirect are approaching pricing differently.
"It's so easy to forecast – it's a CFO's dream!... We want it to be a win-win all the way through the supply chain."
[10.50] How DeliverDirect pulls together what already exists in the ecosystem, and the role SmartKargo's platform plays in making those pieces work together as a single delivery experience.
[12.42] How SmartKargo is using real-time data and automation to predict shipment issues and recommend corrective actions before DeliverDirect customers feel any disruption.
[13.56] Why quality data is the real foundation behind successful AI in logistics.
"If you don't have good data, you can't put an AI engine over that."
[14.39] From ocean backlogs to cross-border tariff complications, how big industry impacts are translating into challenges for businesses, and the impact of big e-commerce market growth.
[16.42] Whether there are enough packages and profitable demand for everyone competing in a tough market, and how companies are differentiating themselves beyond just lowering prices.
[19.17] The future for small parcel logistics.
"What if it becomes coop-etition?!"
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
Head over to DeliverDirect's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with DeliverDirect and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, or you can connect with Marco or Edward on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from DeliverDirect, check out 538: Enjoy Ecommerce Delivery at the Speed of Flight, with DeliverDirect.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Chris Hamley of Brecham Group talks about people - 'accidental' supply chain careers; leadership; balancing teams & tech; and creating futureproof careers.
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[03.17] An introduction to Chris and the Brecham Group.
[04.10] The current pace of change across the industry, and whether it's actually ready for widespread AI adoption.
"The speed of change, and the amount knowledge you have to consume and gain, is amazing."
[06.34] 'Accidental' supply chain careers – how Chris sees people entering the industry, and why there are so many 'accidental' supply chainers.
"They took a job because they needed the income… People didn't start out wanting to do this, but they discovered they were good at it and stayed!"
[09.32] What career progression typically looks like for 'accidental' supply chainers, the pros and cons of learning on the job, and why resilience is key.
"There's a component of self-awareness: 'what do I need to do to get to the next level?' Because there's not really a playbook for moving from one job to another or getting a promotion."
[15.29] What this means for career growth up to leadership level, and the big leadership training gaps.
"I had to learn to be a good leader… I was watching people, mimicking, recognizing what I needed to be good at. I created an environment to close the gaps, know my strengths and avoid my weaknesses."
[18.42] Why the AI revolution has created a problematic knowledge gap for leadership.
[20.49] Whether technology is replacing fundamental understanding, and the impact of bringing people and new tech together.
[22.27] Balancing tribal knowledge and learned 'hands-on' skills alongside the integration of AI and new technology.
"You don't have to know the details of a process to be an effective leader. But you do have to understand the levers you can pull to change the outcome."
[24.47] From employee turnover to productivity loss, the risks inherent in this period of fluctuation in the industry.
"We rely too heavily on the data side and not enough on the people side."
[28.10] How a different approach to leadership, one that isn't entirely executive-focused, could drive results and fill gaps.
[34.56] How businesses can also lean on partners to help fill those gaps.
"We solve the same three or four problems everywhere we go. So the value of leaning on a partner is that you don't have to reinvent the wheel… How do you find people that have cracked the code.. and leverage it?"
[40.58] Chris's advice for companies looking to navigate this workplace complexity.
[44.07] How the workforce will continue to change in the future.
"Our thought processes around how and what we do have to evolve."
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
Head over to Brecham Group's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Brecham and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, or you can connect with Chris on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Brecham Group, check out 537: How To Ask Better Questions and Drive Project Success, with Brecham Group, 515: Experience Precision Supply Chain Operations, with Brecham Group or their live show Performance Paradox.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

David Gal of Samsara talks about their new Tracking Label; shipment visibility; cargo theft, building a tiered tracking strategy; and becoming proactive.
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
 
[01.13] An introduction to David and his role at Samsara.
"We digitize everything that's not a vehicle!"
[02.03] What visibility into a shipment's journey typically looks like, the biggest barriers to accurate visibility, the solutions currently on the market – and why they don't solve the problem.
"For consumers, tracking can be frustrating. But, for businesses, it's a real challenge… The most you're getting is barcode-based scans on the package… And to call that breadcrumbs is generous."
[05.25] How the Samsara Tracking Label works, how it evolved from the Asset Tag, and what makes it different from existing shipment tracking approaches, and why the Samsara network is key to success.
"Everyone is familiar with the concept of Bluetooth tracking but it didn't exist in the world of physical operations until we built it… In consumer it works with mobile phones, but that's not enterprise-grade and it doesn't scale."
[09.28] Real-world use cases for Samsara's range of tagging solutions, and which you should choose for your challenge or asset.
[12.09] The big issue of cargo theft, and how the Samsara Tracking Label helps tackle it.
[15.04] How customers are thinking about building a tiered tracking strategy, and creating a hybrid approach with Samsara's GPS-powered device, Bluetooth tag and new ultra-compact XS.
[18.20] How real-time visibility shifts teams from reactive to proactive and what that means for incident prevention and recovery timelines.
"This shifts the game from reactive to proactive... The key is to detect anomalies as they're happening."
[20.30] How Samsara's vision of a fully digitized job site could help businesses thrive in a complex landscape.
"This is a complicated ecosystem. There's a lot that goes into every shipment… so you need to identify risks sooner."
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
 
Head over to Samsara's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Samsara and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X (Twitter), or you can connect with David on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Samsara, check out 524: Increase the Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability of Your operations, with Samsara or 529: Empower The People Who Power The World, with Samsara.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Ita Zur of Veho talks about what they do; the ecommerce industry; the Amazon effect; & balancing cost, speed and optionality for the best customer experience.
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
Head over to Veho's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Veho and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (Twitter) or YouTube, or you can connect with Ita on LinkedIn.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Jimmy Sebastian of FourKites talks about AI; visibility; the problem with 'AI-washing;' the simple steps to get started; & how to measure scalable success.
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[02.57] An introduction to Jimmy, his background, and role at FourKites.
"I care about AI that's not just powerful, but explainable, secure, and enterprise-ready."
[04.38] An overview of FourKites, their evolution, the three layers that make up their offering, and the customers they serve.
[07.28] How visibility has evolved from differentiator to table stakes, what that means for businesses, and how agentic AI is helping to bridge the gap.
"10 years ago, knowing where your truck was was a great competitive advantage. Today, everybody has that… The problem we see now is that companies are information rich, but action poor… Visibility tells you there's a problem, but it doesn't fix it."
[09.46] The difference between an AI agent and a chatbot.
"It's almost like a team mate that gets the job done."
[12.18] The impact 'AI-washing' is having on leaders and teams, how to avoid getting stuck in 'pilot purgatory,' and how companies can cut through the noise.
"Slapping AI on everything breeds skepticism, teams get burned by pilots and once burned, twice shy."
[17.14] Finding the balance for governance – understanding areas that need to be tightly controlled versus kept loose enough for innovation.
[19.33] An overview of persona-based AI agents and how they're different, why they're a good fit for supply chain, and how they can help drive adoption.
"Some organizations have gone the route of building one giant monolithic AI brain – we've built a team."
[23.22] What AI agent autonomy really means, and finding the right balance between independence and control.
"We need agents to be autonomous because that's ultimately where the value is… but it has to be under controlled conditions. It's not all or nothing. It's a dial, not a switch."
[25.38] The best practices for developing that correct level of autonomy, and red flags to look out for if organizations aren't seeing the right results with AI agent autonomy.
"It needs to be actively managed."
[30.20] How organizations can find the balance between people and technology, and what change management and AI trust-building should look like.
[33.06] How teams can get started with AI agents, the best workflows to test first – and why you don't need perfect data to start.
[35.18] What success should look like, and how organizations can think about measuring it, in the short and longer terms.
[37.52] From self-healing supply chains to shifting human responsibilities, the future developments we can expect in supply chain AI.
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
Head over to FourKite's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with FourKites and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Facebook or YouTube, or you can connect with Jimmy on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from FourKites, check out:
536: Prevent Supply Disruptions and Protect Revenue, with FourKites
235: Use Real-Time Visibility To Transform Your Entire Supply Chain, with FourKites
Check out our other podcasts HERE.