Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Forward Thinking

Think "customer chain," not "supply chain"

Consultants Atlee Valentine Pope and George F. Brown Jr. say companies can grow by identifying where their customers find value in the "customer chain."

In their new book, CoDestiny: Overcome Your Growth Challenges by Helping Your Customers Overcome Theirs, Atlee Valentine Pope and George F. Brown Jr. propose that companies should be thinking in terms of "customer chains" instead of the more commonly used phrase "supply chain." Why? Because the two cofounders of the management strategy firm Blue Canyon Partners believe that companies succeed when they identify where customers find value in the chain, beginning with sourcing and progressing through to delivery of a finished product to consumers.

That idea grew out of a consulting engagement for the appliance manufacturer Emerson, which wanted to know what it could do to create value in the eyes of its customers. Based on their work with Emerson and other clients, the consultants assert that companies must align their destinies with those of their customers if they want to improve sales growth.


To help companies achieve that goal, Pope and Brown offer a framework for identifying where value creation occurs in the customer chain. They also offer advice on how to develop and implement growth strategies for your company and for your customers in those areas of value creation. They back up their recommendations with examples from their consulting experience.

Published by Greenleaf Book Group Press, the hardcover edition of CoDestiny: Overcome Your Growth Challenges by Helping Your Customers Overcome Theirs sells for US $24.95. For more information, go to https://codestinybook.com/.

Recent

More Stories

chart of robot adoption in factories

Global robot density in factories has doubled in 7 years

Global robot density in factories has doubled in seven years, according to the “World Robotics 2024 report,” presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

Specifically, the new global average robot density has reached a record 162 units per 10,000 employees in 2023, which is more than double the mark of 74 units measured seven years ago.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

person using AI at a laptop

Gartner: GenAI set to impact procurement processes

Progress in generative AI (GenAI) is poised to impact business procurement processes through advancements in three areas—agentic reasoning, multimodality, and AI agents—according to Gartner Inc.

Those functions will redefine how procurement operates and significantly impact the agendas of chief procurement officers (CPOs). And 72% of procurement leaders are already prioritizing the integration of GenAI into their strategies, thus highlighting the recognition of its potential to drive significant improvements in efficiency and effectiveness, Gartner found in a survey conducted in July, 2024, with 258 global respondents.

Keep ReadingShow less
A photo of brown paper packages tied up with shiny red ribbons.

SMEs hopeful ahead of holiday peak

Businesses are cautiously optimistic as peak holiday shipping season draws near, with many anticipating year-over-year sales increases as they continue to battle challenging supply chain conditions.

That’s according to the DHL 2024 Peak Season Shipping Survey, released today by express shipping service provider DHL Express U.S. The company surveyed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to gauge their holiday business outlook compared to last year and found that a mix of optimism and “strategic caution” prevail ahead of this year’s peak.

Keep ReadingShow less
holiday shopping mall

Consumer sales kept ticking in October, NRF says

Retail sales grew solidly over the past two months, demonstrating households’ capacity to spend and the strength of the economy, according to a National Retail Federation (NRF) analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Census data showed that overall retail sales in October were up 0.4% seasonally adjusted month over month and up 2.8% unadjusted year over year. That compared with increases of 0.8% month over month and 2% year over year in September.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mobile robots, drones move beyond the hype

Mobile robots, drones move beyond the hype

Supply chains are poised for accelerated adoption of mobile robots and drones as those technologies mature and companies focus on implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and automation across their logistics operations.

That’s according to data from Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Mobile Robots and Drones, released this week. The report shows that several mobile robotics technologies will mature over the next two to five years, and also identifies breakthrough and rising technologies set to have an impact further out.

Keep ReadingShow less