With decades of experience navigating the turbulent waters of global logistics and supply chain management, Rohit Laila has developed a keen understanding of the pressures shaping the industry. A passionate advocate for technology and innovation, he offers a grounded perspective on the persistent roadblocks and emerging threats that keep leaders up at night. Today, we explore the complex interplay between advanced technology and data readiness, the financial squeeze of trade policies on consumer loyalty, the dizzying impact of viral trends on forecasting, and the ever-present battles against fulfillment pressures and counterfeit goods.
Many companies are investing heavily in AI, yet over half cite data accuracy as a major barrier. How can leaders realistically bridge this gap, and what are the first steps to move AI from an experiment into daily procurement and planning decisions?
It’s a classic case of putting the cart before the horse. There’s this immense pressure to innovate, and you see it in the numbers—68% of leaders are ready to pour money into AI and automation. But the raw truth is that even the most sophisticated AI is only as smart as the data it’s fed. When 51% of those same leaders admit that data accuracy is their single biggest barrier, it feels like we’re building skyscrapers on sand. The first, most critical step isn’t about the AI model; it’s about the data pipeline. You have to move beyond pilot projects by first ensuring you have a foundation of reliable, real-time information. With only 42% of companies reporting true real-time visibility today, the focus must be on creating that data integrity first. Only then can AI move from being a fascinating experiment to a reliable decision-making tool in your daily operations.
With foreign trade policies impacting 84% of supply chain leaders, many face a dilemma, as 56% of consumers would stop buying if tariff-related costs were passed on. What specific strategies can companies use to absorb this financial pressure without alienating their customer base?
This is one of the most stressful balancing acts in the industry. You’re being squeezed from both sides. On one end, you have immense, unpredictable pressure from foreign trade policies, a reality for a staggering 84% of us. On the other, you have a customer base where over half—56% to be exact—will abandon your brand if you pass those costs along. You simply can’t afford that kind of churn. The answer isn’t just to eat the cost and hope for the best. True resilience comes from proactively rethinking your operating model. This means building agility into your network by expanding your supplier base so you’re not over-reliant on one region. It involves strategically relocating some production closer to your vital markets or even holding extra inventory in key areas to act as a buffer against volatility. These aren’t short-term fixes; they’re structural changes that allow you to absorb shocks without passing the pain directly to the consumer.
Rapid demand swings, often driven by social media, are now a top threat for supply chain integrity. How can organizations adapt their forecasting and inventory strategies to handle this unpredictability, and what metrics should they track to measure their responsiveness to these viral trends?
The shift is palpable. What used to be marketing noise is now a primary driver of demand. When you see that 42% of Americans made a purchase based on a social media trend, you realize traditional forecasting models are becoming obsolete. It’s no surprise that 52% of leaders now see these rapid demand swings as the single biggest threat to their supply chain integrity. To adapt, companies must move toward a more dynamic, responsive inventory strategy. This means less reliance on long-term historical data and more on real-time signals and predictive analytics. Key metrics to track are ‘time to react’—how quickly you can ramp up production or re-route inventory after a spike is detected—and ‘fulfillment accuracy’ during these peaks. It’s about building a system that doesn’t just predict the future but can react to the present with incredible speed and precision.
Consumers increasingly expect fast, flexible fulfillment, and over half would switch brands over poor delivery options. What are the most critical investments a company can make to meet these demands, and how should they balance the trade-offs between speed, cost, and operational complexity?
Consumer patience has worn thin, and the data is unequivocal: 51% of customers will walk away if you don’t offer convenient delivery or pickup. This puts immense pressure on fulfillment networks, a reality for 56% of supply chain leaders. The most critical investment isn’t just in one area, like faster trucks, but in the underlying technology that provides flexibility. This means investing in sophisticated inventory management systems that give you a real-time, unified view of stock across all locations—warehouses, back rooms, and storefronts. This visibility allows you to offer options like buy-online-pickup-in-store or ship-from-store efficiently. The balance between speed, cost, and complexity is managed through this very intelligence. By knowing exactly where your product is, you can choose the most cost-effective and fastest fulfillment path without adding crippling operational layers.
With nearly 80% of retail leaders struggling to prevent counterfeit goods from reaching the market, what advanced technologies or collaborative strategies are proving most effective in protecting brand integrity and customer trust throughout the entire fulfillment process?
The fight against counterfeits feels like a constant battle, and it’s one that 78% of retail leaders feel they are struggling with. When 71% say these fakes have already damaged their brand’s reputation or revenue, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The problem is compounded by rising shipping fraud, which 76% of companies reported seeing an increase of recently. The most effective strategies combine advanced technology with collaboration. Item-level tracking using technologies like RAIN RFID allows companies to create a unique digital identity for every single product, from the factory floor to the customer’s hands. This creates a verifiable chain of custody that is incredibly difficult to fake. On the collaborative front, sharing data with logistics partners, customs agencies, and even e-commerce platforms helps create a united front, making it much harder for these fraudulent goods to slip through the cracks in the system.
What is your forecast for supply chain integrity and agility over the next few years?
My forecast is one of cautious optimism, but it is entirely dependent on a fundamental shift in mindset. For the next few years, the volatility we’re seeing—from trade policy to viral demand—is the new normal, not a temporary storm. The leaders who succeed will be those who stop applying short-term patches and start re-architecting their supply chains for agility from the ground up. This means a relentless focus on data integrity as the foundation for everything else. It means viewing technology not as a cost center, but as the core enabler of resilience. The gap between the companies that make these deep, structural investments and those that don’t will widen dramatically. Agility will no longer be a buzzword; it will be the primary determinant of survival and success.
