PPB October 2021

A sales manager at a mid-sized distributor let out a long sigh as she ended her phone call. She had just finished a lengthy discussion with her customer service rep at a supplier company she uses regularly. It was a conversation she was having all too often with her suppliers: the company lacked inventory for the products she wanted, or they were experiencing significant delays in being able to fill her order on time. What was going on? Weren’t companies ramped up and ready to get back to business this year after a lackluster 2020? The above scenario is fictional, but unfortunately, the problem is all too real. Distributors agree it’s The Supply Chain Crisis | FEATURE | OCTOBER 2021 | 41