Cloud Sourcing™ is a unique approach to the market that encourages collaboration between suppliers and consumers. It also sets the stage for further automation by leveraging an omni-channel approach to supply chain challenges. Learn about Cloud SourcingTM and discover why it is a game changer for digital Vendor Managed Inventory solutions.
Cloud Sourcing™ creates space for independent experts to collaborate and solve the complexity of industrial supply chain through a unified platform. Digital Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) service solutions, like many types of enterprise software, have historically been exclusive systems that do not play nice with others.
These systems operate on an island and do little to drive the value of data automation to other business systems they interact with—such as suppliers’ Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems or consumers’ Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems.
What is Cloud SourcingTM and How Does It Work?
There is a growing online community built around the idea of Cloud Sourcing™. ShelfAware offers a collaborative approach to B2B supply chain management with the market’s first true omni-channel platform that accommodates both the physical (inventory—logistics, storage, tracking consumption, organizing, etc.) and the digital (data—analytics, forecasts, replenishment metrics, etc.) aspects of complex supply chains.
A software company works as a third party for any supplier or consumer in various product verticals. For example, Eskridge is a company based in Olathe, Kansas that makes planetary gears and brake products for industrial and mobile equipment worldwide. Intelligent inventory management software tracks the consumption of four of their product verticals from four niche suppliers—all delivering to Eskridge’s facility through their supply chain with their own support and their own engineering.
The third party company, in this case ShelfAware, uses a collaborative software platform with patented RFID technology to work with any supplier, any distributor, in any product vertical—ensuring that products stay on the shelf at the consumer’s facility.
What Is the Difference Between Cloud SourcingTM and Outsourcing?
Cloud SourcingTM could be confused with outsourcing. They are similar, so it is important to understand the distinct differences.
- Outsourcing is when a company hires a third party to perform business tasks, handle operations, and provide services. For example, an internet publishing company could outsource search engine optimization tasks to an outsourcer that specializes in SEO.
- Cloud SourcingTM empowers collaboration among multiple independent and specialized product vertical suppliers and equips them with a single consumer’s supply chain. All involved parties are supported with a flexible RFID supply chain as a service. The ShelfAware eco-system digitizes complex component supply chains, creating immediate ROI for a B2B consumer and their many Suppliers.
Why Cloud SourcingTM is a Game Changer for Digital VMI Systems
ShelfAware is revolutionizing supply chain management through the power of collaboration. Independent suppliers work together with a single consumer on a single RFID IoT supply chain platform.
Thanks to its unique use of Cloud SourcingTM, ShelfAware is a great fit for any business trying to remotely manage a complex physical inventory. More specifically, ShelfAware was designed to automate industrial wholesale supply chains and provide a platform for independent industrial suppliers to collaborate and collectively supply the industry’s largest consumers on an automated omni-channel.
Cloud SourcingTM sets the stage for further automation by leveraging that omni-channel approach to supply chain. This is accomplished by capturing multiple unique supply chain data streams and making them available to a consumer for a seamless, unified brand experience. Simply put, one platform serves many specialized suppliers acting as one.
ShelfAware is designed to solve problems for both ends of the supply chain—both the supplier and the consumer. This win-win is unique to ShelfAware.
Want to learn more about an affordable way to automate your supply chain? Request your free ShelfAware demo.
Too good to be true? ShelfAware is redefining the vendor-managed inventory industry. For this reason, we’re happy to talk to you about how our intelligent inventory platform can benefit your business. Contact us today for more information.
More articles about using a digital vendor managed inventory system to solve your supply chain challenges:
What Kinds of Manufacturing Businesses Can Benefit from Inventory Management Software?
Top 10 Advantages of RFID Inventory Tracking
7 Ways to Save Time and Money with an RFID Inventory Management System
How Automation Improves Manufacturing Operational Efficiency
