Automating supply chains adds complexity and cost rather than delivering expected speed and efficiencies, according to a report by Quocirca.
Some 80% of the 400 French, German,
Despite this heavy automation, most were driven to rely on e-mail, phones and paper documents, as they struggled to keep up with complicated standards and technical changes at their business partners.
This problem was amplified because 40% of respondents had more than 1,000 active suppliers, and a similar proportion had to cope with more than 5,000 active business customers. Organisations were battling to handle multiple versions of standards throughout the supply chain.
Some 50% felt their systems were too costly to maintain and run, found the GTX-sponsored research.
