BY JAMES A. COOKE
SUPPLY CHAIN SOFTWARE
technologyreview
LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGERS ARE
getting smarter … at least when it comes to using software
intelligence to run their supply chains. Sixty-five percent of
the respondents to this year’s survey on supply chain software usage said they now use software for analysis.
That was one of the key findings of the annual study
conducted jointly by the consulting firm Nucleus Research
in Boston and DC VELOCITY. The findings are based on 167
responses received from readers of DC VELOCITY and its
sister publication, CSCMP’s Supply Chain Quarterly. The
survey, now in its third year, provides a snapshot of how
logistics and supply chain managers are using software to
improve their operations.
The breakdown of survey respondents resembled that of
previous studies. As in past surveys, manufacturers made
up the largest category of survey takers, at 35 percent of
respondents. Next came third-party logistics service providers (3PLs), at 15 percent. Wholesale distribution, retail,
and transportation each accounted for 9 percent, while the
remaining 23 percent fell into the “other” category.
A plurality of survey takers came from small companies,
as was the case in past samplings. Forty-four percent of
survey respondents work for companies with under $100
million in annual revenue. Sixteen percent came from com-
panies with revenues of under $500 million, 9 percent from
companies with revenues under $1 billion, 17 percent from
companies with revenues between $1 billion and $5 billion,
and 14 percent from companies with revenues exceeding
$5 billion.
WMS STILL NUMBER ONE
So what software tools are readers using? As was the case
in the past two surveys, warehouse management systems
(WMS) topped the list, with 50 percent of respondents
using this application. Because a WMS oversees distribution center operations, it stands to reason that this type of
software would place first on the board with readers.
The second most commonly used application was also
43 percent. Fourth on the list was transportation manage-
result given that the software, which is used for managing
carriers, is a mainstay of today’s logistics operations). In
