NextGen Technologies are tough. In so many ways.
They can prove tough to get your arms around. They can be tough to implement and integrate with your processes, which will inevitably change. They are often tough on your people too.
But all is not lost. Not by a long shot. The benefits of NextGen Technologies far outweigh the grit needed upfront. Furthermore, NextGen Technologies are the future of the supply chain. Bet on it.
And a leading resource for supply chain executives crossing this chasm is the NextGen Supply Chain Conference. It’s slated for April 27-29 at the Chicago Athletic Association. The event is sponsored by Supply Chain Management Review and its parent Peerless Media. (Click here to register.)
“This is the only conference exclusively dedicated to preparing executives for the coming technologies and processes that will have the most transformative effects on their supply chains,” says Bob Trebilcock, editorial director of Supply Chain Management Review and host of the upcoming event.
The agenda starts with a reception in the exhibit hall on the evening of the 27th and moves into high gear the next morning, Trebilcock explains. “We’ve got nearly a dozen, keynotes, sessions and panel discussions on the most important emerging technologies. And it’s all geared to senior level executives,” he adds.
Both Tuesday (April 28th) and Wednesday sessions feature a kickoff keynote.
On Tuesday, Mark Shirkness of GE Appliances, will guide attendees on smart distribution and how it can best serve the omni-channel customer. This nextgen strategy allows GE Appliances to exceed customer expectations and build loyalty as a result. It’s important to note this is not theory. This is what Shirkness and his colleagues are doing today. They have already overcome much of the grit.
On Wednesday, Lenovo’s Bobby Bernard will offer what the computer supplier is doing right now to use blockchain to leverage its supply chain. He will explain how and why blockchain is a key component in the company’s transformation to a demand-driven value eco-system that relies on multiple NextGen Technologies.
Technical presentations at the conference will range from creating a supply chain advantage to building an open platform for the digital supply chain. Also slated is a technical presentation on crossing the chasm from Excel to artificial intelligence and how to integrate NextGen Technologies and people to build supply chain leadership.
Speaking of intelligence, other session topics range from the evolution of system intelligence in warehouse operations to the DNA of successful companies in the age of digital transformation. Also of strong interest will be a session on supply chain innovation – are you ready for digital.
Of special note on Tuesday will be a software panel as well as one on robotics. Both are at the forefront of the NextGen Technology revolution in place today.
And just to underscore the importance that this is not a conference about theory, there will be two sets of awards given to companies that are making NextGen Technologies count right now. One set will be for solution providers and will include robotics, blockchain, analytics, artificial intelligence and digital transformation. The end user awards will recognize outstanding programs in the same five categories. 
Yes, you hear far too often that various conferences are can’t miss events. But as the only one of its kind, the NextGen Supply Chain Conference really is just that.
Hope to see you there in late April. Click here to register.
