TAKEAWAYS Shaping the Future of the Global Supply Chain AVOIDING PEAK-SEASON PAIN
As retailers prepare for the 2025 peak season, a recent post-season fulfillment analysis from Deposco serves up a sobering reality check: Expectations are outpacing execution. According to Deposco’s report, 93% of supply chain leaders felt confident heading into the 2024 holiday rush—but when the dust settled, only 58% reported success in meeting customer expectations for delivery timing and order accuracy. That’s a 28-point gap between anticipated and actual performance—something retailers do not wish to repeat. Data from the report helps explain what’s behind this disparity: • Technology shortfalls: While 70% of executives believed their fulfillment systems were up to the task, just 42% report that those systems actually delivered. • Labor pains: Despite 51% planning to offset workforce demands with automation and seasonal hires, 65% still faced major staffing challenges. • Misaligned systems: The study exposed a widespread overestimation of system capabilities across order and warehouse management.
The report also outlines three key investment areas for peak- season readiness: 1 Unified supply chain platforms that integrate warehouse and order management systems 2 Artificial intelligence-
powered workforce optimization tools to mitigate labor volatility 3 Customer experience enhancements that build brand loyalty even during fulfillment crunches
ANN DRAKE BUILDS LEADERSHIP LEGACY Former supply chain luminary Ann Drake has a new mission: empowering the next generation of women leaders to shape the future. And she will soon have a new place to further that goal—a forthcoming Women’s Leadership Center being built in Williams Bay,
Wisconsin. The 24,000-square-foot retreat, situated above Geneva Lake, is set to become a nexus for women leaders to engage in innovation, collaboration, and leadership development. The center is a partnership between Lincoln Road Enterprises, an organization Drake founded to elevate women’s leadership, and Studio Gang, an international architecture and urban design firm led by Jeanne Gang.
Drake—who had a trailblazing career as CEO of DSC Logistics before founding Lincoln Road and AWESOME (Achieving Women’s Excellence in Supply Chain Operations, Management, and Education), a community of more than 1,500 women in senior supply chain roles, views the new center as “a place where conversations happen that will change the world.” The new center features gently curved spaces and expansive windows ( see rendering above ). Situated on 8.6 acres, it will comprise three main structures—the Lodge for large gatherings and dining, the Council for meetings and conferences, and the Cabin for intimate retreats. The Center broke ground in July 2024 and is expected to open in 2026.
14 Inbound Logistics • May 2025
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