How IoT Can Help Overcome COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions

When brick-and-mortar shops around the globe temporarily closed their doors in response to the coronavirus outbreak, consumers quickly switched to online shopping to fulfill their needs. This meant that retailers needed to adjust their supply chainsOpens a new window to accommodate influxes of personal orders in place of regular shipments to storefronts. But this rebalancing isn’t over yet; so long as coronavirus concerns persist, many people will continue opting to shop online to avoid going out in public, and as such retailers need to have the mechanisms in place to sustain increased residential shipping.

While this change may be daunting, with IoT devicesOpens a new window , retailers can maintain control over their operations and ensure safe and satisfactory deliveries right to customers’ front doors. When attached to shipmentOpens a new window containers, IoT-enabled sensors can provide insight into shipment whereabouts and conditions so retailers can ensure packages make it to customers safe and sound.

By leveraging the IoT across their supply chains, retailers can reap the following benefits as they navigate a new normal:

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Warehouse Operation Optimization

The product journey starts at the warehouseOpens a new window , so retailers need to ensure their operations here are running as efficiently as possible in order to fulfill orders while still meeting customer expectations for excellent service. In order to handle increases in demand—while also working with potential decreases in staff availability—supply chain Opens a new window operators can utilize the IoT to stay ahead of operational delays (like a broken machine, for which the IoT can recognize and call out subtle changes in system behavior that may disrupt production) or product shortages that could set back delivery times. And should a delay occur, retailers can also use information collected by IoT devices to proactively manage consumer expectations regarding availability.

The IoT is also a valuable investment for warehousesOpens a new window implementing social distancing and heightened sanitation practices. By monitoring weight fluctuations on shelves, wireless IoT sensors can automatically—versus manually—report which items are moving the fastest so retailers can build up stock.

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Real-time Package Monitoring

Not only are people increasingly ordering goods online these days, but the value and sensitivity of many of these items (e.g., medications, groceries) is also heightened. This makes it all the more important for retailers to deliver shipments in a timely manner whilst also maintaining quality

With geolocation capabilities, IoT-enabled sensors fixed to containers can help retailers ensure timely deliveries by securing and tracking container status updates. Retailers Opens a new window can then communicate this information to awaiting consumers so they know when to expect their orders.

Retailers also have the ability to precisely know when and where the package was opened by combining the geolocation capabilities with disposable IoT sensors alerting on parcel opening.

And because time is of the essence when delivering perishable products, retailers can also harness this location data to optimize the shipping routes themselves. By using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to identify traffic patterns and even predict any recurring delays in delivery paths, supply chain operators can proactively opt for quicker, more direct routes to ensure packages are delivered as soon as possible.

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Container Condition Regulation

Because the quality and speed of deliveries can be health-critical given current circumstances, operators need to ensure that packages arrive in pristine condition and that no damage is caused to them while out on the road. Take pharmaceuticals or groceries for example; even slight fluctuations in the temperature or humidity of shipping containers can be consequential enough to pose a medical risk to the recipient.

Here again, IoT-enabled sensors can help operators maintain oversight of the package journey. When attached to shipments, IoT devices can alert retailers to any changes in conditions that have the potential to harm product quality so that they can proactively send a new shipment in proper form. With this level of agency over the package journey, supply chain Opens a new window operators can ensure consumers receive packages in their expected, safe conditions.

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0G: The Key for Keeping Connected Across the Product Journey

To eliminate disruptions to location and condition monitoring as packages travel across expansive supply chains, operators should use a low-power, wide-area network like 0G to power their IoT devices. Because 0G networks consume very little energy, the battery life of connected IoT devices can endure the entire package journey – keeping retailers informed about package status throughout. Additionally, 0G- enabled sensors to have the ability to transmit data at a lower cost than traditional networks, with no loss to quality.

The sudden switch to online shopping means that retailers need to optimize their supply chains in order to fulfill residential orders on time and in proper condition, as failure to do so can have critical repercussions in the current climate. The IoT is the innovation retailers need to ensure successful operations. By collecting and delivering insights on every point of the package journey, from warehouse stock to weaknesses out on the road, supply chain operators can proactively identify disruptions and correct them accordingly. Against unprecedented pressures to perform, having this information is essential for retailers to safely and successfully manage and fulfill consumer expectations.

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