"We didn't plan on it being this bad" is a
constant refrain we heard from management teams through December
and January as they struggled with the impacts of COVID.
The knock-on impact is being felt by all of us. Rationing of
toilet rolls and paracetamol, shelves empty of chicken and
sausages, flights being cancelled and I still can't get the
parts I need for my bike.
Management teams had planned for the issues that have arisen,
however most hadn't planned for the issues to be as severe or
as prolonged. Most teams also acknowledge that business practices
are fundamentally changing. Global suppliers are less reliant on
the 'Just In Time' model. Instead, there is more of a
'Just in case' approach, with local production increasing
levels of safety stock and higher costs.
