The average company has experienced 10 supply chain disruptions during the last five years, according to a recent study by Aberdeen Group, a Boston-based research firm. To help avoid or manage these disturbances, Aberdeen suggests creating a global supply visibility and performance program.

Modern Material Handeling has summarized processes and technology that should be included in such program in an interesting way:

- provide visibility into supplier activities, including detailed knowledge of the status of manufacturing, distribution and transportation performed by the supplier,

- provide an understanding of supplier costs, including the costs of the transportation, warehousing, packaging and raw materials associated with a product,

- manage supplier performance by measuring and tracking key performance indicators such as on-time delivery, quality and order accuracy, and

- enable supplier collaboration, allowing two-way sharing of information between a company and a supplier.