Despite everything in your newsfeed, the best time to make a change at work is right now.
That may feel counterintuitive. There’s uncertainty everywhere. Prices are rising. Trade policy is unpredictable. Supply chains still feel fragile. But that’s exactly why this moment matters.
For years, we all heard the same warning: “The next disruption is coming.” At this point, many look back on the pandemic not only as a disruption but as a giant training exercise. It showed us what happens when systems can’t flex, when sourcing is too narrow and when visibility’s too limited.
Some organizations adapted. Others didn’t move fast enough. Or at all.
Still, the lesson was clear: Single‑point dependency fails under pressure. Whether it’s single‑country sourcing, a single warehouse or a single way of doing things, concentration equals risk. And now, with tariffs and trade tensions back in the spotlight, that lesson is being reinforced in real time.
Costs are rising
Let’s be honest about where we are.
You’re going to pay more for a product tomorrow than you did yesterday. That’s the reality of the moment. Arguing about it won’t change it.
So instead of obsessing over cost of goods alone, this is the perfect time to look at the largest expense most organizations carry: labor. Why wouldn’t you want your labor model to be as efficient as possible – especially when it comes to distributing, managing and replenishing products?
Take MRO and PPE. If it were me, I wouldn’t want consumable data cluttering my ERP system. I’d want a partner owning that information. I’d want them tracking usage, identifying duplication and telling me where rationalization or standardization makes sense.
I’d want help becoming more efficient and more diverse in my supply base. And I’d want to control costs outside of unit price. That’s where real leverage lives.
Making a move when others freeze
The most common response right now is hesitation. Hold steady. Push suppliers on price. Wait it out. Those reactions are understandable – and limiting.
Here’s a better target.
If there’s a part of your operation that’s outdated, that’s your low‑hanging fruit. A storeroom staffed by three or four people, processing 500–600 transactions a day, sitting on excess inventory. You’re paying for labor, space and stock. And worst of all, you’re calling it “normal.”
My challenge to you is simple: Use rising prices as the catalyst for improvement.
- THIS is the time to update.
- THIS is the time to free up resources.
- THIS is the time to take back your labor.
The people who make those moves now will look prescient later. They’ll be the ones playing chess while everyone else thought the game was checkers.
Resiliency and agility aren’t buzzwords
Everyone says they want a resilient, agile supply chain. But what does that actually mean? Resiliency is consistency with the ability to absorb impact. It’s a system that doesn’t collapse because of one event.
Agility is speed. The ability to pivot faster than your competition – and to double down quickly when something works. The infamous example is KFC in the UK running out of chicken after switching to a logistics partner with a single warehouse. The cost savings looked good on paper. The bottleneck was catastrophic.
Today’s volatility demands different choices. That might mean safety stock. Alternative items. Geographic diversification. Or it might mean partnering with suppliers who manage those risks for you. The point is optionality. When disruption hits – and it will – you want a system that bends, not breaks.
Why so many changes never happen
I’ve been part of more RFPs than I ever expected. They’re thorough. They outline scope, data improvements, technology and savings. And then – most of the time – nothing changes. My gut says 90% of organizations re‑up with the incumbent. Why?
Because change is intimidating. The person attached to the decision doesn’t want to stick their neck out unless someone can SHOW that the change will be handled well and will TRULY deliver improvement. That hesitation is human. But it’s also costly.
The takeaway
Change is always hard. But instability doesn’t make it riskier; it makes it more necessary. The next few months are critical. The organizations that move now will do so by stacking the right resources, technology and people exactly where they’re needed.
You want a partner who can come in, understand your process end to end and deliver meaningful change in 90 days – or 120 at the most. That’s how resilience is built. That’s how agility is earned. But the decision to act? That part is up to you.
