Logistics Collective - The Podcast

The final episode of this trilogy on Retail & Supply Chain Technology examines the possibilities of the future. It encompasses the growth of the circular economy and how the democratisation of RFID through both price reduction and Digital Product Passports could catalyse the growth of new industries. There are a few rants on "greenwashing" and "dumb Transport Management Systems", but there is also blue sky thinking on how the homes we live in could be so much more intelligent, more cost-effective and sustainable - and this is a current missed opportunity that could really help the consumer and the retail sector. We also speak of "sociopathic retail" and "sustainable provenance" and how we need to realise the trapped value in the clutter stored in our homes. 

We conclude that for us to meet the challenge of the future, we need to develop "superhuman" questions to drive the huge capabilities in even current technology. The final thought is asking: "Why don't we change the focus of digitalisation to benefit the many and not the few?"

We hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording the podcast.

In this episode, we continue the story of Mark Tailford and his entertaining and entrepreneurial journey in innovation. We focus on the more recent past and into the present, including the radical changes he drove in the world of retail.

There's a little more name-dropping (John Lewis, Matalan, Morrisons, etc.). There's a Scandinavian sojourn to Finland and some world-first development of technology that resulted in a double-figure %  increase in sales and a reduction in shrinkage within retail stores.

We finish with how a car crash landed Mark with a fantastic new deal with a retailer! The third and final episode (coming in two weeks) will explore the future and the miraculous potential of RFID. 

This interview is a milestone for us in a couple of ways. Firstly, this is the first podcast that has no script guidance (we always have an outline script to understand what we are covering), so this is a bit of a freer conversation than normal. Secondly, and most importantly, we are talking to Mark Tailford, who is simply one of the architects of retail supply chain visibility and has an amazing story to tell.

A huge number of names are dropped throughout these podcasts, not in any boastful way; it simply means that Mark has met so many people in retail leadership. 

We have three episodes, one focusing on the past and the origins of Mark's thinking, and episode 2 covers the recent past and present day. We conclude with a more extended 3rd episode that focuses on the future, encompassing the fascinating challenge and opportunities of digital product passports - your supply chain world is about to radically change. It impacts everything. 

So, let's start with Mark's origins—not quite in short trousers, but with a full head of hair and a Triumph Spitfire!

Welcome to the second episode of our podcasts with the legend that is Jim Tompkins. In this episode, we go from the chaos of "whack-a-mole" through toilet paper (!) during the recent pandemic, climate change, and disruption of world trade but then hit the calmer seas of finding out who inspired Jim by underscoring his work and how he found out that life is just not fair.

We discuss the wisdom of "one size fits one" and ask and answer the question as to whether businesses today have sufficient options to survive and thrive - Jim's perceptive view of the need for "Optionality". All of this is spiced up with Human Intelligence, AI, SETI and what we do to prevent Luddism.

Jim is inspiring and very much deserving of respect, 5 decades of business excellence, thought provocation, author, and thought leader but most of all, a damned nice and interesting guy to talk to that still works to change and improve the world of supply chain. Simply, a legend in his own lifetime. 

Welcome to Season 3 of Logistics Collective – The Podcast.

We start with a legend of supply chain. A thought-leading academic, serial entrepreneur, author (31 books published so far) and most of all thought leader in business and supply chain. Our interviewee has helped businesses globally define their future and is still defining the future of supply chain after 5 decades engaged in the industry.

Welcome to the final podcast from the Logistics Collective in 2023. It has certainly been a busy year in the land of podcasting for us, with a significant increase in both output and audience.

In this episode, we hear the fascinating story of an innovation award-winning entrepreneur that together with her husband set their sights on saving people's lives which has resulted in building a business that has grown to sell its Yorkshire manufactured products across global markets.

Welcome to the 4th and final episode of Old Dogs, and in this episode we turn to prophecy and seek to examine the future!

Why are we asking the dumbest questions of AI? 

We think about the impact of this on broader society, and recommend a read of "The End of Work" by Jeremy Rifkin

Why do LSP customers tender too frequently and without thought and preparation?

How can LSPs demonstrate more value through giving more visibility?

Why are the aging systems controlling our logistics operations so fragmented and disconnected?

Why are our TMSs largely built with no regard that one day the customer will want to go to tender?

We ask why are our LSPs sometimes failing to identify clients that may require a more sustainable supply chain and are willing to pay for it?

We finally ask why a more sophisticated and value driving eSourcing system has not been developed than the one we developed, shaped and utilised 21 years ago.... 

The Logistics industry needs to be an exemplar of the future amazing possibilities of sustainable and intelligent supply chains and not a museum to innovations of the past. The challenges we face are the driving force behind the inventions to come. Radical thinking is certainly needed - and there is plenty of fun in that!

So sit back with a mince pie and mulled wine...and be stimulated into some future thinking!

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You have been really patient, thank you! (We have had a huge amount of production work to do on forthcoming content)

Our thanks for patiently waiting for the next episode of ALAS!

• Did you know that it takes 5 times as long to produce one of our podcasts as it does to record it?

• That we use AI-powered software to improve and balance the sound quality?

• That our podcasts have been listened to by thousands of people and our followers are rapidly increasing?

But all of this matters little in comparison to the potentially sleep-inducing dulcet tones of Keith Holdsworth and Malcolm Pope who in this episode are hugging the planet, trying to reduce road congestion and most of all make LSPs more profitable! (Yes, you read that correctly, more profitable logistics businesses – it can and MUST be done).

We also consider the long-running saga of how long will Keith’s “Yorkshire Mix” last (Malcolm suspects that paleontologists will be picking over the remains of this confectionery in a few million years’ time) and what are the most appropriate beverages and snacks to have on a podcast. #alas #automation #logisticsinnovation #supplychaininnovation #logisticscollective #supplychain #supplychainconsulting #logisticsconsultancy #couragethroughconfidence #mentoring #coaching #logurultd

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Information systems are at the core of every logistics operation. Yet many of the most utilised systems have a long history (decades!) behind them.

Have our day to day operations moved significantly over the last 20 years?

Certainly!

There is a design parallel to the development of electric cars, the sub-optimal starting point being to utilise an existing internal combustion engined car and bolt on electric motors and batteries. The key point of innovation has been to reimagine personal transport design around the new motive force, arguably, this is the only way to provide cars that will have similar utility to the smoky old petrol and diesel cars.

The question we might have in our minds is: Do our logistics information systems need a radical redesign to be relevant to today's and the futures operational challenges? Our guest in this episode strongly argues yes.

In this podcast, we are delighted to interview an entrepreneur and innovator who has successfully completed that ground up reimagination, with a Warehouse Management System that has ease of implementation, configuration, connectivity (including robotics) and most importantly ease of use/ease of training at its core. So take a break from your busy day and listen to Founder & Managing Director of THOMAX Technology – Thomas Jackson”

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In this second episode of “Old Dogs: Legacy or Prophecy” we move into the reasoning why two independent, and arguably competing, technology companies were “persuaded” to collaborate to develop one of the first uses of sophisticated eSourcing technology for distribution solution sourcing.

It covers the rationale of why these systems were brought together, what their combined strengths and we lead on to describe the problem we were trying to solve.

When trying new concepts, solutions, and technology it is absolutely critical to engage, brief, and train the users of the system. Key to success was how we managed sourcing risk in a very changing environment to ensure that the value improvement we achieved could be objectively measured. How the marketplace operated and was optimised I contest is still well in advance of any logistics eSourcing system that I see today.  

In forward episodes, we will cover the result that was achieved (which surprised most stakeholders) and the lessons that were learned.

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We are out in the Logistics Collective Time Machine again and asking you to join us in an exploration of the past and future of buying logistics.

I am joined by two leading lights in the world of technology and logistics, Tom Wahnsiedler (a 40-year veteran of IT, having served in local government, FMCG, retail, logistics, property, social enterprise, and consultancy.  During that time, he conceived, developed, and delivered novel and in some cases ground-breaking products, including tools for logistics procurement and collaboration. He is, at least for the moment, retired.) who was the founder and CEO of Translogistica and Paul Martyn (a vastly experienced sourcing professional that has sourced billions worth of logistics solutions during his tenure as an exceptional thought leader in procurement) who at the time of our initial interaction was Managing Director of European Operations for CombineNet.

In this series of podcasts we plot the course of how buying logistics changed forever in the early 2000’s,share the experience of the challenges of using technology for the first time the results that we achieved and then our thoughts on why the full potential of eSourcing logistics has yet to be achieved.

In Episode 1 we cover the initial sparks of innovation and how we planned to deliver true value creation.

If you buy, sell or manage logistics solutions, this is a must hear for you!

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Welcome to the second episode of our series ALAS! musings about advanced supply chain and logistics by the vibrant and venerable Keith Holdsworth & Malcolm Pope. Following on from our first episode on forecast (or informed guessing as Malcolm still insists), we ask a slightly vexed question as to whether the logistics function is an outlying orphan to other business processes. On the bright side they also discuss about snacks and beverages with some interesting conclusions!

#alas #automation #logisticsinnovation #supplychaininnovation #logisticscollective #supplychain #supplychainconsulting #logisticsconsultancy #couragethroughconfidence #mentoring #coaching #logurultd

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The next interviewee in this season of Logistics Collective - The Podcast is a phenomenally interesting senior leader in the realm of logistics and supply chain, but who now has founded her new business, Ryhall Leadership to pursue her passion for creating high-performing teams with a clear focus to especially help women achieve their potential in leadership positions. Her solid belief is that the lifeblood of healthy culture is a sense of trust and belonging which comes from embracing equity, inclusivity, and diversity. 

In addition to her current passion, our interviewee spent 23 years in the Royal Air Force, with an initial focus on logistics and supply chain in areas of conflict including the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Her story is both incredible but hugely real and inspiring. Her final post on leaving the RAF was Chief of Staff.

I introduce the interesting, engaging, and incredible Debs Wright. I hope you are as fascinated by listening to the podcast as I was interviewing.

#RyhallLeadership #automation #logisticsinnovation #supplychaininnovation #logisticscollective #supplychain #supplychainconsulting #logisticsconsultancy #couragethroughconfidence #mentoring #coaching #logurultd Links:

We are introducing a new concept for Logistics Collective Podcasts. We are calling it ALAS! but we're not going to explain why, it is all explained in the podcast. 2 "experienced" supply chain professionals that have known one another for 2 decades are off for a ramble down the supply chain whilst discussing the beverages and snacks they are consuming. One half of this discussion is the wonderful Keith Holdsworth of wonderous experience of strategic supply chain, and the other half is the trouble causer Malcolm Pope. In this episode, we talk about crystal balls, tea leaves, and Mystic Meg. If you've not guessed, it is all about forecasting (or guessing as Malcolm described it). Keith made a very convincing case for less guessing and more science. Was Malcolm convinced? Well, you can only listen in to find out. Bring your own beverage and snacks, they both go on a bit. 

#alas #automation #logisticsinnovation #supplychaininnovation #logisticscollective #supplychain #supplychainconsulting #logisticsconsultancy #couragethroughconfidence #mentoring #coaching #logurultd Links:

We took a brief hiatus as business was busy in LOGURU, but now we are into our second year of the Logistics Collective and we are extremely excited about it. There are going to be some changes, and we are in discussions about more sponsorship so we can extend the scope of what we do, we have "Logistics Collective "Live!" in mind and a new series called ALAS!... details will follow.

So into our second year of the podcast, we have spoken to an incredible professional. She is smart, innovative, courageous, and absolutely a thought leader in supply chain but most specifically automation. As with many successful professionals, she has more than one string to her bow and is now a published author with a noted passion for mentoring and coaching. I was delighted to hear about the positive change that  "Women in Logistics" delivered for her. So now we have built anticipation...I welcome Danielle Dakin, Market Development Director for Dematic. Grab a beverage and hear about her fantastic career journey.

#dematic #automation #logisticsinnovation #supplychaininnovation #logisticscollective #supplychain #supplychainconsulting #logisticsconsultancy #couragethroughconfidence #mentoring #coaching #logurultd

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We are surrounded by data, arguably so much that we can no longer see the wood from the trees. In this Logistics Collective podcast, we talk to data pioneer and savant Kirsten Tisdale founder of Aricia, an immensely experienced logistics professional, but at her core someone who has a real passion for driving clarity and conclusions from data. Beyond the incredible data insights that Kirsten drives, we also discuss cars Kirsten drives including Tatras!

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“I am delighted to present our thought-provoking podcast for the forthcoming holiday period (and beyond!). Let me tell you a little about it.

My interviewee has legendary status within the logistics and supply chain industries. His achievements in respect of thought leadership and the development of novel approaches to address the challenges of the industry are well known. He is not known for brevity! But I ask the listener to persist, and stick with it. Why? Well, if you work in logistics and supply chain you will have been influenced by him. If you have a mind for the future of logistics and supply chain, you will certainly learn something from him.

I am delighted to tell you that we have Professor Alan Waller in the Logistics Collective studio. This is the highlight of our 2022 season of podcasts. I hope you enjoy”

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Bob is not from Birmingham, but if you want to find out where he is from you're just going to have to listen to the podcast! To be fair, there's a whole lot more to Bob than his birthplace, he is one of the best Operational Leaders I have had the pleasure of working with. In this episode of the Logistics Collective podcast, he relates a little around his experience as Operations Director of TPN - "The Pallet Network" and reflects back on a long career. The podcast has one of the funniest oneliners so far from all of our podcasts too!

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In this episode Jimmy Osmond had a hit in the 1970s called "I'll be your long haired lover from Liverpool", and for our interviewee here it could almost be appropriate, but perhaps Bouffant Bloke from Birkenhead might be closer to the target! The interview covers the history of one of the key leaders of the logistics industry (having been Chairman and CEO of a large number of logistics businesses) he continues his activities of business leadership both in the Chair and as an outstanding NED. Hugely entertaining to talk to, this guitar playing rock star of the logistics industry was at the foundations of one of the largest global logistics service providers. So, kick back, get a beverage of your choice and listen to the dulcet tones of Paul Carvell. One of the industries legends.

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In our third episode, the Logistics Collective interviews the Aviation expert Keith Purdom, former CEO of Servisair. He shares his incredible career journey from humble beginnings to being a leader of a large Aviation business. He shares his perspectives on why the Logistics & Supply Chain industry is such a fantastic industry to work in.

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Welcome to the first of our Logistics Collective "Innovations" podcasts, in this episode we speak to Clemente Theotokis who is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Zeus Labs, which is a UK-based digital freight platform simplifying the haulage industry and driving the sustainable freight agenda. Since founding the company with fellow entrepreneur Jai Kanwar in 2019, the company has seen explosive growth, today representing over 40 enterprise-level clients and helping deliver more than 660,000 tonnes of freight worth £6 billion annually.

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In this edition of the Logistics Collective podcast, we interview Gary Rees, co-founder and managing director of Synergy Retail Support, who has a fantastic story to tell about his life and how he started and developed a business now deeply embedded into the e-commerce industry. Education does not necessarily equate to intelligence; Synergy Retail Support is one of the most intelligent, innovative, and agile solutions providers in the sector and this is reflected in its leadership.

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Our fourth episode is a slight diversion, we enter the world of procurement and supply and interview Malcolm Harrison, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS). CIPS is a UK based global professional body focused on its objective of leading excellence in procurement and supply. With offices in 5 countries and a membership of 100,000, it is the largest professional body covering procurement and supply.

Malcolm talks us through his journey through a fascinating career, we reflect on how well the logistics industry addresses its procurement and wonder whether there is some value being missed by the industry?

Procurement, at its best, is about values and value creation.

We conclude our interview with some future thoughts and why procurement is an excellent career choice and how CIPS can be a key support and innovation driver in the field of procurement.

It's a longer interview than normal, simply the subject areas covered were fascinating.

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In our second episode of Logistics Collective podcast we are talking to Clare Bottle – Chief Executive of the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA), Clare is an incredible logistics professional and has achieved so much in her career so far, but as she says “the best is yet to come!”, so listen to the career journey and career advice from a woman in logistics that has achieved so much and aims to achieve much more.

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Welcome to the Logistics Collective podcast, in this episode we focus on the fascinating insights of the industry from the perspective of Richard Smith, Managing Director of the Road Haulage Association. Why is a career in the Logistics industry one of the best decisions you could make? Listen in and find out!

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The Logistics Collective Podcast is a series focused on the logistics industry, where there are many incredible stories to be told.

The first series of interviews will focus on those that have worked and are working within the logistics industry today.