Aligning strategic vision with on-the-ground operational execution is crucial for businesses operating in the hyper-digital world we live in. While consumer demand can be managed through pricing and advertising, and ensuring a seamless supply-side with high-quality, I believe that timely delivery is often the real challenge.
I have seen that misalignment here can dent industries. Consider India, the world’s largest edible oil importer. The country saw its sunflower oil supply disrupted by the Ukraine-Russia conflict, with imports from Ukraine dropping from 36% in the November–March period of the 2023/24 marketing year to 23% in the same period of the 2024/25 marketing year. Similarly, India’s post-COVID-19 IC chips shortage saw significant production delays for auto majors Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, and Mahindra & Mahindra. Both these examples tell a story of misalignment, with the lesson to diversify supply sources.
Aligning Demand and Supply
While effective demand forecasting is the foundation of a strong supply chain, uncertainties can shorten supply timelines and limit procurement team flexibility. Regardless of the industry, a well-coordinated supply chain starts with a solid understanding of demand.
When products enter new geographies, supply chain complexities grow, bringing import tariffs, regulatory hurdles, documentation, and other requirements into the picture. For instance, steel imports to India must meet the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) regulations. Changes to import duties and regulatory standards imply delays from rigorous inspection, certification processes, and documentation requirements. Similarly, sugar exports from India face strict regulations, alongside paperwork, logistics hurdles, price volatility, and government-imposed restrictions.
This is where a platform like TASConnect, or a solution like GraviTASC comes in, providing real-time tracking of orders and shipments at every milestone. I believe that this type of transparency and visibility ensuring products reach their destination without delays or quality issues.
Strategies for Operational Excellence
- Cost-effective procurement and contingency sourcing: Securing the best price while also having backup suppliers for in the contingency that primary suppliers face disruption
- Policy-driven sourcing decisions: Factoring in ethical considerations and sourcing only from regions that align with company values
- Just-in-time inventory management: Leveraging technology to source materials in sync with real-time demand for greater inventory flexibility and demand-aligned procurement
Technology for Bridging Strategy and Execution
In our 2025 Key Trends Report, we covered that Trade Finance will go smart to build resilience and unlock growth. Such implementation at scale is only achievable through technology. Real-time data can help procurement teams bridge the gap between long-term plans and day-to-day logistics. Platforms like TASConnect integrate seamlessly with internal systems to link customer demand from CRM systems with procurement, logistics, and treasury functions. This allows each department to operate in alignment. In turn, organisations benefit from optimised workflows, increased efficiency, and minimal errors.
Technology can unite strategy with execution, helping businesses bridge borders as well as processes, meeting strategic objectives, and creating a resilient, demand-aligned supply ecosystem.
Jacob Raphael brings extensive expertise in supply chain financing solutions to his role as TASConnect’s Accountable Executive for India. He has almost three decades of experience in some of the largest multinational banks in the country.
