As businesses around the world make the adjustment to the reality of hybrid work, they’ve understandably had a strong focus on workplace modernization. The logic is clear – when you give people the best possible devices, they’re able to maximize their flexibility in distributed locations, helping them get work done day in and day out.
But lately, there’s one major challenge that’s made deploying new workplace technology far more difficult, and that’s interruption to the supply chain. A quick scan of the latest news headlines reveals not only that this problem is significant, but that it’s not expected to go away quickly in 2022.
According to TechRepublic, the technology sector is one that’s been hit especially hard by supply chain disruptions. Paul Silverglate, U.S. technology sector leader at Deloitte, pointed out that a shortage of computer chips has made it difficult for people to get their hands on PCs, laptops, gaming systems, smartphones, and data center infrastructure. It’s not uncommon to see lead times as long as 20 weeks for shipping such products; people used to expect something closer to 2-3.
“The manufacturing of semiconductors happens all over the world in different places with geopolitical things going on,” Silverglate said. “It’s really complex to understand where those elements are. Then you throw in COVID, disrupting different work environments, and it creates really significant challenges with the supply chain.”
Silverglate noted that Deloitte research does show a bit of relief in the supply chain to be expected later in 2022, but longer lead times are still going to be a problem for the long haul. This means that tech companies – or, really, any companies that rely on technology – will need to start developing contingency plans so they’re prepared for the next disruption. If there’s another COVID-19 variant, or another economic downturn, being prepared will be crucial.
At Zones, we can help you prepare your supply chain technology for any eventuality, and here’s how: We have a Global Supply Chain as a Service offering that’s designed to ship any IT asset you need, anywhere you need it. With our GSCaaS solution, you can outsource your supply chain to use, enabling you to reduce costs and free up capital. We’ll take care of you from end to end, providing everything from Pre- and Post-Sales Support to Project Management to Import & Export Management. We’ll make sure all your bases are covered.
This is an important part of what we do at Zones. We’ve always believed that Workplace Modernization is an essential component of a thriving business, and we understand all the inherent challenges that today’s organizations are up against in that regard. That’s why we offer a full suite of solutions designed to help. We want to give you all the technology you need to drive digital transformation – and we’ll make sure it arrives on time, too. To dig a little deeper, connect with us today. We would love to hear from you.