Talking of Facebook Friends and/or who’s Sidoman? Kindly watch out this space for my next Blog post.

Name your best-friend. That’s right, I request that you say their name out loud: the trusty young lady or gent that you consider closest to you, and can count on to be there for you during anything life throws your way. Named them, yet? Good. Now what if I told you, you were wrong?

With increasing global connectivity, we find ourselves surrounded by scores of friends, allies and acquaintances, each serving their own purpose, the logistics industry remains your one truest friend by fulfilling four key functions that a good, nay, great friend should be able to accomplish.

First, the logistics industry facilitates keeping in touch with loved ones in distant areas. While some may argue that this can be accomplished via the internet and phone calls, the quality of this interaction greatly improves where an option exists to transfer gifts or urgent packages from one corner of the world or country to another.

Photo Credit: Journal Week

Sending care packages of non-perishable foodstuff, souvenirs purchased abroad or even necessities such as exam stationery or textbooks are all functions made possible by anonymous supply chain managers, providing a link to the people close to you in far off places and helping maintain those relationships.

Logistics also enable you to acquire what you want, in pursuit of happiness. Essentially, the functions of logistics give you the power to point out, say, a guitar on sale in Germany and finances allowing, have that very same guitar in your hands within a few weeks. In this way it can be said logistics, much like a faithful friend, helps you in your quest for happiness by enabling you to get what you desire. Careful planning goes into synchronizing the processes that have your goods delivered to you, one more way our industry has your back.

Supply chain management also enables you to access what you need to survive. The most pertinent example of this would be freighting of medicine from manufacturer to medical outlet, which requires meticulous planning to ensure medicines, vaccines or donor organs reach their destination in a timely fashion and in a condition that will benefit their recipients, often necessitating specialized travel conditions.

Likewise, foodstuffs purchased from retailers or urban farmer’s markets relies on logistics functions to make its way to your plate, from perishables such as milk to more resilient cargo such as dried cereals like maize. Can it thus be said the logistics industry delights in connecting you to your essential goods or services? We believe this would be fair.

Supply chain management also works to help protect your valuables and, indirectly, your own personal safety. By providing services that allow for secure transportation of valuable goods, such as money, jewelry, works of art and the like, logistics firms can guarantee the safety of your valuables, having  had years to perfect our security systems and measures.

By making sure you are not forced to carry your valuables on your person, supply chain managers are reducing the risk that you would be attacked or injured in the process of being relieved of your belongings by sketchy characters. As anyone who has ever been outnumbered in a fight knows that sometimes having a friend in the trenches next to you, offering to keep you out of harm’s way, is a rare occurrence and a true display of loyalty.

With the unseen logistics industry working to ensure you have a better quality of life, we would argue that we have proved ourselves as the truest of friends. Having pointed out these useful functions, we will continue to support you as only the most dedicated friends would, while we await your Facebook announcement that we are officially best friends. Here’s hoping you reach out to an old friend this week, and keep your eyes open for more ways in which supply chain management affects your relationships.