​Supply Chain, Lead Time, and Availability issues.

It has been two years since the Covid pandemic started and the world was turned upside down with uncertainty. We take a moment to reflect on the state of products moving through the supply chain and remember the empty shelves of toilet paper, hand sanitizer and other household staples shortages.

Over the past two years the global supply chain has been through its fair share of disruptions. In the business world, technology supply issues followed suit. Manufactures are struggling with keeping up with demand as the supply challenges continue to be an issue. Manufacturers are producing products at the same levels as pre-covid, however, chip shortages continue to weigh heavily on all manufacturers and are preventing the output of finished products. Then we add the increased costs of shipping, increased lead times of shipping, and overall logistics challenges of getting these products and components delivered. So where does this leave us today?

The global supply chain is still well behind compared to the pre-pandemic days coupled with the increase in demand. Manufactures are challenged with component shortages, labor shortages and logistic delays which is slowing down the entire supply chain. Specifically, within our industry at Videoconferencegear.com the challenges are exasperated. The pandemic shifted the way of communication to video in ways never seen before. 

The familiarity with Zoom and MS Teams has become such an integral part of our lives, not having that communication structure seems like a step back into the cave man days. IT departments are understanding that need and struggling to catch up. This need for video driven communications, coupled with organizations trying to “return to work/school” while still maintaining the flexibility “Work from home” has double downed on the need to boost video communications globally. The stranglehold this is creating on the video conferencing industry can be felt in two ways. Price and availability. The need for equipment has far surpassed the supply. 

There is not a day that goes by where I am telling a customer of ours, the lead time is pushing another 4-8 weeks, or the price has gone up 10-30% from last time you ordered the same item. This puts IT departments in a tailspin trying to get offices ready for the employees coming back to the office and meeting the already approved budgets.

I would love to say this is going to get better, and things will stabilize soon but the reality is we are far from the point of stabilization and normal lead times. My advice to those customers tasked with bringing video to their organizations. Try and anticipate the future of your organization not on a 1–3-month trajectory plan as we once did, but rather an 18–24-month trajectory. Don’t wait until everyone is back in the office to try and see if products will be there to outfit your spaces for video. Purchase sooner rather than later. Communicate your goals to your video partners so they can help design by availability to meet your goals and objectives.

Unfortunately, the supply chain is going to be like this for months and years to come. This has become the new reality. Plan now for your organizational needs into the future. 

As always, VideoConferenceGear.com is here to help in any way possible.  We want you, your projects and your company to be successful, be it finding alternative products, providing support (onsite or remote) or just navigating the current supply chain issues.  We are just an email, chat or phone call away.