The global supply chain is the intricate circulatory system of modern commerce, yet for many businesses, it’s a source of constant anxiety. Recent research from Sage, paints a stark picture: only 21% of brands feel extremely confident in their ability to weather supply chain disruptions. “Roughly 80% have no confidence at all in the world of supply chain, which you know, is an extreme shift year over year,” stated Rodney Manzo, Senior Director of Global Operations at Sage during an interview with ERP Today at the Sage Future conference in Atlanta.
So, what’s stirring this widespread unease? Manzo pointed to a perfect storm of factors. “There’s disruptions throughout the supply chain, whether [it’s] the Panama Canal’s low water levels or weather issues, supply issues in supplier locations that are in geographically sensitive areas,” Manzo explained. He also highlights the tariff impacts as a major issue causing turbulence in the supply chain system globally.
In this environment, how can businesses, particularly small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), find their footing? For Manzo, who spent two decades making physical products come to life before his current role at Sage (following the acquisition of Anvyl), the answer lies in visibility, connection, and intelligence, especially in what he calls the “first mile” – that critical, often chaotic, journey from purchase order to warehouse delivery.
The Bermuda Triangle of the First Mile
Many SMBs operate in what can best be described as a Bermuda Triangle when it comes to that first mile. “I spent 20 years in supply chain and operations and what I saw is this,” Manzo said, metaphorically holding up a notebook and pen during our chat. “That’s how supply chain ran. That’s the Bermuda Triangle, and it’s a people problem as people control supply chains.”
He recounted his experiences, even at corporate giants that use pen and paper and excel for all their inputs, outputs and yields. “This manual approach leads to lost continuity, information silos, and an inability to react swiftly to inevitable disruptions,” Manzo observed.
Historically, sophisticated solutions to tame this chaos were out of reach for smaller players. “Tech is extremely expensive to build,” Manzo explained. “So if you’re going to build that technology, do you focus on SMBs, or do you focus on enterprise solutions with six-figure contracts?”
He added, “You can’t just be [a] niche solution. Being an inch wide, mile deep in supply chain just doesn’t solve the issues, so you have to go broad.”
Lighting Up the Dark Spots
This is where Sage Supply Chain Intelligence (SSCI), born from Anvyl’s DNA, steps in. The goal? To “deliver amazing product to the SMEs,” according to Manzo.
So, how does it actively empower an SMB to protect its precious margins? Manzo emphasized real-time visibility. “We’re agnostic of global carriers for ocean or air, you can see your goods in real time, port to port, just like if you ordered something [on] Amazon. We do that at the global level,” he noted.
He offered a practical example: “Let’s say you’re shipping a good that has to get to, say, Walmart. And if you don’t get into Walmart, you’re going to be penalized. We’re showing you exactly where the product is so you can get ahead of it, can preempt being short with Walmart by redistributing goods from one store to another.” This is a far cry from the old days of anxiously calling freight forwarders who themselves rely on potentially outdated spreadsheets.
The evolution from Anvyl, initially a marketplace connecting brands with suppliers, to a B2B SaaS product, and now to SSCI, was driven by customer demand. Clients wanted to bring all their suppliers into Anvyl’s tool to escape the “pen and paper, manual steps,” as Manzo described them.
The conversation with Sage began as a partnership to extend ERP capabilities. “And then one year ago, it got serious where we felt, our tool could really come together and do something very new to the world of SMBs with Sage, not only in the world of supply chain, but also ERP,” Manzo said, giving a brief history of how Anvyl’s DNA still remains a critical part of SSCI.
Integration and the Future
A common headache for SMBs is the patchwork of existing tools. SSCI is designed with this reality in mind. “When we built the solution, we had that exact same thinking,” says Manzo, describing the typical IT landscape as a spiderweb or a spaghetti bowl. The solution? “We went cloud native API first, and were connecting into the ecosystem. And we are very neutral to technology. We want to ingest accurate data and put that back out to these systems,” Manzo said. This means SSCI can play nice with existing inventory systems or accounting software, avoiding a costly rip and replace approach.
Looking ahead, Manzo’s vision for the solution is ambitious. “Our North Star is to create a procure to pay platform where we go deep with RFQs, order management, inbound logistics and the payment piece,” he elaborated. “Across that procure to pay, we want to put a layer of AI. This could range from AI agents saying, ‘Hey, these are my top five suppliers. These are five other suppliers that could be beneficial to you,’ to a system that can cut the purchase order for you that’s optimal in cost, optimal in time, and optimal into meeting your demand.”
What This Means for ERP Insiders
Embrace ecosystem connectivity. The days of siloed ERPs are numbered. As Manzo highlighted, modern supply chain solutions are cloud native API-first and agnostic to other technologies. ERP professionals should prioritize solutions that can seamlessly integrate with a wider ecosystem of tools like freight, inventory, and supplier portals, allowing for a true, interconnected flow of data rather than forcing a complete overhaul of existing, functional systems.
Focus on first mile visibility and actionability in your supply chain. The gap between PO issuance and goods receipt is a major pain point, often managed by spreadsheets and manual processes. ERP systems need to extend their reach or integrate with tools that provide granular, real-time visibility into this critical phase. This is about enabling proactive decisions to mitigate disruptions and protect margins.
Prepare for AI-driven procurement and operations. The future of supply chain management, as envisioned by leaders like Manzo, involves a significant AI layer across the entire procure-to-pay lifecycle. ERP professionals should start exploring and understanding how AI can move beyond simple analytics to provide predictive insights, automate complex decision-making, and offer intelligent recommendations for supplier management and risk mitigation.
