Meet Pascal Egberts: Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s 2021 Pro to Know Award Winner
At the turn of the 21st century, Pascal began his career in the AutoID industry. Today, he has over 20 years of experience implementing and consulting on wireless and mobile computing solutions for the supply chain. He’s worked for hardware vendors, solution partners and software suppliers. In May 2013, he joined Ivanti Wavelink, the supply chain business unit of Ivanti.
He currently serves as senior sales engineer for EMEA, successfully supporting Ivanti Wavelink partners all over Europe by selling and implementing their added value through Ivanti Wavelink products. He is passionate about providing insightful solutions and helping organizations drive productivity in the warehouse and across the supply chain.
We’re extremely proud to celebrate his recognition as a winner of Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s 2021 Pros to Know award. This award recognizes those who have helped supply chain clients and the supply chain community at large prepare to meet many of today’s – and tomorrow’s – challenges. Read on and you’ll quickly see why he was named an award winner.
What are some things you have done in the last year that has shaped the global supply chain?
“2020 has been a very interesting year in the supply chain. Due to the global health crisis, end user demand has shifted, and areas that have experienced growth in the past, such as automotive, have seen declines, whereas online shopping for groceries and consumer goods has increased. During this time, I have been assisting Ivanti Wavelink partners and customers in optimizing their supply chains to meet evolving end user demand. One of my most interesting projects has been taking the legacy solutions used by supply chain and warehousing organizations and helping businesses modernize through the Ivanti Wavelink portfolio of mobile device management and productivity solutions. I advise the partners and customers I work with that there are new ways to think about solving old problems around productivity and efficiency and it is possible to drive change in the warehouse, leveraging Ivanti Wavelink solutions, without significant investments and re-tooling.”
What is your favorite part of the job?
“I love evangelizing the Ivanti Wavelink solution, and I am committed to educating partners and customers on what is possible through webinars and online meetings (now more prevalent given the global health crisis), as well as face-to-face and in-person meetings, when possible. I also enjoy the fact that, despite all the innovation, the older technologies are still relevant and can be modernized leveraging Ivanti Wavelink mobile device management solutions and software.”
What are you doing to provide problem-solving solutions to the supply chain industry?
“In the EMEA region, Ivanti Wavelink primarily teams with its VAR and reseller partners to deliver products to supply chain customers. I am focused on educating these partners on the products they can sell; the key features they should be pointing out to their customers and how this feature set provides them with a competitive advantage. Currently, I am involved in hosting webinars for partners so that they are fully trained and armed with the tools and information they need to win business with larger customers. Recently, I met with Summa College in the Netherlands, a school that offers educational programs that train students for careers in logistics and the supply chain. The school was amazed to find out how, by adding voice to an existing warehouse management solution, productivity and efficiency could be easily improved, without having to purchase a whole new solution. These are the types of conversations that I have with partners and customers on a regular basis.”
What industry organizations/philanthropic efforts do you participate in? What are your achievements?
“I am involved in industry associations in the EMEA region related to my work with Ivanti Wavelink, and I participate in regional company-led philanthropic efforts.”
What do you think of education becoming a major part of the supply chain?
“l believe that education is a very important part of the supply chain. Partners and customers must be aware of the software solutions that are now available to help modernize existing warehouse hardware. Workers coming into the industry today are much more tech-savvy than previous generations and expect more from the devices they are using. With Ivanti Wavelink, the possibilities for supply chain and warehousing organizations open up tremendously in terms of modernization that drives productivity and efficiency and keeps the newer generation of workers engaged and accountable.”
What has changed in the supply chain since you first started in the industry?
“Since I began my career in the supply chain nearly two decades ago, much has changed in terms of the volume of goods being delivered through the supply chain and the methods for delivery. The online purchase of consumer goods has grown exponentially, and today’s consumers have an expectation that goods will be delivered faster than ever before, driving retailers to find new and more efficient ways to deliver their goods. For example, when I started in the industry, deliveries were shipped in big truck loads from a central warehouse. Today, to drive greater productivity and efficiency, goods are now going through multiple cross-dock steps, resulting in more (de-centralized) warehouses and more (smaller) vehicles on the road.”
Are there any challenges that you have faced in the supply chain industry? How did you overcome them?
“The biggest challenge for me has been demonstrating what is possible. Being able to drive change in the supply chain through modernization is a tremendous advantage. However, not everyone can see the possibilities, so educating partners and customers on the software and systems that are now available to improve workflows is a significant part of the job, and one that I have learned to excel at by becoming an educator and evangelist for the solution.”