At Specright, our goal is to provide our customers and prospects with relevant, interesting, and informative content. We take being up to date on industry trends very seriously, as we can’t help our customers if we don’t understand their challenges. 

Whether 2023 flew by for you, or January 1st seemed like a lifetime ago, it’s important to look back at where we started the year, where we’re at now, and where we’re going in the future. From analyzing our top performing content pieces of 2023, three main topics stood out to Specright customers and prospects.

1. Why Do We Need Specification Management?

What is Specification Management, and why would I need it? This question is one we tackle daily at Specright. While the concept of a spec-first approach has been rapidly adopted, professionals from many industries are still facing the same issues that a spec-first approach can free them from. 

Starting in 2021, we launched the first State of Specification Management survey to better understand the needs and challenges facing those within the packaging and supply chain industries.

In 2023, we decided it was time to run a second State of Specification Management survey – this time targeting more experts from all industries and a broader spectrum of functions beyond packaging, to also include quality, procurement, and sustainability.

We were able to compile our findings into the comprehensive State of Specification Management Report, as well as host a panel-discussion webinar on the topic to illustrate how starting with a strong data foundation to manage your products and packaging data can improve overall business goals – and bottom line growth. 

2. What Does the Future of Industry Look Like?

As Specright Founder and CEO Matthew Wright mentions in his book, The Evolution of Products and Packaging, there are many outdated systems in place that are hindering companies from operating at their full potential.

Keeping up with the complexity of booming SKUs, ever changing reporting guidelines, and sustainability measures are becoming more and more difficult to scale. In the 2022 Gartner Market Guide for Packaging and Product Specification Management, where Specright is named a Representative Vendor, Gartner outlines how companies should be thinking about effectively gathering, maintaining, and utilizing packaging specification data to meet these ever growing needs.

By implementing a Specification Data Management (SDM) platform like Specright, businesses set themselves up for success in the future. Unlike outdated or non-purpose built legacy systems, Specright is able to digitize and connect specifications together, as explained in our top performing Specification Data Management ebook. 

One especially valued feature of Specright is the Packaging Data Management module, allowing packaging professionals of any industry to manage packaging changes, workflows, and approvals, mitigate risk with full transparency and visibility, rationalize SKUs, and more.

While we can go on and on about how a spec-first approach is the future of supply chain management, take it from our client’s perspective. This year, Jeff Chen from Jack in the Box shared with us in a webinar how they use Specright’s dashboards and modules to help them maintain transparency within their supply chain. This allows them to keep their 2,200+ restaurants located in 21 states running smoothly and meeting customer demand.

3. How Do We Move Sustainability Initiatives Forward? 

Lastly, the topic that has been on the forefront of many businesses minds is sustainability. In a 2022 survey conducted for the State of Sustainability Report, 88% of respondents said it’s ‘challenging’ or ‘extremely challenging’ to report on sustainability. Though around 80% of companies have a budget for sustainability, it is nearly impossible to report on it without all their data aggregated into a single source.

It is crucial for businesses to understand their environmental impact, and the SDM for sustainability module can provide visibility to this. One of our top performing pieces of content this year, the SDM for Sustainability Datasheet, outlines how a SDM platform can give you all the capabilities needed to track and manage your packaging compliance and environmental impact.

Conclusion

It is clear as we reflect on 2023, businesses are eager to keep expanding their capabilities to meet consumer demands, but they are also curious about how they can operate better and more sustainably. The desire is there and the right questions are being asked. Now, the time is to act.

If any of these topics resonated with you, reach out to our team to learn how you can utilize a spec-first approach moving into the 2024 year.