The phrase “tip of the iceberg” seems to be the most fitting way to describe the last 18 months and impact it’s had on the global supply chain. We’ve seen the effect of COVID-19 on worldwide supplies of everything from toilet paper to coffee. We’ve experienced the residual aftermath on the broadband industry from weather-related storms in the Southwest impacting the resin and plastics industry. We’ve read the headlines of clogged shipping lanes halting billions of dollars of goods. And now we’re in the midst of a shipping container shortage that may have a trickle-down effect on business for the next 12-18 months.

In the wake of these disturbances to the supply chain and manufacturing industry, the role of distribution is more important to the broadband industry than ever before. Today, service providers and network contractors alike are becoming more sophisticated in seeing the value of buying more from fewer suppliers. Aggregating their spend and managing fewer relationships is beginning to outweigh any cost benefits associated with buying direct.

At Comstar Supply, we don’t believe our customers should have to adapt their operations to the disruption and evolution of the supply chain. It’s the job of a distributor to manage stock, coordinate logistics, and ensure product availability, providing a turn-key, all-in-one solution that takes the guesswork out of the hands of multiple vendors.

Take a step back and imagine the list of material required to construct and deliver a fiber-optic network. Now imagine the number of manufacturers needed to fulfill that list. If our customers had to directly manage and coordinate with each of these manufacturers, the end result would be customers would have to invest in internal resources that are not mission-critical to their overall business goals.

That’s where Comstar Supply comes in. We have nearly 30 years of experience deciphering and managing through disruption of the supply chain. We manage hundreds of relationships with to ensure the required OSP materials is delivered where and when it’s needed for our customers.

Of course, with every partnership the most critical aspect of the relationship is communication. A distributor should be sharing news on any impacts on product due to supply chain issues, while end users should be sharing construction plans for the next 6-18 months. This will not only allow both the customer and distributor to ensure complete ownership over the bill of material, but it also allows for time to build a “Plan B” – meaning an approved, alternate plan that allows for the greatest amount of flexibility in case of emergency. As the supply chain moves past the tip of the iceberg, it’s important for customer to have a pre-approved Plan B in place that can be initiated at a moment’s notice to help keep plans continually moving forward.

Although the last 18 months have proven difficult, the next 18 months may prove to be even more so as we continue to experience residual fallout from COVID. Building a true distributor partnership will become mission critical for the broadband industry as it continues to ride the wave of investment and construction of fiber networks during this turbulent time.