Will Supply Chain enter the Metaverse?

Have you ever heard of Metaverse? This term became known in the corporate world, especially after Meta (the company responsible for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) announced that this would be its biggest focus for the coming years.

However, it is not just the social media and communication sectors that will be impacted by this technology. Several companies, of the most varied types, are already studying how to implement it in some of their sectors and even in their business model as a whole.

In this sense, the supply chain area promises to be one of the most impacted. Therefore, if you work in this area or want to improve your business’s supply chain management , it is recommended that you find out about the Metaverse and the possible changes that are coming. Luckily, we’re here to help you with this.

After all, what is Metaverse?

The term Metaverse was coined by writer Neal Stephenson, in his book “Snow Crash” published in 1992. In the story, it was designated as a virtual world where the protagonist of the plot could assume a routine totally different from his real life.

Understanding this context helps to understand how the Metaverse is currently being proposed. Basically, it can be defined as an immersive virtual environment , built using technologies such as Virtual and Augmented Reality, holograms and simulation platforms.

Some films, such as The Matrix and Ready Player One, also help to understand the concept behind the technology . Imagine that instead of meeting with your work team in a physical room or through a video conference, you put on VR glasses and meet all the participants, or better said, their digital versions, in a simulated reality environment.

This possibility should become increasingly frequent, according to Meta. The company is not the only Big Tech betting on the Metaverse. Apple intends to launch a headset for use in these environments later this year.

The possible use cases for the Metaverse go beyond the business world. Several electronic game companies are already studying how to integrate the technology into their next games. Even the sporting world is open to the concept.

Manchester City is developing a replica of its stadium in a virtual reality environment. Have you ever imagined if in a few years you only needed to put on glasses or a device to be inside your favorite team’s stadium?

As you can see, the possibilities that the Metaverse offers for the most diverse segments are many. But how can it impact an organization’s supply chain?

Will supply chain join the metaverse?

The supply chain has improved in recent years , with several technological resources being created or adopted when managing a supply chain.

The search for greater digitalization of this medium increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, everything suggests that the metaverse can indeed be used in this sector, especially if the companies that are adopting this technology are capable of creating useful products or services for the supply chain.

Among the possible use cases, we can list the creation of virtual control towers, where companies could have a better view and monitoring of the entire logistics chain of their businesses.

Another example is EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) or Electronic Data Interchange present in basically all supply chain operations, especially in large companies. Communications from this technology could be integrated into a virtual environment, thus being able to communicate more easily with other sectors of the supply chain and the company in question.

The Metaverse could still be useful for running simulations. Have you ever imagined if, from one moment to the next, all of your company’s stock was lost due to a fire or natural disaster? In virtual reality environments, it is possible to project what the impacts would be, thus being able to put together emergency plans for various possible unforeseen events.

The possibilities are many, and the Metaverse is still taking its first steps. Everything indicates that the technology will evolve and grow more and more in adoption in the coming years.

Therefore, although it is not possible to crimp, there is a good chance that it will become routine for those who work with the supply chain in the not too distant future.