Operational agility isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a competitive advantage. In the building materials industry, where margins are tight and volatility is the norm, the ability to adapt quickly and effectively can mean the difference between thriving and falling behind.
But improving agility isn’t as simple as moving faster. It requires making smarter decisions about where and how to implement agility, without creating chaos, inefficiency, or loss of control.
Here’s how to make smarter, more strategic decisions about improving operational agility—so you move with purpose, not just speed.
🧭 1. Start by Defining What Agility Means for Your Business
Why it matters:
Agility will look different for a multi-location distributor than it will for a single-site yard or specialty supplier. You need to tailor your agility strategy to your size, service model, and customer expectations.
Ask:
What does faster, more flexible service look like for your customers?
Are you aiming to improve delivery responsiveness, inventory adaptability, or labor flexibility?
What operational areas are bottlenecks when demand shifts?
🎯 A clear definition of agility leads to more targeted—and cost-effective—decisions.
📊 2. Use Data to Identify the Right Leverage Points
Why it matters:
Agility is often lost in silos. Data helps you pinpoint the real sources of drag and delay.
What to Do:
Analyze order cycle time, delivery reroute time, and inventory turn rates
Compare performance across locations to spot outliers or inefficiencies
Look at customer change requests—where are you struggling to respond?
📈 Smarter decisions come from finding the friction before you start fixing.
🔄 3. Avoid Overcorrecting With Too Much Change at Once
Why it matters:
Trying to “get agile” too quickly can overwhelm teams and systems.
Smart Move:
Start with one pilot branch or process improvement initiative
Document results, challenges, and wins
Scale gradually, not universally
🧠 Controlled agility is better than reactive transformation.
🏗️ 4. Prioritize Processes That Touch the Customer First
Why it matters:
Not all operational agility delivers the same ROI. Focus where it matters most.
Where to Start:
Jobsite delivery routing and flexibility
Backorder communication and fulfillment
Custom order handling or staging
🤝 Operational agility is most valuable when it improves the customer experience.
👥 5. Involve Cross-Functional Teams Early
Why it matters:
If only one department owns the initiative, you’ll miss dependencies—and miss buy-in.
What to Do:
Build a task force with input from sales, operations, finance, and IT
Map out how agility in one area impacts another
Let frontline employees help design solutions—they know where delays happen
🔗 Smart decisions come from aligning everyone who’s part of the process.
⚙️ 6. Choose Technology That Supports Flexibility, Not Complexity
Why it matters:
The wrong tools slow you down. The right ones unlock real-time action and insight.
Look for Tools That:
Provide live inventory visibility across locations
Enable real-time route updates and delivery status
Simplify order changes, substitutions, and returns
Integrate across departments without requiring workarounds
💻 Agility depends on your tech stack—but only if it’s built for speed.
📅 7. Review, Refine, and Reassess Frequently
Why it matters:
Agility isn’t a one-time project—it’s an operating mindset.
What to Do:
Set KPIs for agility (e.g., response time to order changes, reroute time, cycle time reduction)
Hold monthly or quarterly agility reviews
Adjust tactics based on customer feedback and real-time data
🔁 Agility thrives in a culture of continuous improvement.
✅ Conclusion: Smarter Agility Starts With Strategic Clarity
Operational agility isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing the right things faster. To improve agility the smart way, you need to align people, processes, and technology around well-defined goals and data-backed decisions.
When done right, agility doesn’t just make your business more responsive—it makes it more resilient, more customer-focused, and more profitable.
