ZTE USA can help , eventually suppliers will figure out that you ’ re the company that they can rely on when they need help ,” Finerty notes .
“ We are currently the fourth largest original equipment manufacturer ( OEM ) in the market and we ’ re aiming to become the third largest ”
– Kevin Finerty , SVP of Supply Chain and Quality at ZTE USA
Upcoming challenges ZTE USA has seen record successes , but Finerty doesn ’ t underestimate the challenges that lie ahead . His team is exploring how the company can retain consumers and get them to stick with the ZTE brand , and how they can harness the potential of the Internet of Things ( IoT ). From a supply chain perspective however , perhaps one of the company ’ s biggest hurdles is keeping up with material supply . When there ’ s a shortage of a particular chip or LCD component , it can disrupt the supply chain . As a result , Finerty and his team work closely with procurement to keep ahead of any issues and prepare for them .
The other biggest challenge facing ZTE USA ? Finerty believes it is SKU proliferation . Catering to both major and small mobile carriers in the US , ZTE ’ s customers often request a unique product . This may seem like an innocuous challenge but it has
150 February 2018