I was interested to learn that fewer than 10 percent of UK companies have seen any appreciable benefit from their supply chain management systems (Data must be handled with care, 5 July).

Like Mark Street says, the problem is in the data - and probably not the IT.  There is little point in knowing that a case of goods with a particular electronic product code is speeding its way through the system if you think it is cornflakes when it is actually soap.  Giving each item any code is a waste of time if suppliers cannot relate that code to data in their internal systems.

For example, bad data might derail the use of RFID tags in the supply chain - not because the technology does not work but because integrating data from tagged goods to internal company data generates too many errors.

A key part of the introduction of supply chain management systems must focus on measuring data quality and determining the gap between a trader's current data accuracy and 100 percent accuracy.  Only then can you calculate how this translates to gaps in supply chain provision, which lead to increased inventory and storage costs, longer times to market and customer dissatisfaction.

Adrian McKeon, Infoshare