Project: Establishment of cross-functional Operations Planning process
Background:
The client had a competent supply planning function supported by the required skills and information systems. Finished goods were imported from plants in South America and Asia with correspondingly long lead times. Sales were heavily driven by customer-specific promotions, and there was little accountability for delivery of the sales plan or forecast accuracy. The company had wide fluctuations in service levels and chronic write-offs of obsolete inventories.
Key Considerations:
- Implementing a cross-functional Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) work process to drive the necessary accountability and alignment on operating results
- Development of a comprehensive scorecard to measure reliability of supply, forecast accuracy and resulting customer service and inventory turnover levels
- Organizing the data from 2 separate systems into a common shared format
- Training of supply analysts and demand planners to function as a single cross-functional team
- Coaching and mentoring the Company’s senior team on the use of a monthly S&OP process
Results Achieved:
Over a period of 6 months, the company’s operating data (supply, demand, inventory, and customer service) was organized into an effective cross-functional S&OP process. Senior management developed the ability to identify cause and effect relationships and adjust inbound supply plans and Customer promotional plans accordingly.