Supply Chain Management and Demand Planning: Optimising Operations Across the Supply Chain

When is it time to tweak production — upward or downward — to reflect a change in the market? The short answer to this question is: No one knows for sure. The long answer is: Everyone needs and wants to know. That’s why demand planning for the supply chain exists. Demand planning for the supply chain hasn't gotten the attention that enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) or customer relationship management (CRM) have received in recent years. But thats not to say it isn't a sore spot for many in the manufacturing and distribution communities. Manufacturers in diverse industries have dramatically improved their forecasting accuracy with demand planning software packages. Managing your supply chain with greater demand planning can allow you to: - Take advantage of new revenue opportunities. Provide a simple overview of the production process while avoiding the complexity and expense of full material requirements planning (MRP). - Know what’s in your inventory. Calculate item availability and deliver on your promises using tools that give you real-time information about what is in the warehouse. - Provide more responsive customer service. Constantly adapt your manufacturing methods and processes to reflect changing customer requirements. - Increase operational efficiency. Use multiple planning options to satisfy demand while minimizing the total cost of producing and storing the items. Quickly adapt production to meet new demand with clear, graphical display of your production schedules. - Understand materials costs throughout the production process. Make better pricing decisions with simultaneous replanning of costs, materials, and operations when changes occur on the shop floor. Read this white paper to learn how to better understand both your market and your customers.