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How To Optimize Your S&OP Processes For Greater Profitability

Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) can be a very effective process for achieving the profitability of just about any type of business.  We’d like to summarize some of the major components that go into an effective S&OP strategy.  But first, let’s give a clear picture of what S&OP actually is.

What is S&OP – Definition

Sales & Operations Planning is a company-wide process, uniting all departments, and even divisions, to achieve effective decision making and planning.  The key to successful S&OP is integration – all stakeholders should be involved – tied in and reading out of the same playbook.  The goal should be to connect a company’s overall strategy with its actual operations, so that key decisions result in timely, positive results that reflect what’s laid out in budgets.

Benefits of Adopting an S&OP Strategy

There are many benefits to taking this type of integrated approach to planning; they include:

  • Improved profitability, mainly through reduced costs
  • Timely decisions as a result of accurate information sharing
  • Increased transparency and alignment among various departments
  • Optimization of production processes and capacities
  • Better inventory management and forecasting
  • Better accuracy of sales projections and budgets
  • Supply chain improvements

There is typically a lot of room for improvement in all these areas before an effective S&OP strategy is implemented.  Let’s look at the four steps that will optimize S&OP within just about any organization.

The Critical Components of an S&OP Process

These four components should be part of a monthly cycle of an S&OP process:

Demand Planning

Demand planning is the creation of forecasts and projections for production and inventory/stock level requirements.  Prior to initiating this cross-functional step, however, an analysis of historical sales data should be done, along with inclusion of data and information such as competitor analysis, client input as to demand, marketing budgets, and any new product initiatives.  Once all this information is gathered and analyzed, the demand planning step can be completed with accuracy.

Supply Planning

This step pertains mainly to evaluation of capacity.  Input from operations, supply chain, and your own finance department will determine whether any roadblocks or constraints exist with respect to such areas as staffing, equipment requirements for production, and supplier limitations or issues.  The end result is a plan that takes into account any potential constraints on capacity.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work sessions are held where all stakeholders meet to collaborate on the common goals set by the organization.  Forecasts are evaluated to ensure that there are not any anomalies or miscommunications between departments.  Potential financial impacts can be identified in advance, and action plans for mitigation of risk can be developed ahead of time as well.

Executive Meeting – S&OP

For every monthly cycle’s completion, executives from the various departments should meet to make decisions and adjustments.  Forecast anomalies and supply chain issues can be addressed and rectified; final approval to the S&OP can be given from the executive, ensuring that all departments’ input has been evaluated and the entire plan is on course.

Properly organized and executed, with input from all departments and stakeholders, and active involvement from executives – these are all important factors that will result in an effective S&OP approach which results in greater profitability.  It’s definitely a group effort.

We hope you’ve found this summary useful. We’d be happy to hear your comments and questions.  Contact us.

 

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