Logistics Viewpoints

JUNE 3, 2025

These steps include sourcing and receiving inventory, storing inventory, order processing, picking and packing an order, shipping the order, and returns management. Factors like planning tools, inventory management, demand patterns, and innovations in technology contribute to the success or failure of fulfillment optimization.

Optimal Sourcing 227

Optimal Sourcing Optimization Software Price Mitigation Strategies Sourcing Strategies 227

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 14, 2025

Neil’s post in response to my post of Driving Value From Outside-in Planning : In her post, ‘Driving Value from Supply Chain Planning’, Lora Cecere provides great supply chain analysis and benchmarking for her supply chains to admire. I have lived through four hype cycles of outside-in processes.

Modeling 320

Modeling Material Savings Vendor Strategies Supply and Demand 320

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 4, 2025

Despite the evolution of technology, none of the 28 industry segments I follow can drive improvement at the intersection of operating margin and inventory turns. Functional Metrics and the Lack of Alignment to Strategy. Change is Hard. Unlearning is Tougher. The industry is full of experts. Guess what? Clarity on Value. Guess what?

Supply Chain Design Software 221

Supply Chain Design Software Price Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies Supply Chain Planning Software 221

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 24, 2025

The research methodology for the Supply Chains to Admire compares the performance of a company against its industry peer group for the metrics of Year-over-Year Revenue Growth, Inventory Turns, Operating Margin, and Return on Capital Employed (ROCE). Today, companies measure too many metrics without a clear definition of value.

Gartner 195

Gartner Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning 195

ToolsGroup

MARCH 25, 2025

Even more impressive, lost sales due to stockouts can decrease by up to 65%, while inventory reductions of 20% to 50% are possible. Enhanced Promotions and Events Analysis Promotions, advertising campaigns, and trade events are vital components of marketing strategy, but accurately measuring their impact on demand remains challenging.

Supply and Demand 156

Supply and Demand Forecasting Forecasting Software Modeling 156

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 27, 2022

At each company, there is a relationship between the metrics of growth, margin, inventory, customer service, and asset strategy. For the purpose of this article, I will use Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) as the proxy metric to discuss asset utilization.) The analysis was too short-term. A Case Study. My answer is no.

Procurement Analytics 369

Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 369

ToolsGroup

MARCH 11, 2025

For demand forecasting, this means looking beyond mere accuracy to focus on: Strategic decision-making improvements Cost reduction strategies Inventory optimization Customer service enhancement 2.Understand Define Clear Business Outcomes The most successful technology investments start with a clear understanding of desired business outcomes.

Forecasting 156

Forecasting Inventory Reduction Forecasting Software Cost Reduction Strategies 156

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 27, 2025

A disruption at any point in the global logistics network including the average of 12 touch points from shipment packaging to final delivery can prove disastrous for profits, service levels, customer loyalty, and other key metrics. With the global e-commerce market predicted to reach $8.1

Supply Chain Planning Software 330

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Network Software Logistics Network Optimization Software Predictive Analytics Software 330

RFgen

NOVEMBER 13, 2024

Picture this: You’re a warehouse manager, and with a few taps on your smartphone, you instantly know the exact location and quantity of every item in your inventory. That’s not science fiction—it’s the power of mobile inventory management. Ready to turn your inventory from a headache into a strategic asset?

Inventory Management Software 96

Inventory Management Software Real-time Visibility Inventory Reduction Inventory Management 96

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 16, 2023

A shift from functional metrics to a balanced scorecard. I like the use of growth, margin, inventory turns, Return on Invested Capital, customer service and ESG metrics. The focus on functional metrics sub-optimizes balance sheet results. Instead, focus on Forecast Value Added analysis. Funny, isn’t it?

S&OP 390

S&OP Supply and Demand Forecasting Supply Chain Design Software 390

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 3, 2018

Over the last six years, we studied the connection between business results (growth, operating margin, inventory turns and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)) and the link to company characteristics. Reward teams for cross-functional metrics. Focus functional metrics to improving reliability. Cost-to-Serve Analysis.

Supply Chain Planning Software 377

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Software 377

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 2, 2025

For my long-time readers, you know that fewer than 3% of companies outperform their peer group in our Supply Chains to Admire analysis , and that the Gartner Top 25 is essentially a beauty contest for underperformers. The third step is to do a data inventory. But, as the dust settles, is there value? And what is value?

Optimal Sourcing 195

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Supply Chain Design Software 195

GlobalTranz

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

This creates a major problem for managing e-commerce fulfillment when orders spike and shippers need to understand how data analysis may help. Data Analysis Enhances E-Commerce Forecasts and More Take a moment to consider what goes into managing e-commerce fulfillment. How Surface Mode Shippers Can Compete in E-Commerce Logistics.

Analysis 189

Analysis Data Forecasting Software Forecasting 189

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 28, 2020

My goal is to convince you to ground supply chain processes and technology implementations in data analysis while tying the results to the improvement in corporate performance. Only four percent of companies compared to their peer groups improved balance sheet performance of growth, operating margin, and inventory turns. The So What?

Supply Chain Planning Software 418

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Forecasting Software Modeling 418

RFgen

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

Supply chain optimization software tracks items as they move through your supply chain and generate alerts at important points to improves decision-making and enhance visibility across the supply chain by integrating various capabilities like procurement, inventory, and customer relationship management.

Optimal Sourcing 98

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Optimization Modeling Inventory Reduction 98

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 9, 2024

For a more detailed analysis, check out the Power point summary.) I find in the orbit chart analysis that 45% of companies in the report are unconsciously incompetent. An average margin of 21% with inventory turns of 1.58 The group’s response is, “Are these supply chain metrics?”

Supply Chain Planning Software 386

Supply Chain Planning Software Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Planning Gartner 386

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 6, 2020

Tom, the colorful warehouse manager, constantly heckled Frank for the increasing inventory levels while Ed, the quiet material/logistics manager, constantly questioned if there was a better way. He felt that inventory was no problem, he would just cut it at the end of each quarter to make the balance sheet goals.

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 362

Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Strategy 362

Silvon Software

APRIL 16, 2025

Inventory is the lifeblood of any manufacturing business. By leveraging analytics and key performance indicators (KPIs), manufacturers can optimize inventory, reduce waste, and boost profitability. Tracking inventory flow and performance across your supply chain is a must. Thats where data-driven decision-making comes in!

Optimal Sourcing 65

Optimal Sourcing Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Optimization Price Mitigation Strategies 65

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 24, 2022

The future inventory fire sale. For the past eight years, each spring, I have spent six weeks deep in the analysis of spreadsheets evaluating the corporate performance of supply chains by sector. In the analysis, we use this balanced scorecard to evaluate ten years of performance. Toilet Paper. Commodity scarcity. The reason?

Supply Chain Planning Software 397

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Software 397

RFgen

DECEMBER 4, 2024

In the automotive sector, manufacturers are simultaneously reducing inventory costs and delivery times. We’ll examine the key components of efficient supply chains, explore essential performance metrics, and uncover the fundamental drivers that influence efficiency.

Sourcing Strategies 96

Sourcing Strategies Inventory Reduction Waste Reduction Expense Reduction 96

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 2, 2024

We talk about the move from functional metrics to a balanced scorecard, but we don’t use a balanced scorecard as an objective function. Orbit charts of four companies for the period of 2013-2022 at the intersection of operating margin and inventory turns. We talk about complexity, but do not measure the impact on forecastability.

Gartner 368

Gartner Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Case Study 368

Logistics Bureau

JANUARY 21, 2025

An efficient supply chain strategy is one that takes every aspect of your supply chain into account, from inventory management and warehouse design to freight tendering and transport optimisation. Inventory Management The key starting point is implementing proper ABC analysis, and you need to look at it from multiple angles.

Supply Chain Design Software 98

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Supply Chain Design 98

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 25, 2024

Pattern recognition is the ability to discern patterns in data and use the insights for further analysis. The use of orbit charts allowed me to see the patterns of performance at the intersection of metrics over time. The second part of the story is that inventory turns for Lenovo are 10.8, but declining.

Eliminating Excel in Purchasing 384

Eliminating Excel in Purchasing Gartner Supply Chain Design Supply Chain Strategy 384

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 29, 2021

Using balance sheet data from 2011 to 2019, we chart companies’ progress by peer group on rate of improvement and performance in the metrics of growth, operating margin, inventory turns, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC). A focus on functional metrics throws the supply chain out of balance.)

Supply Chain Planning Software 370

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Design 370

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

We know that this is not perfect; but it is the best that we could do, and we think that it is a fairer comparison than putting all companies in a spreadsheet and shaking them up without any consideration for peer group analysis. What did you learn in the analysis? There are a lot of misconceptions about inventory.

Pharmaceutical 307

Pharmaceutical Gartner Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Design 307

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 19, 2018

It is now our fifth year of analyzing balance sheets to understand which companies are outperforming their peer groups on the metrics of growth, operating margin, inventory turns and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) while driving improvement. It takes us three months and two full-time research assistants to finish the analysis.

Gartner 277

Gartner Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Design Supply Chain Strategy 277

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 21, 2023

The analysis, based on network optimization assumed average loading, and did not account for the swings. In the early 1980s, As a result, we did not have a perpetual inventory signal. Without a perpetual inventory signal, we were never synchronized on where to place customer orders. The metrics were not aligned.

Supply Chain Planning Software 406

Supply Chain Planning Software Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Design Software Cost Reduction Strategies 406

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 22, 2019

Over the last month, I have been working on the 2019 Supply Chains to Admire analysis. The source data for the analysis comes from Ycharts.). It is not as simple as trading-off inventory, cost, and customer service. We selected these metrics based on correlation work with Arizona State University in 2012. Target Setting.

Supply Chain Design Software 304

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Gartner Supply Chain Software 304

Logistics Viewpoints

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

And the impact doesn’t stop there, since trade-off decisions will be required to answer questions like which customer is most important to satisfy with the limited bolts in inventory and if production capacity should be reallocated. Scenario analysis allows you to weigh alternatives by calculating the effects of possible changes.

Supply Chain Visibility 329

Supply Chain Visibility Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Planning Software Scenario Planning 329

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 26, 2024

Based on the work with Georgia Tech, we are getting clear on which metrics matter by industry. As companies adopt a balanced scorecard, the functional metrics shift to a focus on reliability. The implementation of NoSQL for inventory management gives them an inventory signal with little to no process latency.

Modeling 273

Modeling Supply and Demand Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Planning Software 273

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 19, 2014

Instead, what I observed when I looked at the data, was that most companies that I had worked with (in my role as an industry analyst, I had worked with over 300) were going backwards on margin and inventory turns. Resiliency is the pattern at the intersection of operating margin and inventory turns. “Ugh,” I said.

Gartner 382

Gartner Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Strategy Supply Chain Software 382

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 5, 2018

The award, based on beating the industry peer group on rate of improvement on the key metrics of growth, operating margin, inventory turns, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) while outperforming their peer group, is tough to achieve. We complete the analysis each year. In this analysis, patterns matter.

Case Study 329

Case Study Study Inventory Reduction Agile and Lean Supply Chain 329

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

While the performance rankings were based on comparisons of inventory turns, operating margin and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) for the periods of 2006-2013 and 2009-2013, the concept is that to be a supply chain leader you must outperform and drive improvement. Aligned Metrics. Supply Chain Design. Strong Planning Capabilities.

Optimal Sourcing 365

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Manufacturing Procurement 365

Supply Chain Shaman

AUGUST 7, 2019

Lab work testing follows vital sign analysis. When I asked for an analysis of the customer service data with a root cause analysis, it was not available. Six months later based on the work of four hard-working employees, we were able to get the analysis to start to roll-up our sleeves. inventory turns.

Supply Chain Design Software 271

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Supply Chain Design 271

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 29, 2020

Inventory, in this time of uncertainty, is the organization’s most important buffer to protect against variability. However, organizations are not good at managing inventory. Cash-to-Cash Metrics. Cash-to-cash is a compound metric: (Days of Receivables+Days of Inventory)-Days of Payables=Cash Conversion Cycle.

Optimal Sourcing 299

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Design Software Waste Reduction Inventory Reduction 299

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 13, 2017

If the arrow is red, the industry is moving backwards on a metric. The industry made progress on revenue/employee, but struggled on growth, margin, inventory turns. We started the analysis to guide our own research and started sharing it with the industry in 2013. What can we learn from the analysis? Stay tuned.

Supply Chain Planning Software 0

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain 0

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 21, 2024

We explore the concept of holistic inventory strategies focused on the form and function of inventory. In the process, we learn that only 15-20% of inventories are safety stock and that the current APS frameworks do not enable a holistic analysis of the form and function of inventory. Lack of aligned metrics.

Inventory Reduction 434

Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Cost Reduction Strategies Supply Chain Design Software 434