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

Logility

AUGUST 7, 2023

The other factor to weigh in is additional revenue, which can be generated by improving customer satisfaction. There are simple metrics, which indicate the linkage between parts availability and additional sales. The rule of thumb says that for every percentage point of service part availability, revenue grows ¼ of a percent.

Customer Service 215

Customer Service Supply Chain Planning Software Logility Optimization Software 215

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 28, 2020

Only four percent of companies compared to their peer groups improved balance sheet performance of growth, operating margin, and inventory turns. When compared to pre-recession years, we ended the decade with twenty more days of inventory. Days of Inventory Comparison. Help Me Improve Customer Service.

Supply Chain Planning Software 418

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Forecasting Software Modeling 418

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.) Understanding this relationship requires modeling. (A

Procurement Analytics 369

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

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 13, 2024

How aligned do you believe your organization is to drive these metrics? P&G did not appreciate the work Gilette accomplished on form and function of inventory and using market signals. As a result, the company’s performance at the intersection of margin and inventory turns was circular for the past decade.

S&OP 393

S&OP Supply and Demand Inventory Reduction Expense Reduction 393

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. Funny, isn’t it? Improved Forecast Value Added (FVA).

S&OP 390

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

ToolsGroup

JANUARY 21, 2025

Returns Management and Integration With 35% of online purchases being returned, predominantly to physical stores, retailers are grappling with the ripple effects on inventory management. Early adopters of these integrated platforms report significant improvements in inventory turnover and reduction in stockouts.

Supply Chain Planning Software 156

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Software Inventory Reduction Price Reduction 156

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 9, 2024

An average margin of 21% with inventory turns of 1.58 As shown in Figure B, the company improved cash-to-cash through the extension of payables, but never improved inventory levels after the spin-off from Kraft. The group’s response is, “Are these supply chain metrics?” show a clear gap in performance.

Supply Chain Planning Software 386

Supply Chain Planning Software Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Planning Gartner 386

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 8, 2014

. “When I ask my team about customer service, I get high-five reviews. When I meet with my customers, I get thumbs-down feedback. I find the measurement of customer service to be one of the most difficult.” Interview for Metrics That Matter. How do you define the metrics that matter?

Procurement Analytics 279

Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Metrics Procurement Solutions 279

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. A supply chain that produces products at the same cost, quality and customer service given the level of demand and supply volatility.

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

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. The So What?

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 362

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

Enchange Supply Chain Consultancy

JUNE 10, 2025

Do Set Clear KPIs and Governance Structures : Establish transparent metrics for sales, coverage, and service levels. Do Embrace Technology and Data : Use real-time data for demand forecasting, inventory management, and route optimization. A well-equipped distributor is an extension of your brand and a key to market penetration.

Waste Reduction 165

Waste Reduction Vendor Strategies Inventory Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies 165

Kinaxis

JUNE 22, 2015

by Andrew Dunbar Over the last several weeks, this blog series on Inventory Management has explored the objectives and roles of inventory managers and outlined several of the improvement levers available to them. The metrics you choose should answer the questions your organization is asking, without requiring additional analysis.

Metrics 100

Metrics Inventory Reduction Inventory Inventory Management Software 100

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

Kinaxis

MARCH 22, 2017

But the sheer complexity of supply chain networks, and the impact design decisions have on operational performance, makes supply chain inventory management aligning inventory investments with on-time customer delivery and margins a major challenge. Implementing inventory optimization. It’s certainly no walk in the park.

Optimal Sourcing 199

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Optimization Network Optimization Inventory Reduction 199

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 25, 2013

The relationship between corporate financial performance and supply chain metrics was complex; and in my first attempts, I was unable to derive a correlation. When I started writing the book, I believed that supply chain process improvements had reduced costs, improved customer service, and increased invetnory turns.

Supply Chain Design Software 310

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Supply Chain Design 310

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 21, 2023

Fred owned logistics and customer service for the organization. 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. As a result, inventories ballooned after the DRP implementation.

Supply Chain Planning Software 406

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

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 19, 2013

Companies are stalled on improving customer service and forecast accuracy. It comes in many flavors–increase in inventory, changes in sales policies, new product lines– all add to the complexity. Supply chains have not morphed to manage the complexity at the same cost, quality and level of customer service.

Forecasting 320

Forecasting Supply Chain Planning Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Forecasting Software 320

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 29, 2014

The promise was the delivery of a decision support system that would allow the organization to optimize the relationships between cash, cost and customer service against the strategy. Leadership teams struggle with the trade-offs between cash, cost and customer service. Why does this happen? The book is a story.

Supply Chain Planning Software 379

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Demand Planning Software Optimization Software 379

GlobalTranz

APRIL 25, 2016

3 Key Metrics for Measuring Supply Chain Performance Beyond Cost Reduction. Inventory measurement is critical and it is money after all in that it took a capital expense to procure. Inventory measurement is critical and it is money after all in that it took a capital expense to procure. Cost reduction is still very important.

Procurement Analytics 120

Procurement Analytics Supply Chain Performance Metrics Supply Chain Software 120

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 12, 2013

It is the ability to have the same cost, quality and customer service given a level of demand and supply volatility. Focus on improving corporate performance—profitability, cycles, revenue growth, customer service and forecast accuracy—against the supply chain strategy. 2) Build Strong Horizontal Processes like S&OP.

Supply Chain Design Software 322

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Modeling Software 322

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 23, 2014

Get Good at Having a Real-time Perpetual Inventory Signal. Foundational for ecommerce is a real-time perpetual inventory (PI) signal. If you are going to be excellent at ecommerce fulfillment, you need to have great perpetual inventory capabilities. When a customer places an order, be sure that you can guarantee delivery.

Packaging 332

Packaging Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Design Software San Francisco 332

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

MARCH 27, 2014

I also continued to work on the manuscript for the book Metrics That Matter to publish in the fall of 2014. The average client that has implemented demand sensing technologies has reduced inventory by 11%. Demand demand planning demand sensing inventory management inventory reduction' It makes a difference.

Supply and Demand 342

Supply and Demand Inventory Reduction Demand Planning Software Forecasting Software 342

GlobalTranz

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Uncompetitive pricing, less-than-remarkable customer service, and undifferentiated products are only a few of the reasons for underperformance. Focus on the Customer Experience. Customer service is the beginning, middle, and end of omnichannel strategies. Align Inventory Placement With Demand.

Omnichannel 242

Omnichannel Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software 242

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 6, 2013

Closing the gaps happens when there are aligned metrics, clarity of vision and aligned planning processes. More advanced supply chain leaders model the role of complexity (product and customer), the impact of risk, and opportunity of innovation as well as product shipping and manufacturing locations, and inventory policies.

Supply Chain Planning Software 330

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Optimal Sourcing Scenario Planning 330

Enchange Supply Chain Consultancy

JULY 3, 2024

Ensure they have the necessary inventory, marketing materials, and training to effectively introduce your products to the market. Customer Support: Ensure distributors are equipped to provide excellent customer service. Establish protocols for handling customer inquiries, complaints, and returns.

Inventory Reduction 263

Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Material Savings Price Mitigation Strategies 263

GlobalTranz

JULY 13, 2015

Throughout the supply chain, the use of metrics to track and understand processes provides an invaluable resource for ensuring increased production and customer satisfaction. What Distribution Center Metrics Need Tracking? However, the most important metrics can be categorized into the following eight areas.

Procurement Analytics 120

Procurement Analytics Metrics Distribution Inventory Reduction 120

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 16, 2014

I have taken myself off the road to write the book Metrics That Matter. On the 2nd of April, I sat before a board discussing how a company could exceed expectations in the delivery of Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) and superior operating margins and fail at the delivery of customer service and inventory.

Supply Chain Design Software 298

Supply Chain Design Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Modeling Supply Chain Planning Software 298

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 29, 2014

There are seven reasons: Customer Service. It could no longer be just about inventory levels. This analysis needed to be completed monthly and fed to newer forms of inventory optimization technologies. I smiled as I began to present the story of the “Metrics that Matter.”

Supply Chain Design Software 268

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Design Network Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software 268

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 9, 2014

I also believed that this company would have the best inventory and customer service. It is one of the primary reasons why nine out of ten manufacturing companies are stuck at the intersection of operati ng margins and inventory turns.” My favorites are customer service, operating margin, inventory turns, and ROIC.

Manufacturing Procurement 318

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Benchmarking Supply Chain Design Software 318

Logistics Viewpoints

JULY 10, 2024

Supply chain resilience refers to planning for things that could go wrong and then creating inventory buffers or contingency plans. SCP solutions provide a solid ROI based on hitting targeted service levels with less raw material, work-in-process, or finished goods inventory. This would be a three-way tradeoff.

Supply Chain Planning Software 316

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning Modeling 316

Supply Chain Shaman

AUGUST 7, 2019

When a company contacts me to help them with their supply chain, the pain is usually a gap in customer service. Analyze Past Results in Customer Service. We draw a timeline on a conference room wall and using customer shipment and compliance data, we plot the issues with customer service and product outages.

Supply Chain Design Software 271

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

ToolsGroup

MARCH 18, 2019

These sessions resulted in improved make-to-stock and make-to-order service levels. They also cut inventory levels, grew sales and resolved capacity issues. Establish joint responsibility for inventory to reduce the risk of obsolescence. Their S&OP program, however, was only the beginning.

Supply Chain Planning Software 228

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning Agile and Lean Supply Chain 228

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

Optimization engines to improve functional metric performance resulted in an exploding number of planners. Each is customized and runs on separate servers. Rolling up a perpetual inventory signal takes eleven hours. days to get a perpetual inventory signal and 2.2 On average, it takes 2.8 Bullwhip Amplification.

Supply Chain Planning Software 392

Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Waste Reduction 392

Logility

APRIL 28, 2025

Easily one of the most significant innovations in our lifetime that’s shaping the future of enterprise AI, agentic AI will be truly autonomous when completing complex workflows across organizations, from customer service and payment processing to fraud detection and order fulfillment.

Supply Chain Planning Software 147

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Modeling Supply Chain Software 147

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