Blogs, Whitepapers, News & Customer Success Stories from Blue Ridge

Blogs, Whitepapers, News & Customer Success Stories from Blue Ridge


3 End-of-Year Demand Planning Strategies to Use Right Now

December 10, 2019

Year-end… A time to kick back and relax. But not entirely. These last couple weeks are the perfect downtime to squeeze some low-hanging fruit from your year’s efforts.
Today’s episode offers 3 strategic year-end moves your demand planning team should make right now to close out 2019 with a bang.
Sven Aunapu, Director, LifeLine Services & Analytics at Blue Ridge and demand planning veteran Dan Craddock say these moves center around “The 3 Ps” – the areas of PROFITS, PRODUCTIVITY and PLANNING.
Sit back, relax and enjoy today’s show, hosted by Will Haraway of Supply Chain Now Radio.
Episode 13 Show Notes
Will:  Welcome back to our Planning Posts’ community. I’m Will Haraway from Supply Chain Radio and Back Beat Marketing, and I received a very special request to come in to the studio and get the podcast going and get it on the air!
The mail arrived, I quickly opened the envelope and began to read this invitation:
‘Twas the month before year-end…
And all through our community
Every planner was replenishing and prepared for opportunity!
All the orders were placed, with great service and care,
But there is a last chance for profits,
We need to make you aware!
This was the request to come in and help deliver a very special end-of-year podcast.
I have two guys sitting with me who have been telling me stories of what they used to do during the final weeks of the year. They make it sound like  ‘The most wonderful time of the year’ in the inventory profession…
I don’t know, maybe it is!
They claim that the final weeks of the year are the ultimate chance for PROFITS, PRODUCTIVITY AND PLANNING.
Welcome back, Sven Aunapu and Dan Craddock.
(Thanks and hello)
Guys… PROFITS, PRODUCTIVITY and PLANNING? I would think this is more a time to kick back a bit and enjoy, but you suggest it is time to lean forward and take advantage of some opportunities.
Tell me more, and why those three specific words?
Dan: Will, it’s not just those three words.
It is those three words in THAT order:
Profits    –    Productivity  –    Planning
Sven:  Dan, you have to start with PROFITS. Do you agree?
Dan:  Absolutely, I do.
Sven:  One of THE most popular podcasts on this show was the podcast on Forward Buying & Deal Buying. Everyone listened to Paul Rose of Henry Schein talk about how his team had that extra inspiration at the end of each year to approach those companies that had a chance to offer a deal if they received a larger order.
The end of each quarter is popular for this, but the end of the year is the grand finale.   Sales people need to hit their numbers. Sales executives need to hit numbers. Production managers need to get product off of the floor.
Buying on deals is one of the most profitable inventory moves any retail or wholesale distributors can make. There is no question about that.
Dan:  Will, Sven is really suggesting that our inventory community out there go pro-active.
I was an inventory replenishment buyer many years ago for a wholesale hardgoods distributor. I will admit that we were very guilty of sitting and waiting for the phone to ring.   Who is going to offer us a deal this year?
That is actually what most inventory teams do. They sit and wait.
If they do make proactive calls,