IDC Report: Benefits of a Collaborative S&OP Process

Today, survival of the fittest is not linked to size or strength but to the ability to change — to move quickly, adapt, seize opportunities, and act. This is particularly true within manufacturing, as the pace of change in the manufacturing industry is accelerating faster than ever before. Becoming more agile is a challenging task, but an essential component is being able to predict demand. Manufacturers must improve forecast accuracy to better plan across operations and increase overall profits. Sales and operations planning (S&OP) is essentially a cross-functional, consensus planning process that turns business/market demand opportunities into a single, actionable operating plan for manufacturers.

33% of industry leaders expect to be disrupted by digitally enabled competitors by the end of 2019. S&OP can no longer wait for the monthly executive meeting to make adjustments; it must be flexible, scalable, and actionable at a moment’s notice. S&OP is moving toward an “always available,” on-demand process that allows companies to plan on a regular monthly cadence as well as make adjustments as necessary to respond quickly to changes in their supply chain.