Think about these points before embarking on a Supply Chain transformation project.
- Have the executives fully on board and have them communicate (it is a business project not an IT only project)
- Is there product portfolio alignment between Finance, Marketing, Sales and the Supply Chain?
- It all starts with Forecast accuracy and understanding forecast bias
- Do a comprehensive ROI (Return On Investment) analysis on Projects
- Use standard reporting whenever possible or you will regret it and miss opportunities
- Be crystal clear where serious change management needs to be done (and do it)
- Gather your brightest brains together to be agree on priorities
- Know the difference between game changing technology and continuous improvement.
- Hire the best people
- Understand the difference between Sales and Operations Planning and Supply chain (look at one as vertical another horizontal)
- Project Management belongs to the Project Management experts (or you will fail)
- Stop the backstabbing and politics
- Spend money on educating and motivating your key employees
- Align metrics across the Supply Chain and then align those metrics with on time delivery
- Facilitate with the subject matter experts and decision makers when required
- Improve the cycle time of key supply chain decisions with social media tools
- Further break down silos by creating Supply Chain positions
Terry has been a guest speaker at the 2012 and 2013 Logistic and Supply Chain Management Conferences In Orlando and Las Vegas