Route to Market & Supply Chain Blog

Dear Santa, I refer to the recent blog article, "Santa & Opening Presents; Why S&OP is Invaluable at Christmas". As I mentioned in the consultation process just prior to S&OP implementation, I was prepared on behalf of our members to support the…

Last time we started a debate entitled “Is S&OP really necessary?”. Our protagonists are REGINALD, the CEO of a multinational FMCG company and JACEK the new Head of Supply Chain Development at the same company.Both do not believe that S&OP is really…

Having met the protagonists, let’s see if S&OP is really necessary.  First, let’s remind ourselves of the players: REGINALD is CEO of a multinational FMCG company.He does not believe that S&OP is necessary for his business and expressed his views in…

From Monty Python to S&OP and integrated supply chain planning in one blog.  The next instalment ....  Dear Mike I thought that you were joking when you said my email would make a great series of articles about integrated supply chain planning.…

  Inspired by Monty Python’s film “Life of Brian” ... What have the Romans ever done for us?  And one of our consultants ..... "What has S&OP ever done for us? ...said Reginald the (very frustrated) CEO at the annual operational review meeting.…

Sorry, this blog has nothing to do with any of the above. It is everything to do with Friday afternoon & a bit of fun.   We had a meeting today about how to improve our blogging & some whit suggested that if we were really serious about increasing…

“We’ve been doing S&OP in our African Operating Companies for 5 or 6 years .... & it’s still not working properly....” This was one of several discussions we have had with clients over the last couple of weeks and something of a recurring theme.…

I have been thinking about Africa this year & its particular needs regarding supply chain.  We have been working there since 1993 & it came back into consciousness during the World Cup. Many African countries are growing rapidly.  However, I have…

The CEO listened while the Commercial Director & Supply Chain Director tried to reach an agreement during the monthly S&OP meeting.  Not only was he disappointed to hear a version of the same arguments from previous months (“we are short of stock…

I had planned to write something about the importance of teamwork & S&OP & then try & link it to sailing – this would be an easy association.  And then a real live incident made the story for me. We finally set sail again – break in the weather - &…

After the grand total of 1 days sailing during the first week – the  Mistral is back again & we are port bound - moral is flagging.  ‘Customer service levels’ are dropping.  This mind is wandering. Time for some nautical S&OP stuff again. Let’s…

We finally got going (sailing that is) yesterday when the wind dropped to a breezy Force 4 on the beam (that’s from the side) - wonderful sailing weather.  And it was marvellous – whizzing along at 7-8 knots. Mind wandering territory again ...…

  It’s amazing how the mind wanders when one is stuck. In my case I have just started a sailing holiday with family in tow.  Here we are in the South of France west of Marseille, boat at the ready & raring to go.  Problem – there is a Mistral…

Well its over & the African showcase that was the World Cup has finished.  As Spain (deservedly) celebrates and the circus leaves town, I am left to wonder “what next” for the continent? Thankfully I am not the only one in a similar reflective…

Oh Ghana, Ghana! wherefore art thou Ghana? Deny thy goal by penalty in the last minute of extra time and refuse thy destiny; Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn to do better in the shoot out, And we’ll no longer be denied an African team in the…