Comments on: Why Can’t My Supply Chain Team Think More Like Category Managers? http://logisticsviewpoints.com/2010/02/09/why-cant-my-supply-chain-team-think-like-category-managers/ Providing logistics professionals with clear and concise analyses of Logistics Trends, Technologies, and Services Wed, 16 May 2012 10:07:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: mike.spindler@shelfsnap.com http://logisticsviewpoints.com/2010/02/09/why-cant-my-supply-chain-team-think-like-category-managers/comment-page-1/#comment-163 mike.spindler@shelfsnap.com Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:50:02 +0000 http://logisticsviewpoints.com/?p=2893#comment-163 A pretty interesting set of perspectives. SC folks from a CG company in that same area were puzzled that their and the client projections were quite out of sync with sales and the gap was growing. A category manager from the same company had just reviewed some actual in-store conditions reporting from our firm, and found in-store conditions not at all in harmony with the modular. Some stores were worse than other, but on average actual conditions were 19% different from plan. Brokers were charged with level setting the modulars on the following weeks visit and sales quickly came back in line. As Mr. Churchill used to say, "however beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results." In this case a category manager went the extra step to check compliance with the plan. A pretty interesting set of perspectives. SC folks from a CG company in that same area were puzzled that their and the client projections were quite out of sync with sales and the gap was growing. A category manager from the same company had just reviewed some actual in-store conditions reporting from our firm, and found in-store conditions not at all in harmony with the modular. Some stores were worse than other, but on average actual conditions were 19% different from plan.

Brokers were charged with level setting the modulars on the following weeks visit and sales quickly came back in line. As Mr. Churchill used to say, “however beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.” In this case a category manager went the extra step to check compliance with the plan.

]]> By: Karthik.Mani http://logisticsviewpoints.com/2010/02/09/why-cant-my-supply-chain-team-think-like-category-managers/comment-page-1/#comment-162 Karthik.Mani Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:07:43 +0000 http://logisticsviewpoints.com/?p=2893#comment-162 Steve: Another way to look at this particular situation is that the sales team and the customer supply chain team in this consumer goods company don't seem to be working together. Somebody at this consumer goods company's North West Arkansas office is calculating the seasonal build up and writing the store orders in RetailLink to get the product to the store before the season. Usually writing those pre-season orders before the repelenishment system kicks in is a supplier team's responsibility. The supply chain team just needs to work more closely with the sales team. I agree with your general point though. The customer supply chain team folks need to think of what is happening to the product down to the store level and thinking like the category team helps. <a href="http://data2decisions.vueright.com/" rel="nofollow">Karthik</a> Steve:

Another way to look at this particular situation is that the sales team and the customer supply chain team in this consumer goods company don’t seem to be working together. Somebody at this consumer goods company’s North West Arkansas office is calculating the seasonal build up and writing the store orders in RetailLink to get the product to the store before the season. Usually writing those pre-season orders before the repelenishment system kicks in is a supplier team’s responsibility. The supply chain team just needs to work more closely with the sales team.

I agree with your general point though. The customer supply chain team folks need to think of what is happening to the product down to the store level and thinking like the category team helps.

Karthik

]]> By: kayhughes http://logisticsviewpoints.com/2010/02/09/why-cant-my-supply-chain-team-think-like-category-managers/comment-page-1/#comment-161 kayhughes Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:57:50 +0000 http://logisticsviewpoints.com/?p=2893#comment-161 Great article! Before I became a commodity and then category manager I worked in manufacturing for six years. Due to this experience, I can manage vendors, forecasting, inventory, etc. much better than my co-workers who do not have this experience. This knowledge allows me to be proactive rather than reactive and to bypass the many pitfalls in a supply chain. Also, since I designed packaging, controlled inventory and arranged shipping for products shipped to big box and local retail, I know what it takes to make a successful product line. I would recommend all category managers have at least some experience with a manufacturer before becoming a commodity or category manager. Great article! Before I became a commodity and then category manager I worked in manufacturing for six years. Due to this experience, I can manage vendors, forecasting, inventory, etc. much better than my co-workers who do not have this experience. This knowledge allows me to be proactive rather than reactive and to bypass the many pitfalls in a supply chain. Also, since I designed packaging, controlled inventory and arranged shipping for products shipped to big box and local retail, I know what it takes to make a successful product line. I would recommend all category managers have at least some experience with a manufacturer before becoming a commodity or category manager.

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