Sales & Operations Planning! Execution to the Commanders Intent
Every good leader has a good strategy. And every efficient organization knows their leader's intent. All employees at Southwest Airlines know and act to the CEO's intent. Herb Keleher says to his people: "We are THE low cost airline. Once you understand that fact, you can make any decision about this company’s future as well as I can.” Just check it out... next time you fly from Austin to Denver ask your flight attendant why Southwest doesn't have First Class seats, Foie Gras for dinner or luggage fees. Yes, I am sure, his answer will be the same as the person who checked you in. Because they all work towards the same goal: to be THE low cost airline, and because it's not that hard to make decisions on problems like 'expensive or cheap food?', 'expensive seats or more seats?', 'expedited boarding process or first class waiting lounge?'. It's all crystal clear and to the point!
So it should be with your Sales & Operations Plan. The S&OP is your commander's intent. So, first of all... you better have one!
For some the S&OP is simply the forecast; for others it's financial budgeting. Many companies, however, integrate their financial planning with a sales forecast on product group level and the real good ones also roughly check if the plant's capacity suffices and then subsequently ensure a proper transfer of demand. They also re-evaluate their product strategy (MTS vs. MTO vs. FTO vs. ATO) and make the appropriate adjustments in the master data. Is all of that done inside SAP functionality without the use of external applications? Mostly no, but that should be discussed in another blog post.
And here lies the crux of the matter. If you don't integrate finance with sales... if you don't connect the production department with a feasible plan... if you don't make the proper distinction between MTS and MTO... and you work in various, different systems; you will have a very hard time communicating the commanders intent; and have everybody putting their nose in the same direction.
A Sales & Operations Plan carries information about what products do we stock and how much of it? what do we need to invest - resources and capital? what's going to be our profit? what lead times will we promise for which product? What's going to be our supplier make-up? and what is our Plan B in case of variability (which is part of our life). Yes, it's the strategy, policy and general direction everybody should work towards to. For short: The Commanders Intent!
In my mind an isolated look at how you plan your finished goods does not suffice. S&OP is impacted by, and has an impact on, many areas within the supply chain. We all know that... but do we also live by it?