Spinnaker Sales and Operations Planning Services Drive Crucial Value for Supply Chain Clients

New Research Supports That an Innovative Supply Chain Model is Needed to Survive a Recession

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Spinnaker, a leading supply chain consulting and execution firm, announced today that their Sales and Operations Planning practice is helping clients design a more responsive, flexible demand forecasting method to weather tough economic times.

“A successful demand-driven sales and operations planning initiative can improve revenue from 2% to 5%, reduce inventories by 7% to 15%, and improve the success of new product launch commercialization by 20%. For cash-strapped companies, these business benefits can be critical to helping them through the recession.”

According to a report¹ issued in May 2009 by AMR Research Inc., “A successful demand-driven sales and operations planning initiative can improve revenue from 2% to 5%, reduce inventories by 7% to 15%, and improve the success of new product launch commercialization by 20%. For cash-strapped companies, these business benefits can be critical to helping them through the recession.”

Rob Benson, Spinnaker Co-Founder and Managing Principal reports, “Spinnaker is seeing more clients asking for our assistance in sales and operations planning projects. In today’s business climate, companies are realizing that traditional supply & demand forecasting methods are not working. A new approach is needed in order to survive.”

The AMR Research report further states, “The focus of sales and operations planning needs to be the delivery of the operating strategy, but in 85% of the organizations we work with, the operating strategy is not clear. As a result, companies have difficulty making conscious choice on costs, customer service and inventories.”

“Helping clients design the right sales and operations planning strategy is only part of the challenge. We have to help them see the link between a good plan and the ability to successfully execute that plan,” stated Benson. “This report solidifies our belief that a new approach to building and implementing an effective Sales and Operations Planning process is required in order for companies to thrive during a turbulent marketplace.”

About Spinnaker

Founded in 2002, Spinnaker leads the industry with innovative supply chain solutions to ensure that clients remain competitive in the global marketplace. Spinnaker’s services include supply chain consulting, supply chain execution and application support services. Spinnaker serves a range of customers from Fortune 500 companies to start-up enterprises, most of whom are market leaders in their respective industries; including semiconductor manufacturers, energy companies, telecommunications companies, and the food and beverage industry. Spinnaker delivers supply chain excellence with world-class people, processes, technology, and operational know-how. Headquartered in Denver, Spinnaker offices are also located in Boston, Singapore and London.

⁽¹⁾ AMR Research, Inc. "Sales and Operations Planning: transformation From Tradition" by Lora Cecere, Jane Barrett and Hussain Morraj, May 2009.