))
Forecast Driven Fulfillment: Designing Resilient Supply Chains for B2B Growth
Manage episode 474380513 series 3367134
Content provided by Mark Blackwell. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Mark Blackwell or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.
Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery.
Supply chain excellence isn't just about moving products from A to B—it's about orchestrating a complex symphony of forecasting, production, inventory, and delivery that directly impacts your bottom line and customer satisfaction. In this deep exploration of Forecast-Driven Fulfilment (FDF), we reveal how top B2B organisations are transforming their operations by connecting what they expect to sell with how it actually reaches customers' hands.
Most executives recognise the symptoms: warehouses packed with inventory that isn't moving, manufacturing schedules that feel more like suggestions, production bottlenecks tied to specific SKUs, and customer service teams perpetually extinguishing fires. The temptation is to simply increase safety stock, but as we uncover, companies struggling with service often already have excessive inventory. The real challenge? Having the right products in the right places at precisely the right times.
FDF represents a fundamental shift in operational thinking that breaks down silos between departments. We explore how production scheduling becomes a point of tension between manufacturing efficiency and sales expectations, the different approaches taken by commodity producers versus specialised suppliers, and the critical importance of having predefined decision-making processes for handling unexpected orders. The most successful implementations involve robust Sales and Operations Execution (S&OE) meetings where cross-functional teams align forecasts with business goals.
The results speak volumes: one B2B specialty chemical company implementing FDF saw a 10% improvement in order reliability, transformed their Net Promoter Score from detractor to promoter, reduced inventory by 20% while improving service, and decreased order handling costs by 15%. Perhaps most importantly, their enhanced operational resilience helped them weather post-COVID supply chain disruptions far better than competitors.
Ready to transform your B2B operations? Visit www.arkaro.com, follow us on LinkedIn, or email Mark Blackwell directly at [email protected] for a free consultation to discuss how Forecast-Driven Fulfilment might revolutionise your business.
Chapters
1. Introduction to Forecast-Driven Fulfillment (00:00:00)
2. Common B2B Supply Chain Pain Points (00:01:35)
3. Production Scheduling Challenges (00:03:03)
4. Managing Unexpected Orders (00:04:50)
5. FDF Implementation and Success Stories (00:07:39)
6. Final Thoughts and Contact Information (00:10:03)
9 episodes
Share
