Bob Herzog, Associate Director, Global Planning Digital Solutions Leader and Supply Network Operations for P&G, added that the planning centers yielded another key benefit: self-funding innovation. “The savings from a particular project or program might be small. But the resources the projects freed could, in turn, work on solving much larger needs. In that way, [the improved planning capabilities] became a virtuous cycle for us.
Advanced supply chain visibility capabilities can also help enterprises respond to disruption. For example, during COVID-19, P&G has placed priority on maximizing the availability of its products that help people and their families with their health, hygiene and cleaning needs. The company’s “citizen developer” culture has proved invaluable in helping with supply chain response. Working remotely, digitally skilled planners were able to quickly provide insights on demand, supply and other variables in the supply chain in real time. For example, the company has been reframing dashboards to reflect new industry-wide supply chain constraints such as transport availability in the US or border crossings in the EU. This helps the company overcome these constraints, so it can serve its customers and consumers.
Going forward, end-to-end supply chain visibility will be a critical differentiator for leading companies. It already was a top-of-mind concern for many enterprises; however, the COVID-19 crisis has magnified the need. Addressing supply chain visibility may seem daunting, but organizations that understand the need, clearly define their business problems and apply the most applicable advanced technologies will be positioned to thrive both today and beyond.
Disclaimer: The views of third parties set out in this publication are not necessarily the views of the global EY organization or its member firms. Moreover, they should be seen in the context of the time they were made.