Logistics Planning: Connecting Sales
and Deployment
Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP)
is a process that helps companies balance their business goals with what they
can actually produce and deliver. It requires teamwork between departments like
sales, marketing, and operations. A key part of this process is Logistics
Planning, which ensures that products are moved efficiently from factories and
suppliers to customers.
What is
Logistics Planning?
Logistics
Planning
is the process of managing how products are allocated to downstream depots and
customers, stored, transported, and delivered. It’s a major part of supply
chain management and plays a big role in helping companies meet customer demand
efficiently. In industries like CPG, Food & Beverages, Auto, Consumer
Appliances etc., effective Logistics Planning is essential to success, especially
with regards to meeting customer expectation and being competitive. On a day to
day basis, it involves allocation of stocks at factories and supplier locations
to depots and customers such that each receiving location is fulfilled on time.
Additionally, it involves loading and optimization of truckloads, vehicle
selection, clubbing of customers, indent generation etc. to minimize the cost
of logistics.
Why is
Logistics Planning Important in S&OP?
Logistics Planning is extremely
important for companies involved in making consumer products and making their
products available at retail points because it helps:
Increase
Customer Satisfaction: Meeting customer expectations for on-time delivery is
crucial for maintaining good relationships. Proper Logistics Planning ensures
that orders arrive on time, keeping customers happy.
Improve
Service Level: Making stock available at customer facing warehouses to deliver high
fill rates.
Improve
Visibility: It allows businesses to see what’s happening with their inventory,
shipping, and deliveries in real-time, making it easier to adapt to changes.
Lower Costs: By planning logistics
properly, businesses can save money on transportation and storage. This
includes choosing the most efficient routes and making the best use of
available space and resources.
Manage Risks
Better:
Integrating Logistics Planning with S&OP helps companies prepare for
challenges like delivery delays or sudden changes in demand. This way, they can
respond quickly and reduce risks.
Boost Efficiency: When logistics and
operations work together, companies avoid slowdowns. With well-organized
storage, inventory, and transportation, everything flows more smoothly.
Role of
Logistics in S&OP
For manufacturing companies involved
in making consumer products, aligning Logistics
Planning with S&OP allows for better decision-making. Logistics teams
contribute by:
Managing
Inventory:
By controlling stock levels, logistics teams help avoid having too much or too
little inventory at factories, company warehouses and at customer warehouses.
Planning
Transportation: Good Logistics Planning reduces shipping costs and ensures on-time
deliveries.
Benefits of
Integrating Logistics Planning in S&OP
Reduced
Costs:
Integrating Logistics Planning with S&OP helps lower costs related to
warehousing and transportation.
Happier
Customers:
Delivering products on time keeps customers satisfied, which is key in supply
chain management.
Smoother
Operations: Aligning logistics with production and demand leads to more efficient
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