Client Overview
Region
UK & Ireland
Industry
Beverage Manufacturing
Challenges
- No Standardized Forecasting Process
- Sales Not Involved in Forecasting
- Operational Inefficiencies
Results
- Forecast Accuracy Up by 9%
- One Forecasting Method for All
- Trust in the System Restored
1. Challenge Overview
The planning process was fragmented and misaligned across functions. Without a consistent forecasting approach or sales team engagement, the business faced operational inefficiencies and poor production visibility.
No Standardized Forecasting Process
Each team used its own method, making collaboration difficult and forecasts unreliable.
Lack of unified sales forecasting methods across teams
No consensus on demand figures, leading to planning misalignment
Sales Not Involved in Forecasting
Commercial teams were disconnected from planning cycles, missing critical market and promo input.
Limited engagement from commercial teams in planning
Missed insights on promotions and market shifts
Operational Inefficiencies
Without visibility into upcoming events or a consistent forecast, production and inventory control suffered.
Poor visibility of upcoming promotions
Unreliable production scheduling and higher inventory levels
2. Solution
To fix the disconnect, we implemented a structured forecasting process supported by SAP APO. The solution focused on enabling collaboration, improving visibility, and building trust through clarity and exception-based planning.
Standardized Forecasting Framework
We unified the approach across teams to ensure consistency and transparency in how demand was forecasted.
- Designed a unified process for sales forecasting across all product categories
- Created alignment between forecasting tools and roles across teams
New Demand Planning Calendar
A visual, time-bound structure was introduced to bring clarity to demand cycles and promotion alignment.
Introduced a structured calendar and planning flow
Included sales event markers and promotion inputs
Simplified Sales Collaboration
We made it easier for sales teams to engage in forecasting using checklists and role clarity.
Rolled out checklists to streamline demand reviews with sales teams
Established clear roles and meeting rhythms
Exception-Based Planning Logic
To reduce noise and focus effort, alerts and KPIs helped teams prioritize where attention was most needed.
Implemented alerts and exception handling for more focused reviews
Created KPIs and reporting structure to track forecast quality
3. Results
Forecast Accuracy Up by 9%
Introducing a consistent planning process, along with better sales integration, led to a measurable improvement in forecast reliability across the business.
One Forecasting Method for All
With a shared demand calendar and aligned process, planners across all categories now follow a single, structured approach, reducing confusion and improving efficiency.
Trust in the System Restored
By simplifying workflows and embedding exception-based logic, confidence in SAP APO increased, and the planning system is now widely trusted by the business.
Quick navigation
- No Standardized Forecasting Process
- Sales Not Involved in Forecasting
- Operational Inefficiencies
- Standardized Forecasting Framework
- New Demand Planning Calendar
- Simplified Sales Collaboration
- Exception-Based Planning Logic
- Forecast Accuracy Up by 9%
- One Forecasting Method for All
- Trust in the System Restored
