Improve Forecast Accuracy, Eliminate Excess Inventory, & Maximize Service Levels

In this Video Dr. Thomas Willemain, co–Founder and SVP Research, defines and compares the most useful Forecasting Techniques: Exponential Smoothing, Single Exponential Smoothing, Holt’s Method and Winter’s Method.  These videos explain the basic thinking under each technique as well as the math behind them, how they are used in practice and the tradeoff of each method.

Inventory control policies and strategies for a more profitable business

In this Video Dr. Thomas Willemain, co–Founder and SVP Research, defines and compares the three most used inventory control policies. These policies are divided into two groups, periodic review and continuous review. There is also a fourth policy called MRP logic or forecast based inventory planning which is the subject of a separate video blog that you can see here. These videos explain each policy, how they are used in practice and the pros and cons of each approach.

Share, develop, and manage consensus demand plans to ensure inventory policy matches business strategy.

Smart Inventory Optimization (SIO) creates planning scenarios. SIO starts with a “Live” scenario that shows where you are now. Various team members can create their own scenarios, perhaps dividing the work by product line or sales territory. One decision maker can then merge these scenarios into a consensus plan that becomes the “Goal” scenario, which drives the ERP system’s replenishment planning.

Improve Forecast Accuracy, Eliminate Excess Inventory, & Maximize Service Levels

In this Video Dr. Thomas Willemain, co–Founder and SVP Research, talks about forecast-based inventory management policy, also known as MRP logic. This is the fourth in our series on major approaches to managing inventory.  We begin by looking at some very simple and then more robust models of inventory dynamics that help us determine how much to order or manufacture and when. We then consider how to calculate lead time and account for lead time variability. Tom concludes by describing the importance of safety stock, it’s role in properly buffering against demand and supply uncertainty, and how best to calculate it. 

What is a Min/Max policy? How do you know is working well for you? Smart IP&O gets Min/Max right!

The Min/Max inventory policy is one of four available Replenishment methods in SIO. When the inventory level drops to or below the Min, a replenishment order is generated. The reorder quantity is the number of units needed to raise the stock up to the Max. How do you know your Min/Max settings are working well and triggering replenishment orders at the right time and for the right quantities? If you are like most companies, setting Min/Max levels is based on rules of thumb or simple averaging techniques that don’t expose the trade off curve between service level and inventory cost. This makes it impossible to predict which items are likely to have overstocks and shortages in the future. In this Video Blog we elaborate on this and describe how Smart Inventory Optimization can help.