Friday, February 8, 2019
In listening to the UGG founder, Brian Smith talk through his trials and tribulations in developing the amazing UGG brand, a few themes emerged.
- Resilience in finding pivot points when obstacles emerged played a vital role in creating the UGG brand.
- The benefit is what matters; not the product.
- Creating demand goes back to being a leader in the category when the market shifts.
What a great story!
Next, related to the demand theme, I spoke to the Professional Women in Healthcare (PWH) Orange County group about the Amazon Effect. As a former Executive of a healthcare manufacturer, it was fun to have an interactive discussion with these leaders. Interestingly, healthcare manufacturers and distributors are experiencing the same issues as aerospace, building products and food & beverage. How to keep up with demand (or preferably get ahead of it) while increasing profit and accelerating cash flow (not having a bunch of inventory tied up for no benefit) is the topic on everyone’s mind. Aligning demand and supply and related parties is the trick!
Demand emerges as a common theme. Therefore, I’d like to invite you to an executive lunch centered on the topic, “Increase Demand“. I am speaking on a panel of experts on driving demand in your business. Use early bird promo V25 for a 25% discount. Hope you’ll join us there.
What Should We Consider and/or What Impacts Could Arise?
Every client has a focus on demand. Typically, they are thinking about how to grow the business in a scalable, profitable way, which leads to a mountain of questions about forecasting and how to get in front of demand.
Interestingly, it ALL goes back to one place, the customer. Do you have a passion for your customers and creating a superior customer experience? If so, demand will grow. If not, it won’t. In watching countless organizations over the last 14 years in consulting, I’ve yet to see one that succeeded long-term without this essential ingredient. Have you?
If you have a passion for the customer as the CEO or General Manager, that is a great place to start. However, it is not enough. Your sales team is relevant but the most successful clients view the entire organization as the sales team with a passion for the customer. Ask a trusted colleague to visit your facility. They will be able to ‘feel’ whether there is a passion for the customer or not. Ask them.
If the most successful executives have a focus on demand, it is worth noting. Are you providing lip service to the customer or are you creating this view within your organization? There is also a tremendous amount of focus going into understanding demand with forecasting tools, analytics, artificial intelligence, and more. Do you have a clear path forward as it relates to demand? Of course, this topic also relates strongly to creating a resilient supply chain. Only the most successful companies predict and proactively engage customers to get ahead of demand.
To learn more about these strategies, check out our new series:
About ASCM and APICS
ASCM is the global leader in supply chain organizational transformation, innovation and leadership. ASCM is built on the foundation of APICS certification and training spanning 60 years. APICS provides world-class supply chain training and certification to foster supply chain talent and improve end-to-end performance. APCIS sets the standard for supply chain education, through outstanding training, certification and community programs..
About APICS – Inland Empire
The APICS Inland Empire Chapter (APICS-IE) covers the Inland Empire region of Southern California, which spans the easternmost portion of Los Angeles county and includes San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The chapter offers educational classes, programs and special events in the hotbeds of manufacturing, distribution and transportation activity including Ontario, Riverside and Temecula. APICS-IE partners with other organizations supporting manufacturing and distribution such as the DMA (Distribution Management Association), neighboring APICS chapters, industry leaders and government officials in support of furthering the region’s workforce development and growth.
Media Contact
Kathleen McEntee | Kathleen McEntee & Associates, Ltd. | p. (760) 262 - 4080 | KMcEntee@KMcEnteeAssoc.com
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