Many organizations are addressing these challenges with sophisticated demand management efforts to more accurately forecast consumer demand. However, even after making significant investments in this area, organizations often still rely on manual efforts and complicated spreadsheets in response to unpredictable demand. While these tools generally provide a better plan, the reality is the plan can never be completely accurate given the certainty that unpredictable changes will occur. 

Many organizations are addressing these challenges by undertaking sophisticated demand management efforts to more accurately forecast consumer demand. These forecasts can be translated into production plans that account for the proper mix of raw materials, labor, and logistics needed to respond to anticipated market needs. While the effort and cost to implement such demand management strategies is critical to success, it is only part of the solution. An organization must be able to effectively execute these plans. Moreover, the organization must be nimble enough to quickly adjust its entire supply chain when the production plan inevitably changes. The inability to execute to a production plan, along with its last-minute permutations, has far-reaching effects on the consumer experience. It means that an organization cannot ensure the delivery of product where and when the consumer wants to buy it. Poor execution also adds considerable production costs, which means that the delivered product is not presented to the consumer at the lowest possible price. 

The ability for a manufacturer to meet consumer demand is directly linked to its ability to adjust to dynamic production plans. By implementing an automated workforce deployment program that is easily controlled across a facility and enterprise, an organization can finally use its labor as a key differentiator in its supply chain. Because each manufacturer’s supply chain success and failure is passed along to the consumer, effective labor deployment really does mean happier customers.