CEL Consulting, a consulting firm specialising in the optimisation of supply chains, recently conducted an extensive industry survey, unearthing valuable insights and addressing the challenges faced by businesses in the realm of supply chain planning.

The survey results have provided a comprehensive understanding of the current state of supply chain planning practices, offering organisations a roadmap to enhance their planning capabilities.

The survey encompassed a wide range of industries and geographical regions, capturing responses from supply chain professionals, decision-makers, and industry experts. These individuals play a pivotal role in shaping supply chain strategies, making the findings a reflection of their perspectives.

One of the key findings to emerge from the survey was the substantial amount of time dedicated to data preparation compared to actual planning. On average, 41 per cent of the total planning time is spent on data preparation. This highlights the pressing need for efficient tools and processes that can streamline data management, thus freeing up more time for strategic planning activities.

The survey also revealed that while 30 per cent of companies rely on dedicated planning software, a significant 35 per cent still heavily depend on Excel spreadsheets. This emphasises the importance of adopting advanced planning technologies to improve accuracy, collaboration, and overall planning effectiveness.

Demand unpredictability emerged as one of the most challenging aspects of supply chain planning, with over 44 per cent of respondents identifying it as a significant hurdle. This underscores the necessity of implementing robust demand management practices and leveraging real-time data to enhance forecasting accuracy.

Surprisingly, the survey uncovered that 16.7 per cent of companies do not integrate finance into their planning processes. This represents a missed opportunity to align financial goals and objectives with supply chain planning efforts, which can yield substantial benefits for organisations.

Furthermore, a staggering 67 per cent of companies expressed dissatisfaction with their current planning tools or platforms. This dissatisfaction signals the urgent need for technology solutions that can cater to the evolving needs of supply chain professionals, thereby improving overall planning capabilities.

Julien Brun, managing partner at CEL, emphasised the critical role of effective supply chain planning in today's fiercely competitive landscape.

“Effective supply chain planning is the key to unlocking operational excellence and driving business success. Extensive research has demonstrated that companies with robust supply chain planning processes experience an average cost reduction of 15 per cent and inventory reduction of 20-30 per cent," he said. "Moreover, they achieve an impressive 99 per cent on-time delivery rate and a 20 per cent increase in customer satisfaction.”

Brun also believes that by investing in optimised supply chain planning, organisations can maximise efficiency, minimise costs, and deliver exceptional value to their customers.