It is no secret that the top brass often gets dazzled by the latest tech buzzwords—AI, machine learning, autopilot, touchless, you name it. But when it comes to choosing the right tools for supply chain planning, there’s a bit more to it than just going after the newest shiny gadgets.
The Real Challenge
While the C-suite might be eyeing futuristic tech to get ahead, the folks on the ground—the planners—are usually after something a bit different. They need tools that are straightforward, make their jobs easier, and, most importantly, actually do what they’re supposed to do.
From the Planners' Desks
After 30 years in the industry, I have seen over and over again that if you want supply chain planning technology to work its magic in your business, Planners are the real MVPs here. They’re looking for reliability and ease of use in their software. It’s all about tools that fit into their workflow, not complicate it. They’re less impressed by fancy features and more by something that works well with a few clicks.
C-Suite’s Shiny New Toys
Sure, the allure of AI is strong. Predictive analytics and automated processes promise to cut costs and keep you one step ahead of the curve. But there’s a catch—these advanced systems can become more of a burden than a benefit if they demand an excessive amount of data, are not easy to navigate and are not user-friendly. I heard a statistic at a recent AI conference in Boston: AI systems are 81% more likely to underperform if they rely on internal data sources.
Finding Common Ground
How do we get these two sides on the same page? Start by bringing planners into the conversation early. Insist on pilots where you use the product with a subset of your data for a week. Opt for solutions that are both powerful and easy to adapt to. Don’t forget that how a tool is adopted and used daily matters more than how impressive it looks in a demo.
Ultimately, while the decision may start in the boardroom, it's the day-to-day users who determine a tool's success. The best outcomes occur when companies recognize that planners are key. So, listen to your planners—ensure the tools selected are not just chosen for their allure but also support your workflows and are easy to use.
And before selecting tools, choose your methodology and then invest heavily in training the Planners, the C-level execs, and everyone else, because when everyone understands their role in the planning process, everyone wins. It is why we invented DDBRIX.
Think Flow,
Kevin Boake
